Just a quick heads up for people in the UK, looking for decent quality tooling

[GrifterGuru]

I like it!

As far as having something come out of the chuck, I've found it to be quite boring the few times it has happened.

The time it was exciting was when an apprentice couldn't wrap his head around Hardenge's twist lock for their tapered spindle mount. It has an angled/tapered Y shaped slot and a set screw/pin that lets the 5" chuck mount like a bayonet mount, only there is nothing to tighten. Present it to the spindle and twist.


He attached the chuck the wrong way and it came off at roughly 1500rpm and had its way with everything in the shop it could. I was sure he was getting fired that day.

As to the VAT you guys across the pond have to pay, OOF!

VAT or "Value Added Tax". Currently it is 20%.

VAT (value-added tax) is collected by all sellers in each stage of the supply chain. Suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers all collect VAT on taxable sales

Gets worse when importing.... item value, shipping cost AND insurance cost are combined and THEN the 20% VAT is calculated. on top of THAT, there is usually a "handling fee"......

 

[RaisedByWolves]

VAT or "Value Added Tax". Currently it is 20%.

VAT (value-added tax) is collected by all sellers in each stage of the supply chain. Suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers all collect VAT on taxable sales

Gets worse when importing.... item value, shipping cost AND insurance cost are combined and THEN the 20% VAT is calculated. on top of THAT, there is usually a "handling fee"......

Good grief, this would make me take to a high tower.

 

[ChazzC]

VAT or "Value Added Tax". Currently it is 20%.

VAT (value-added tax) is collected by all sellers in each stage of the supply chain. Suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers all collect VAT on taxable sales

Gets worse when importing.... item value, shipping cost AND insurance cost are combined and THEN the 20% VAT is calculated. on top of THAT, there is usually a "handling fee"......

I wouldn't mind having a VAT, as long as it would reduce other taxes appropriately. In Pennsylvania, we have Sales tax (6% for most of the Commonwealth, plus something more if you live/purchase in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh) that is applied to most items except food (with the exception of luxury items) prescriptions/medical-related expense and some services. Other series (like shipping costs) pay the 6% as a "Use Tax."

I used to refer to "handling fees" as bribes (also called "expediting fees").

 

[GrifterGuru]

Good grief, this would make me take to a high tower.

TBF, I grew up with VAT, so I am not phased by it. It is just a calculation you throw in when importing and when you calculate how much "tax" the government are taking, unless it is tobacco or alchohol and that tax is insane when you actually look into it.

Given we have the Government funded NHS, something has to give and sadly, Tax (of any form) is usually the answer to such things.

One other thing we have is "National Insurance contributions" which go towards a state pension. Yes, we can have and many do have "Private" pensions as well as the state pension, though private pensions are self funded from your own earnings.

Lets just hope they don't employ the "S.E.T" that was jokingly employed to raise money in Carry-on comedy film "Carry on Henry" otherwise we would all be F!"£$d

 

[GrifterGuru]

I wouldn't mind having a VAT, as long as it would reduce other taxes appropriately. In Pennsylvania, we have Sales tax (6% for most of the Commonwealth, plus something more if you live/purchase in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh) that is applied to most items except food (with the exception of luxury items) prescriptions/medical-related expense and some services. Other series (like shipping costs) pay the 6% as a "Use Tax."

I used to refer to "handling fees" as bribes (also called "expediting fees").

Trust me, no you would not... The costs of goods and services would skyrocket pretty rapidly!

 

[SouthernChap]

I understand that, but to be fair, I have been turning 2" stock so needed a decent steady and the sieg ones, despite owning them, are an absolute PITA joke to use.

The myford steady is fantastic for stock down to a certain diameter (I think around 10mm without measuring, possibly less), plus, it is a "split" steady meaning it is hinged in the middle so you can literally open the top, undo the chuck and lift the stock out without having to feed it through the steady.

Besides, the "fingers" of the myford steady lend themselves very easily to being modified to carry a roller or a bearing in a fork if you dont mind a little work to do it.

For reference, this is the steady I am referring to...

View attachment 478482

And the myford steady I have (with modified foot) fitted to the lathe when I temporarily had it sat in my kitchen (since moved) when I took a photo as the proof someone asked for that the myford steady could be modified to fit..

View attachment 478483

As the saying goes, "To each their own". I just prefer the myford steady for ease of use and capability.

Myford certainly knew how design their kit.

However, Myford accessories seem to go for about not a lot less than an ML7 these days!. Have you seen the eBay pricing for a Norton gear box or a milling adaptor?

 

[GrifterGuru]

Myford certainly knew how design their kit.

However, Myford accessories seem to go for about not a lot less than an ML7 these days!. Have you seen the eBay pricing for a Norton gear box or a milling adaptor?

Not lately.

That said, a seller on ebay has the Steady rests on for a shade under £150GBP which is not exactly that expensive.

 

[SouthernChap]

Not lately.

That said, a seller on ebay has the Steady rests on for a shade under £150GBP which is not exactly that expensive.

Oh that's not too bad. There are some sane sellers out there it seems.

I know Myford lathes and accessories are in demand and I get why, leaving aside the parsimonious, barely over 1/2" spindle bore, and the oil feeders, the ML7 and Super 7 seem almost the perfect small hobby lathes.

All that said, that doesn't mean a dirty looking 1959 ML7 with seriously chipped paintwork and stuff suspiciously placed, obscuring a view of the ways up near the headstock in all the photos is worth £2000!

 

[GrifterGuru]

Oh that's not too bad. There are some sane sellers out there it seems.

I know Myford lathes and accessories are in demand and I get why, leaving aside the parsimonious, barely over 1/2" spindle bore, and the oil feeders, the ML7 and Super 7 seem almost the perfect small hobby lathes.

All that said, that doesn't mean a dirty looking 1959 ML7 with seriously chipped paintwork and stuff suspiciously placed, obscuring a view of the ways up near the headstock in all the photos is worth £2000!

Objects on the ways in a specific location throughout photos is enough for "keyed in" buyers to look elsewhere.

Paintwork is paintwork. What matters is mechanical condition, condition of ways, surfaces, gears, bearings, bushing and overall condition of castings. Other factors also require consideration.

1/2" / 12.7mm bore? geez, thats smaller than an asian 7x that usually has a 20mm bore these days...

Re the steady rest on ebay... I have a suspicion it is a casting taken from a hemmingway kit, though I could be wrong.....

 

[SouthernChap]

Objects on the ways in a specific location throughout photos is enough for "keyed in" buyers to look elsewhere.

Paintwork is paintwork. What matters is mechanical condition, condition of ways, surfaces, gears, bearings, bushing and overall condition of castings. Other factors also require consideration.

1/2" / 12.7mm bore? geez, thats smaller than an asian 7x that usually has a 20mm bore these days...

Re the steady rest on ebay... I have a suspicion it is a casting taken from a hemmingway kit, though I could be wrong.....

Well, the spindle bore on the ML7 and standard Super 7 is 19/32", about 15mm. There is the Super 7B which has a 1 1/2" bore but those seem to be uncommon and even more expensive.