Subject: Re: Emco or Myford?

From: [email-masked] (Charles Rowe)
Date: 15 Dec 1994 16:30:47 -0500

[email-masked] (Mike Diack) writes:

>I need a small lathe. The choice has narrowed to an EMCO Maximat
>or a Myford ML7 - both ancient, both similarly equipped with accessories
>and both affordable and in good order.
>I tend towards the EMCO, as i have a unimat, and think its a nice piece
>of gear - its just too tiny.
>Any comments one way or other would be appreciated.
>cheers
>Mike

Mike, I'm the 3rd or 4th owner of my Maximat, and I have yet to have a
problem with it or trouble obtaining accessories. The only drawback is it
came with 3 phase motors and I had to get a phase convertor for it.
Mine has the vertical mill attachment; it's real handy.
I have no experience with Myfords.
just my .02
Charlie

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From: [email-masked] (Peter Wiley - Poultry)
Date: 17 Dec 1994 10:35:54 GMT

I have friends with both types. IMO, if it is a Maximat 10 or 11, it is a more
robust, better featured lathe than the Myford (but I *wouldn't* say it's more
accurate or better made). If it is the 8, the Myford would be better.

Some of the Emco lathes had a taper fitting, bolt-on chuck design which is a
right nuisance to find backing plates for. The Myfords are simple screw on.
Not as secure for reversing but a lot easier to find/make.

All being equal, I'd take the Emco as I've used both. Depends on what you want
to do as to wether you need the extra capacity. Given that you can double the
cost of a lathe by the time you tool it up (and then some!) I'd be tempted to
get the one with the most goodies and in the best condition. Really, though,
you can't go wrong with either.

Peter Wiley

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From: [email-masked] (Randy Lee)
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 94 17:56:30 GMT

In Article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Mike
>Any comments one way or other would be appreciated.

Get the Myford....

there are 1000s of acc designed for it with cheap castings for the same...
many by a local HSM (to you) the late great J. Radford... Geo. Thomas also
designed many and his designs are available in book form... Model Engineer
Model Engineer Workshop Eng In miniature all have run fine art. on Myford
acc. It is the best lathe in it's size class due to the hugh ammount of
support that has bulit up for it since the war... If yo want I can email you
a index listing of articals from Model engineer since just 1960 that touch
on the Myford lathe... over 121 articals with Myford in the title.

~R
________________________________________________________
Randolph Lee    [email-masked]  [email-masked]
Tag space For rent!.... Inquire Above for attractive rates!

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From: [email-masked] (James Kirkpatrick)
Date: 15 Dec 94 09:28:39 MST

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Mike Diack) writes:
|>I need a small lathe. The choice has narrowed to an EMCO Maximat
|>or a Myford ML7 - both ancient, both similarly equipped with accessories
|>and both affordable and in good order.
|>I tend towards the EMCO, as i have a unimat, and think its a nice piece
|>of gear - its just too tiny.
|>Any comments one way or other would be appreciated.

I'm not too familiar with either, but some thoughts:

Are they both metric, both english, or what?  This might make a difference
depending on the work you do.

I've heard that there are quite a few accessories available for the Myford.
Not sure about the Emco.  If all else is equal, this would push me towards
the Myford.

If you have a Unimat, are any of the accessories interchangable between
it and the Maximat?

Jim

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From: [email-masked] ()
Date: 19 Dec 1994 19:24:57 GMT

Peter Wiley - Poultry ([email-masked]) wrote:
: I have friends with both types. IMO, if it is a Maximat 10 or 11, it is a more
: robust, better featured lathe than the Myford (but I *wouldn't* say it's more
: accurate or better made). If it is the 8, the Myford would be better.

: Some of the Emco lathes had a taper fitting, bolt-on chuck design which is a
: right nuisance to find backing plates for. The Myfords are simple screw on.
: Not as secure for reversing but a lot easier to find/make.

: All being equal, I'd take the Emco as I've used both. Depends on what you want
: to do as to wether you need the extra capacity. Given that you can double the
: cost of a lathe by the time you tool it up (and then some!) I'd be tempted to
: get the one with the most goodies and in the best condition. Really, though,
: you can't go wrong with either.

	I've been a "satisfied customer" with a Myford Super 7B for about 
8 years now You'd be hard pressed to find a more rugged machine. As for 
"goodies", I can't think of one that isn't made for the Myford. Also, 
should you wish to do something *really* odd, articles have been 
appearing in Model Engineer and other pubs for years, featuring new and 
improved ways for doing a variety of tasks, along with detailed 
instructions for building the do-dads needed. In some cases there have 
even been casting sets offered for these devices. I imagine that  these 
things could be adapted to fit other makes, such as Emco, but it would be 
easier to stick with the original intentions. 
	My only gripe with the Myford would be the distance one must 
travel for parts, but then it's no less for Emco. My last FAX to Myford 
was a few weeks ago, concerning a broken switch (I got it fixed by a 
fellow member of our Society, during a meeting (no charge!)) and I 
received a FAX reply within a few days, with price of replacements (about 
50pounds) and cost of shipping same (rather high, I thought at 
20pounds!). The company doesn't have a US distributor anymore and is 
seeking a new one. Emco on the other hand, I believe, has several. 
	Another consideration is the clearance between the top of the 
compound slide and the centerline of the spindle. In the Myford this is 
woefully little, which means that it is not possible to fit a tool 
more than 3/8"square, without difficulty. You really need to have some 
kind of tool-interchange system for speed and when you select one, you 
should keep this in mind. I went for the Omni-Post and then made my own 
tool blocks, to save $$$. This has been very satisfactory.
 	 If I did get an 
Emco, it would be one of their CNC models, of 
which there have been several over the last few years. Just possibly some 
earlier ones are malingering in some school shops, in need of a new home...
	Hope the above is of some help.

 "Steamboat Ed" Haas		:	Co-founder of the 
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From: [email-masked] (Tim Kirby)
Date: 21 Dec 94 11:00:14 CST

[email-masked] wrote:
: The company doesn't have a US distributor anymore and is seeking a new one.

Did Blue Ridge stop carrying Myford equipment when I wasn't looking?

Tim
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