Myford or Boxford ?

[AndrewP]

I have decided I am in the market for a better lathe and am leaning heavily towards a Myford Super7B or Boxford AUD.
I want a gearbox, don't really care whether it is metric or imperial - I can convert, and have bad experience of an, admittedly much smaller, chinese import.
Leaving aside cost (I wish) does anybody have experience of both and the ability to compare and contrast?

Anything much bigger won't fit and "I've got a ****** and it's brilliant" doesn't really help.

Steam is my thing and 5" gauge locos the biggest I am ever likely to tackle.

I've got a Cowells for the tiny bits.

Thanks in anticipation,
Andy

[drjohn]

I'm no expert, Andy, but to my mind, the Boxford is a much more substantial machine than the Myford - The V bed is much more sensible and rigid than the flat bed on the myford with the weak gap bit just short of the headstock.

The thing I don't know is does the AUD have a slotted cross-slide, because that is useful.

DJ

[Smifffy]

Personally, the Boxford wins hands down.

I agree with drjohn's view on the v-bed and "substantialness" (should there be such a word) and as for the slotted cross slide, my BUD has one:

[dickdastardly40]

Andy,

I've a Super 7B, have used a Boxford many years ago. I have made similar comments to those I will put down here about myfords before.

My Myford is accurate, repeatable and flexible, however it is a bit under powered, the screwed chucks only allows careful running in reverse. The hole through the spindle is only 5/8" which means all bar stock over has to be cut leaving almost unusable stubs. It has no power cross feed, which would certainly make milling a lot more straightforward.

There are lots of attachments available both OEM and aftermarket, not sure about Boxford for the same. The size of tooling you can use is limited to about 3/8" square.

Lathes.co.uk may be a good place to compare if you have not visited before. As the grass is always greener, the Boxford is probably the winner. Good luck, I hope you're happy with whichever lathe you buy.

Al

[Smifffy]

...the Boxford also has a screwed chuck, so the same applies as per Al's comment above. And I think it's fair to say that there are many more attachements available for the Myford, than the Boxford.

Smifffy

[engineernut]

I have a Super7, with power cross feed, but have never used a Boxford.
So my only observation is the same as when I was looking for my lathe and that is:
With a Myford there is more chance that it will be from home/private use, whereas a Boxford there is a higher probability that it will come from an engineering firm. I will stand corrected on that but this is what I was told by a couple of dealers, be it right or wrong.
There appears to be a lot of extra accessories available for the Myford.
I am well pleased with the Myford and find it very accurate. This did come from a private user and had been well looked after plus very little use.
This firm normally have a good selection of Myfords and Boxfords.
www.gandmtools.co.uk/

[keithcat]

I have had a super7 withe gearbox and a AUD. the slotted cross slide on the boxford is a extra, but is still can be brougth new cheaply. The Boxford is a much more massive machine. Mine came from a school, very few are used in industry except for training. The myford has been around longer and so there are many more worn out ones around,The clutch is the main advantage the myford has over the boxford, the boxford not having one. This means that you realy need a 3 phase motor for the many more motor starts. Go for the Boxford and save some money. A better Boxford still is one of the current gear head lathes, still for less money than a myford. I have just seen a STS10-20 sell for £800.

[Smifffy]

Some good points from Keithcat, you will get much better deals on a Boxford, the Myfords (expecially good ones) do really hold their value. This of course is a good thing if you've already got a good one :-)

From what I've seen most Boxfords do appear to be ex school/college machines. Both seeing little "heavy" use and the latter normally very well looked after.

Smifffy

[tomol409]

Boxfords have just about as good a range of accessories as the Myford - Vertical Slides, tailstock dieholders, etc. It has self eject tailstock, early Myfords need to have fittings knocked out with a drift. They have opposed , adjustable taper roller headstock bearings, adjustable indexes on feedscrews (early myfords are fixed); easy to drop into backgear (early Myfords very fiddly) It should handle 5" parts much better than the Myford. Standard factory test is to turn a 1" rod away to nothing with a 1/2" cut giving a continous chip as thick as a thick rope. Early models did not have a t-slotted crosslide but .later models did. This can be obtained from J. Ward at a very reasonable cost. I had a Myford for four years but now have the Aud model, and it handles everything I do from small model diesels, to large motorcycle parts with ease. Later Myfords are better but obviously more expensive. Go to the Yahoo Boxford Group and you will find all sorts of information in the Files section. You can find the range of accessories there- I know 'cos I put them there. Ex-educational Boxfords will have had limited use- some very little as some teachers were not experienced or qualified to instruct on them, so concentrated their work schemes on other branches of metalwork. Tomol

[AndrewP]

Thank you gentlemen, exactly the sort of informed, useful discussion I expected here.
A Boxford it is then - just got to find a good one now that isn't 400 miles away!.

