New Owner Of A Compact 8...I have an odd question!

[The Fishing Hobby]

Hello! I'm new to the forum and I know it is going to be a useful resource to me. I'm working on a project and was in need of a larger lathe than my very old 7x10 Harbor Freight lathe. I found an Emco Compact 8 through Craigslist and ended up bringing it home with me for $425. It ran really good but it looks like a well used machine that hasn't been babied. It isn't pretty but it is a much nicer machine than what I have been using! I couldn't believe how much more rigid it is and it feels like a really nice machine. I am going to start cleaning it up, but I don't think I will be doing any repainting for now...I need to put it to use.

My odd question is this, how do you open the door on the factory Emco base cabinet??? Is there a locking mechanism in the hole or is it some sort of recessed latch? I asked the guy who I bought it from and he said he never was able to open it and it didn't come with a key when he bought it from a community college machine shop. I'd like to be able to use the cabinet for storage but I am not having any luck getting it to open.

Back to the lathe itself, as much as it looks like it has been used...I couldn't find even a small ding or mark on the ways! Must have been some really nice cast iron they used on these! The spindle seems to be good and tight as do all the cross feed and compound feeds. The biggest issue with the machine (and I noticed it when I inspected it) is that the lever for the half-nuts won't move. I looked at the half-nuts as much as I could see and they look to be in tact and I can see threads in them, they just aren't moving. I'll figure out what is going on there when I start cleaning everything up I'm sure.

Really excited about this lathe. It cuts so much better than my little HF model, no comparison really. I will post some pictures of it when I start the cleanup process. If anyone has any tips about this model they would like to share, I'd really appreciate them!

Thanks everyone and I'm glad to be a member of the group!

 

[Ulma Doctor]

congrats on the new to you lathe!!!
emco imported some very nice lathes from Austria, you'll have lots of fun getting to know her.

you may need to disassemble the apron to find out what is binding the half nuts.
it could be they are frozen from not being used, but the cause should be apparent upon takedown

good luck, let me know if you have difficulty, i'd be happy to share any knowledge i have

 

[The Fishing Hobby]

congrats on the new to you lathe!!!
emco imported some very nice lathes from Austria, you'll have lots of fun getting to know her.

you may need to disassemble the apron to find out what is binding the half nuts.
it could be they are frozen from not being used, but the cause should be apparent upon takedown

good luck, let me know if you have difficulty, i'd be happy to share any knowledge i have

Thank you, I'm sure I will have lots of questions!

 

[Latinrascalrg1]

Not sure of the type of lock you atre dealing with but im going to gonout on a limb and assume its not some class ten high security time safelock .....with that said do a google search for lock picking of the type of lock you have on the cabinet and then get to work picking it. Once again Im betting that you will have it open within 15 minutes it you pay attention to the instructions and actually try.

 

[lordbeezer]

Half nut lever might have a lock out if power feed is engaged..

 

[mikey]

I helped a good friend refurbish an Emco Compact 8 a few years ago. Came out like this:



I am attaching the user's manual and parts breakdown below; they can be difficult to find.

Like most manual Emco lathes, Emco no longer supports these lathes so any parts you need will probably need to be sourced on ebay. The number one eBay seller is now called "emco_hobby-shop". The seller is a good guy and responds to emails. You will find that when he finds a lathe, he'll part it out so if you can't find something now, keep checking. He doesn't always list stuff that he has so an email is a good idea, too.

Occasionally, you can find new parts here: https://www.emcomachinetools.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=5_71. The owner does not always list parts he has so an email is always a good idea, even if you don't see it on the site.

The Compact 8 was actually built to a tool room standard and is very nicely put together, like a Swiss watch. Everything fits, nothing needs to be forced. It is a change gear lathe so you must have the full gear set to really use this lathe or cut threads. Here is one but like all parts Emco, it will cost you because they are no longer available new: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Emco-Compa...=item5b400d65d6:g:cWQAAOSwiHpZ-LbP:rk:10:pf:0

There is a thread dial indicator that fits both the Compact 8 and Maximat 7. These are not that common so if you see one, grab it. Here is one right now on ebay for a good price: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Emco-Maxim...h=item3d6a0e28b4:g:x7kAAOSwkyxbLC59:rk:7:pf:0

There is no factory made carriage stop; you will need to make your own.

The spindle is quite accurate. The one in the pic has 0.0001" TIR. The cross slide and compound have zero backlash so it is quite a nice lathe.

I suggest some spare belts. The belts run under quite high tension and are considered consumables.

An OXA qctp fits quite nicely on this lathe. You will need to mod the tool post stud but it is well worth doing.

Sorry, I have not seen the OEM cabinet for this lathe so I have no idea how to open it. Most Emco cabinets have a turn key lock, though.

Congrats on the new lathe and welcome to HM. If you have other questions about the Compact 8, let me know and I'll ask my friend to have a look at his lathe. He loves it!

 

[The Fishing Hobby]

I have seen your friend's lathe all over the internet
That is a real beauty! Mine will have to remain ugly for now but I may repaint somewhere down the road. Thanks for all of the great information. I have seen these lathes called a toy on a lot of forums but it kind of makes me wonder if they have actually had their hands on one. It feels like a really well made piece of machinery. Very smooth controls and very rigid for its size. Maybe they are referring to the size of them and not the quality. I think I have a full set of change gears for it. It had 7 or 8 gears total I think.

 

[mikey]

Emco lathes, including the Compact 8, were built to very high standards by Austrians, not Chinese. It is not a toy; it is a well-made precision lathe that is capable of anything within its envelope. I have used this lathe myself so I know exactly what it can do. In fact, other than painting it, I restored most of that orange beauty so I know how well it is made. You have a good lathe there and it is worthy of a teardown and a paint job.

You will find that this lathe, like most in this category, works best with HSS tools. Learn to grind some good tools and I suspect you will be very happy with it.

I've seen some guys criticize it because it is a change gear lathe but these lathes can cut more threads than most lathes with a quick change gear box. Moreover, almost all Emco lathes can be adjusted to run with almost no backlash in the carriage and compound; find another lathe in this class that will even come close. I have parted stainless steel without a hint of chatter and have turned parts with tolerances in the tenths so toy ... no, I don't think so.

I usually don't listen to what other folks say, especially if I suspect that they've never used the machine and are just another source of BS. I prefer to use the machine and form my own opinion. In the case of Emco lathes, I think they are among the finest small lathes in their class. It should also come as no surprise to you that many Chinese lathes are clones of your Compact 8.

Ignore the ignorant and rest assured that you done good!

 

[The Fishing Hobby]

I really like it, infinitely better than what I've been using!

 

[The Fishing Hobby]

I'm going to do some painting to the lathe as suggested by mikey. I'm going to be taking it apart anyway, so...
I think I'll start a separate thread with some pics and progress. If anyone has any tips or pointers as I go along, please let me know!