couchcommando Posted April 11, 2020 Report Share Posted April 11, 2020 So kitting our the workshop where to start with some equipment, need a pillar drill, vice and bench grinder to start with. Plenty of ‘cheap’ ones and we don’t mind buying new as it’s for work. They won’t get a hard life but need to work and not be rubbish. Any recommendations ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toneale Posted April 11, 2020 Report Share Posted April 11, 2020 Any used record vice will do the job i bought a used Record number 25 for around €100 a few years ago which has done well. On the grinder front i bought this Gryphon bench grinder a few years back and it is really good. It was also used. Cost me £200 iirc Both are overkill for what i use them for but are unlikely to ever nees replacing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tootall Posted April 11, 2020 Report Share Posted April 11, 2020 (edited) Buy old stuff. Especially for the bench grinder and vice. I've had a couple of new grinders that slow right down as soon as you put a bit of pressure on the wheels. I managed to find an old black and decker bench grinder for 70 quid, it's a fucking monster. As above, look for a Record/gryphon vice. For pillar drill, you need to weigh up wear and tear on an old one, plus people are pretty wise to what they're worth for good ones. I'm tempted by a new Clarke engineer one from machine Mart at the moment Edited April 11, 2020 by tootall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svingel Posted April 11, 2020 Report Share Posted April 11, 2020 Get a compressor. Even if just a small one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outkast Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 kettle and some mugs. 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_H Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 I've got the equivalent of the clarke machinemart style pillar drills. Don't bother, its not very good. I'd be getting a second hand decent quality one if I was going to spend the money again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
involute Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 Buy old stuff it will out last any chinese crap, be nicer to use and more accurate, problems can arrise around guards being fitted, most old stuff dont have em. New machine tools are made on old ones 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blow_away Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 I frequently look at Axminster, but I haven't spent any money with them yet. https://www.axminster.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bignige Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 Some of the Clarke spares back up is terrible. We had one of their generators in for repair. How about a 6 month wait for a part. Erm, no thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superdunc Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 1 hour ago, blow_away said: I frequently look at Axminster, but I haven't spent any money with them yet. https://www.axminster.co.uk/ Its very good for the money. Its all made China so obviously crap... Actually it seems to be copies of old English and American machine tool designs. Administer have people in China inspecting stuff before it leaves the factories, so quality is ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blow_away Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 My no name Chinese lathe is ok for small jobs, once you get the hang of the backlash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porter_jamie Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 axminster stuff is ok, for the money as dunc says. I believe they are fairly good to deal with too and they have a shop you can go into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4tgp Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 Axminster have some manufacturing in the UK. For light duty I would highly recommend them. Just sort from price high to low and work your way down. £3k for a pillar drill is a bit fruity. I would say 8" (200mm) bench grinder over a 6". ooooer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coombehouse Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 9 hours ago, porter_jamie said: axminster stuff is ok, for the money as dunc says. I believe they are fairly good to deal with too and they have a shop you can go into. I have a small Axminster bandsaw which I have abused mercilessly but it still works. I also have a rotary table for the mill & a combination guillotine, brake press, roller thing. All been good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coombehouse Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 On 4/11/2020 at 11:33 AM, couchcommando said: So kitting our the workshop where to start with some equipment, need a pillar drill, vice and bench grinder to start with. Plenty of ‘cheap’ ones and we don’t mind buying new as it’s for work. They won’t get a hard life but need to work and not be rubbish. Any recommendations ? As it's for work, you may be forced to buy more industrial stuff due to h&s. Bench grinders have to stop quickly & have extraction & spark suppression, pillar drill will need guards & safety interlocks. Most DIY stuff is not to the required standard. Also the Ce certificate needs to issued by a European authority, many of the Chinese made machines don't have this including some Axminster stuff. We had problems with a large saw that had to be returned. Most of the work stuff came via Buck & Hickman in Bristol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toneale Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 Was cleaning out my email inbox and came across the place I bought my grinder from, http://www.homeandworkshop.co.uk/ they deal in used workshop equipment and are based in Sidcup. They should be able to provide everything you need @couchcommando. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TQ_uk Posted April 14, 2020 Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 (edited) On 4/12/2020 at 9:54 AM, Alex_H said: I've got the equivalent of the clarke machinemart style pillar drills. Don't bother, its not very good. I'd be getting a second hand decent quality one if I was going to spend the money again. Seconded. The shaft on mine allows for too much play/wobble so drilled holes can become slightly oval. Unless you really tighten it and then its too stiff to raise & lower the chuck. Ok for general use but not for anything requiring a degree of accuracy. My neighbor has a heavy duty one he picked up used from (I think) a tech college. I'll find out brand/ballpark costs & whether he rates it or not next time I speak to him... Edited April 14, 2020 by TQ_uk More random info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_H Posted April 14, 2020 Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 1 minute ago, TQ_uk said: Seconded. The shaft on mine allows for too much play/wobble so drilled holes can become slightly oval. Unless you really tighten it and then its too stiff to raise & lower the chuck. Ok for general use but not for anything requiring a degree of accuracy. Deffo that, and the bed on mine is made out of chocolate sauce so deflects at the slightest hint of downward pressure 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesmoEddy Posted April 14, 2020 Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 (edited) Let me tell you my experience of low-priced pillar drills.... Clarke - wind the quill down to its maximum extent and try pulling the chuck back and forth. You'll probably find up to 5mm movement...same goes for Nu-Tool and other cheap drills. Almost 20 years ago I was in the market for a low-priced pillar drill, and at the time, the local tool shop in Lancaster was still open and doing a reasonable trade. They only stocked good quality items - a lot of CK and Stanley (when they were still good brands) - and they also stocked Rexon power tools, which I were/are made in Taiwan rather than China, and clearly had far better quality control. I bought one, which is still going very strong. Not sure you can buy a new one now in the UK, but if you see a secondhand one, buy it. Floor-standing Benchtop (and that looks like storage grease on the column, not rust). This was on Shpock, so they are out there for sale. Gumtree https://www.gumtree.com/p/power-tool-drills/rexon-dp-200a-bench-pillar-drill-/1343818224 Vice - get a Record of your choosing. Edited April 14, 2020 by DesmoEddy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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