Cheers, Andy

[Deleted]

Ahem! You might like to look at an EMCO Maximat V10P? I have one, and so does Circlip. Magic machine!
JB

[2tenths]

Andy

Have a look on Lathes and Small lathes (Tony's site) there is a 500VSL being sold by a friend of mine (name is Adam) and it is located in Wakefield, I know that when he bought it he paid a lot of money to have it stripped and re- adjusted, professionally. Plenty of pictures there.

www.lathes.co.uk/page3.html

HTH

Tony

[drjohn]

Apr 2, 2009 11:03:50 GMT simplyloco said:

Ahem! You might like to look at an EMCO Maximat V10P? I have one, and so does Circlip. Magic machine!
JB

But circlip only shows it to his girlfriends - he doesn't use his!! ;D ;D

DJ

[ettingtonliam]

Does the Myford have a bigger swing in the gap than the Boxford does with its non-gap bed?
I can't remember. I have a soft spot for the Boxford, having been taught to turn on one over 40 years ago. Personally, I'd go for the Boxford every time.

Richard

[keithcat]

Yes the myford has the narrorow gap but its very rare to have to use it. Thinking about boxfords at work,I remember the one thing I didn't like was the hand wheel to put on power feed.A simple lever is far better

[wayne]

Compare the following,
S/H Boxford lathes are generally cheaper than similar quality/equipped Myford
Aprox £400 for a Myford bed regrind and new saddle Boxford will they even do a bed regrind?
Boxford parts are dearer than Myford,
Boxford accessories are more expensive than Myford,
Boxford are not interested in providing services to the model engineering market apart from selling spares which they are happy to do.
Myford will do work on your lathe, you can get advise on any aspect of the lathe
1” big bore Myford is more substantial lathe than a standard super7 unfortunately they are not cheap.

In my oppion a good Boxford is better than a clapped out Myford or vice versa. However Do not be fooled by the belief that every college/school machine advertised with light use are in good condition, every one I have inspected has been devoid an oil gun, grease gone hard on gears, gibs way out of adjustment, and excessive lift of the tailstock barrel. Take a dial gauge, test bar and centres to check the machine, or take somebody in the |know with you who can do the tests.

Condition and price are far more important than the Boxford or Myford name.

Regards Wayne

[AndrewP]

Continued good advice gentlemen, thank you. That 500VSL looks like a handy piece of kit, thanks for pointing it out Tony, I use that site a lot for research but always forget the for sale section.
Mentioned my desire at the club on Thursday night, went to see a 4 1/2" MkII AUD tonight and will collect it on Wednesday. One model engineer owner for the last 20 years, 3 phase with inverter all the rests, chucks etc.

Just got to make room for it now

Cheers, Andy

[keithcat]

Sounds like a good buy. Don't forget there is a good yahoo group for Boxfords. Might we know how much you paid, or is that best kept to toself? Happy Turning.

Mike

[AndrewP]

I have found the Boxford Yahoo group and joined - I'm sure I will have questions.
I paid the asking price of one thousand, this is to the widow of a recently deceased club member so no haggling appropriate. I am happy with that especially since I had considered the Super 7B on Station Road Steam, the one on a pallet!
Just wish I could have justified a loco as well - something to play with this summer.

Andy

[AndrewP]

Started to dismantle the AUD this week ready to move it, had to split the bed from the stand so suggestions for sealer welcomed, first thought is automotive gasket goo, Hylomar or red Hermatite spring to mind if they are still around.

Oh and a word of advice - don't take a train mad grand child with you on that sort of trip, they will report back to SWMBO that Grandad is buying a new "trainmaker" and it's "huge" and cost a "fortune" this is going to take weeks to work off

Mention of the Simplex and Caribou in the same workshop has been banned on pain of death!

Andy