Thread: Lathe/drill/mill combo. or AL-320G

I have an opportunity to make & sell 'running gear' for 'fast electric' model racing boats. Because of this I am thinking of buying a lathe & since some milling would be involved, a mill would be almost a necessity. My biggest worry is that I would buy something too small & not accurate enough for any other project that may come up later.
I am considering a lathe similar to the AL-280P but it is referred to as 500MM BC lathe/drill/mill/ combo. on ebay au.. The lathe that I would really like to buy is the AL-320G but I would then have to buy a separate mill. Just the money is the aspect that holds me back a little... I can afford them both (the mill & the Al-320G) but I am wondering if this would be an unnecessary/extravagant way of going. Price wise - $1100 as against $1995 + whatever mill.
Can anyone suggest anything or read minds or the future?
Any help will be read & considered carefully. btw I can use machine tools but I have not used them much for over 20 years.

kev

Hi Kev,
I think YOU will have to try and pin down exactly what you want to do before you buy anything and maybe that will save you from making a wrong purchase.
I did consider a combo machine for a little while, but I thought they looked a bit cramped and possibly hindered both type of operations.
I originally went with a mill, as I thought I could do any lathe work I needed to do, at my workplace, but I have since found that there is no substitute for having a lathe at your finger tips, when you need it and I am now in the processing of buying one.
Once you buy the machinery, you will find uses for them, you never thought about, trust me....
Maybe you could buy a lathe that accepts a milling attachment and see if that does what you want first, and if that fails, you could buy a mill later.
That may save you some money and heartache if it doesn't do the job....
Good luck

sterob, thanks for your reply.
I am going to see H&F tomorrow, but I am almost suree that I will go with a similar setup to what you have said. Plus I am a sucker for good machinery...
I am thinking of an AL-320G & maybe a vertical mill block attachment for a 'stop gap'. Later (or maybe now) a reasonable mill such as the HM-35.

kev

Kev
Forget about the AL280 - as a lathe it is fine but the bit at the top they call a mill drill is just a bit at the top - in other of very little use.
The AL320G is a decent lathe with all the features you need. 38mm spidle bore is the first thing I look at as a lot of them are 20mm or less. Not much use for holding longer lengths of stock. It has a reasonable low down speed for threading and cuts metric and imperial threads. Geared Head I can take or leave as they are noisy but they are also convenient. You will find you still have to change a gear manually sometimes to get the full thread range but that is not hard so no big deal. Accessories are good and as long as the capacity of the lathe is adequate for your future needs it should be a good choice.

Don't forget you will add consdierably to the cost with a decent kit of tooling. I have probably spent in excess of $500 on tooling and still have a wish list a mile long. A couple of hundred will get you going and Ebay is the most economical way to get your tooling.

Lifting gear is a must with a lathe this size. They isn't anything you can easily dismantle to make it lighter so look at borrowing or hiring an engine crane. Look at a manual and it should show you the balancing point to lift. I used one of those nylon straps the truckies use and it was great and didn't mark the lathe. Ask H&F before you buy if they can help out with a crane and sling.

If you are thinking HM35 for a mill I would recommend the HM45 first. Dovetail column is heaps better than the round column.

I hope it all goes well for you.

Thanks rodm - & others (even my wife) + my better judgement AND forums. Forums of all sorts have saved me time & money & frustration over the last few years. I also pass on my knowledge to others (particularly computer wise).
I will, very likely, be the proud owner of a AL-320G tomorrow & a decent mill in the near future. I will take note of your comments about the dovetailing.

Thanks again for your help - I really do appreciate it.

Hey Rod - good things can come out of WA...

kev