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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Heidelberg, Victoria
    Age
    79
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    2,074

    Default What's an Emco compact 8 lathe worth?

    Many many years ago, I fell in love with the Emco series of lathes. I had all their brochures, and drooled for hours and dreamed of owning one.

    I probably fell for the nice orange paint colour, and the modern styling as opposed to the Hercus traditional style.

    The Compact 8 seemed to be the ideal hobby size. Eventually, Emco went out of business, and so did my dreams.

    One has popped up for sale at approx $1100.

    Should I let it go? Are they any good? Anyone got one?

    I really don't need another lathe, I already have the baby Emco Unimat 3 lathe/mill, and a nearly finished 9" Hercus.

    It's just a teenage dream fulfilled, maybe.

    Ken

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    9,088

    Default

    teenage dream fulfilled for $1100....... I'd call that a bargin.

    Stuart

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    Heidelberg, Victoria
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    Default A boyhood dream

    Thanks Stu for the encouragement.

    When I was a kid in Tech school, I reckoned the HP calculators were the ants pants, and they were.

    Today I have two, and still flog them to death. Even have an ancient one with the red led display.

    Back then, the FJ Holden was something to die for. The girl I married had a nice grey one with red leather seats, an FJ Special. The girl has since gone, should have kept the Holden.

    Once in a band, I badly wanted a Fender guitar, that didn't happen, and finished up with a copy.

    Sorry, I'm just waffling on. I reckon all of us have some boyhood dream that's not fulfilled.

    What's yours?
    Ken

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Melbourne
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    Default

    My father had a Hp calculator with neon(I think, certainly not LCD or LED) display. It's programable for long caluations, must be nearly 40years old. He may even still have it lol

    A shed full of tools.... I'm well on the way.

    Stuart

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Perth WA
    Age
    71
    Posts
    6,458

    Default

    Buy it Ken. Then you can start the hunt for the matching mill.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    The Fabulous Gold-plated Coast.
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    69
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    Default

    The guy who repairs my watches lives 2km from Ken, and he has one of those. Too bad he's only eighty with (apparently) more years left in him.

    Ken, I believe I'd get the Emco, finish the Hercus and flog it as a "dream-come-true" lathe on ebay. You'd get at least $1100 for it.

    GQ

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Perth WA
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    Default I've given it more thought.

    I just had a quick read on Tony's site. The Compact 8 has no gearbox, no backgear and no reverse. Your AR does. You can still buy new parts from Hercus and there are plenty of second hand parts available. And orange? Will that suit your neighbour's garage decor?

    At least the mill's the right colour.

    BT

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    North Brisbane. Qld. Australia
    Age
    70
    Posts
    1,511

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by neksmerj View Post
    Many many years ago, I fell in love with the Emco series of lathes. I had all their brochures, and drooled for hours and dreamed of owning one.
    Did the same with the Unimat3. Many years ago there was a place at Redcliffe which had them. I would go in every time I went to Redcliffe to drool over them. Eventually ended up with two brand new ones with a heap of gear to go with them through Ebay. Since regretfully resold one.

    Nev

  9. #9
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Anorak Bob View Post
    I just had a quick read on Tony's site. The Compact 8 has no gearbox, no backgear and no reverse. Your AR does. You can still buy new parts from Hercus and there are plenty of second hand parts available. And orange? Will that suit your neighbour's garage decor?

    At least the mill's the right colour.

    BT
    Oh that one! Obviously I was thinking of the bigger model. I have read that the compact 8 was the model the Chinese copied for their small lathe offering...and hence the lack of back gear and low speeds world-wide today.


    Ken's Arboga is twice the mill that Emco one is anyway-a pint of paint and he'd be away to the races.

    As far as better lathes than the Hercus and it's South Bend copy, what else is there in a small sized lathe that would be an improvement? (Not Myford). I get the feeling that if you want more features or oomph then its a 1240 Chinese lathe or an older toolroom thing, either of which require industrial rigging and power. Thoughts?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
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    Perth WA
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    Default A big void.

    I can't think of anything out there that fills the gap between the utilitarian Hercus and SB lathes and the toolroom category. I know nothing about Chinese and Taiwanese lathes.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Heidelberg, Victoria
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    79
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    Default

    mmm, the literature on Tony's site, isn't too kind to the Compact 8.

    As a kid, I thought it was the bees knees. Reckon I'll stick with the good old Hercus and put the money I'll save into a concrete slab.

    AB, you reckon you can still buy new parts from Hercus. I've only seen things like 9" lathe spindles, spanners and name plates. Do they have a secret stash?

    Ken

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Lower Lakes SA
    Age
    58
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    2,607

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by neksmerj View Post
    Many many years ago, I fell in love with the Emco series of lathes. I had all their brochures, and drooled for hours and dreamed of owning one.
    <snip>
    It's just a teenage dream fulfilled, maybe.

    Ken
    "A man's work is nothing but this slow trek to rediscover, through the detours of art, those two or three great and simple images in whose presence his heart first opened."

    Albert Camus

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Mornington Peninsula
    Posts
    183

    Default

    I am a proud owner of a compact 8 lathe and it's quite simply WORKS!

    It just does everything a lathe should do but I find it very easy to use.

    The belt gear change is not ideal but changing gears is easy enough.

    On the UK lathe website there is a run down on the pros and cons of a compact 8.

    Cheers

    Justin

  14. #14
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    Nov 2006
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    Heidelberg, Victoria
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    Default

    Justin, is it a serious problem that there's no quick change gearbox, or reverse on the lead screw.

    Please say more about your Compact 8. A photo would be nice.

    Ken

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Mornington Peninsula
    Posts
    183

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by neksmerj View Post
    Justin, is it a serious problem that there's no quick change gearbox, or reverse on the lead screw.

    Please say more about your Compact 8. A photo would be nice.

    Ken
    Happy to get you some photos!

    I'll be in the shed tomorrow night so I'll take a few photos.

    One thing I have noticed is that I get excellent surface finish on steel and aluminum using carbide tipped tools. My understanding is that too do that requires a reasonably ridgid and strong lathe. The Compact 8 does it very well.

    It's made in Austria and is built to DIN tool room quality standards. It is actually a precision bit of gear.

    The guy I bought it from salvaged it from his son in law. The son in law had put it, wait for it, on the hard rubbish collection! After his grandfather passed away.

    I paid $1400 for mine on eBay and it came with virtually all you could need.

    Worth a read:

    Page Title

    Cheers

    Justin

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