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6th June 2014, 10:25 PM #1Novice
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- Jun 2014
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- 18
Titan TL250V metal lathe -- user experiences sought
I'm in the research stage ahead of buying a small to medium size bench lathe. Spec-wise, the good old CQ9325 would suit me down to the ground, but I'm told by Paramount Brown that unfortunately that model isn't made any more.
After looking around, I'm liking the spec of the Titan TL250V and, considering what is supplied with it, I think it's pretty good value for money, too.
However, I would like to hear from owners/users of that model but as yet I haven't been able to find an owner/user on the web.
So, anyone here have experience on the TL250V? All feedback welcome.
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6th June 2014, 10:57 PM #2
Hi gtc and welcome.
Whilst i know nothing about said lathe i have heard some pretty bad things about Titan.
Not really much help am i?
Ew1915 17"x50" LeBlond heavy duty Lathe, 24" Queen city shaper, 1970's G Vernier FV.3.TO Universal Mill, 1958 Blohm HFS 6 surface grinder, 1942 Rivett 715 Lathe, 14"x40" Antrac Lathe, Startrite H225 Bandsaw, 1949 Hercus Camelback Drill press, 1947 Holbrook C10 Lathe.
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6th June 2014, 11:02 PM #3Novice
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- Jun 2014
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7th June 2014, 12:13 PM #4Banned
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- Apr 2013
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- adelaide
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- 291
Lathe
I was interested in the Titan's TL250V when looking for a lathe some time ago. I rang Titan and asked if he could do a better price for machine and freight, he told me no, I'd be netter off buying somewhere else - so I did. Not the best customer service and there have been a few complaints. Stay away from H&F's AL-250, lots of better machines than that one - IMHO.
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7th June 2014, 12:56 PM #5Novice
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- Jun 2014
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- Sydney
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Thanks for the feedback on Titan customer service. I guess they figured you're close to Paramount Browns.
What did you end up buying?
In my research I have lined up the specs and features of the following:
Paramount Paramount Paramount Hafco Titan CQ9325 CQ6125 FI-610SM AL-51G TL250V
I'm using the discontinued CQ9325 as the reference machine. Paramount says the CQ6125 is their replacement for it, but it's lower spec as regards spindle bore, and Morse taper sizes.
The FI-610SM is looking good, but I do like the Titan's variable speed capability. Just wondering if anybody has actually bought one?
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7th June 2014, 02:28 PM #6SENIOR MEMBER
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- Jun 2012
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- SA
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- 1,477
If you're in Adelaide, there's an FI-610sm on Gumtree for $1250.
Which makes it pretty good value.
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/gawle...the/1043173530
For a "tidy" lathe it's pretty dirty, but probably only superficial. Also has a QCTP.
I notice that some overseas lathes similar to the Titan variable speed, use a three phase motor, instead of DC.
RobThe worst that can happen is you will fail.
But at least you tried.
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7th June 2014, 07:56 PM #7Novice
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- Jun 2014
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- Sydney
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Thanks, but I'm in Sydney (should be showing against "Location") and closer to Titan than Paramount, but closest to Hare & Forbes. Shipping of a new lathe from SA has been quoted at around $140 which isn't too bad.
Looking for a single phase unit.
This thread has had hundreds of views but so far not a single Titan user has chimed in. Starting to think that there aren't any.
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7th June 2014, 08:07 PM #8Banned
- Join Date
- Apr 2013
- Location
- adelaide
- Posts
- 291
Lathes
After considering all those on your list, and a few more, I ended up buying an Optimum Maschinen 280 x 700G re branded as Impala. I had an AL-51G and an AL-250 a while back. The AL-250 was rubbish, got rid of that one real quick: noisy gearbox, blew a couple of capacitors, gearbox needed work to change gears smoothly – not a good machine. The AL-51G is a very popular lathe, it has a strong fan base and several web sites devoted to it (google 9x20 lathe for more info). It does have a few drawbacks (as do all lathes): 20 mm spindle bore, no reverse tumbler, tool post not very rigid, and a few more. And of course changing change gear sets all the time does get annoying. There are mods to overcome these problems on the web sites I mentioned. The lathes from Ozmestore look good on paper but without being able to inspect one I thought it a bit of a gamble. I didn’t like the Paramounts, thought them a little rough (like some of H&Fs) but that’s a personal opinion, I know a few people who swear by them. Again, like all lathes the 280 x 700G Impala has its draw backs: auto feed works off the lead screw thread rather than a keyway and it’s a 6 speed unit with two drive belts which have to be swapped to get all six speeds, but in comparison with the other lathes I looked at it is extremely well made. You have to make compromises with any lathe you get, fact of life. Pick the features you must have and learn to live without those that aren’t that important – ‘to you’. For me I wanted a quality machine with good thread cutting capabilities and at least a 25mm spindle bore. If this is your first lathe, doesn’t matter if you get it wrong, second hand lathes in this group hold their prices well and sell quickly. The stands that come with a lot of these machines aren’t the best, if you can get a machine that satisfies your criteria and doesn’t come with a stand, no biggy, just make a stand yourself. Pretty well anything is better than the stands they supply.
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7th June 2014, 09:34 PM #9Philomath in training
- Join Date
- Oct 2011
- Location
- Adelaide
- Age
- 59
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- 3,148
That is an important point and under realised by most people new to just about anything that requires "equipment". If you are learning/ developing new skills the first time you buy (regardless of how carefully you researched it) your equipment will always be a compromise. As your skills develop as do your interests you will find things that don't suit or you don't like.
You may be better looking for something that does most of what you want to do but most importantly will enable you to learn. As some stage you will decide that you need more bed length, more swing, greater rigidity, bigger bore, higher speeds or what ever and decide that the lathe you have is not the best for what you want to do - but that is alright because you have used it to learn what you want to do. If you asked anyone here with reasonable experience about their machines you would probably find that either they are not using the machinery they started with and/ or they have modified it to augment or expand on it's capabilities.
So, don't worry about looking for perfection as unless you are only going to use a fraction of the lathe's capabilities it will always be wanting in some way. It's more important to gain the experience that will enable you to make a better decision next time...
Michael
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7th June 2014, 09:54 PM #10Novice
- Join Date
- Jun 2014
- Location
- Sydney
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- 18
From what I can see on Optimum's website that looks to be a nicely built machine. Impala's website seems to be one of those woeful "under construction" affairs with no useful information on it.
I had an AL-51G and an AL-250 a while back. The AL-250 was rubbish, got rid of that one real quick: noisy gearbox, blew a couple of capacitors, gearbox needed work to change gears smoothly – not a good machine. The AL-51G is a very popular lathe, it has a strong fan base and several web sites devoted to it (google 9x20 lathe for more info). It does have a few drawbacks (as do all lathes): 20 mm spindle bore, no reverse tumbler, tool post not very rigid, and a few more. And of course changing change gear sets all the time does get annoying. There are mods to overcome these problems on the web sites I mentioned.
http://users.picknowl.com.au/~gloami...cq9325rev.html
and Rob's YouTube videos
also from:
http://phelum.net/info/CQ9325/
The lathes from Ozmestore look good on paper but without being able to inspect one I thought it a bit of a gamble. I didn’t like the Paramounts, thought them a little rough (like some of H&Fs) but that’s a personal opinion, I know a few people who swear by them. Again, like all lathes the 280 x 700G Impala has its draw backs: auto feed works off the lead screw thread rather than a keyway and it’s a 6 speed unit with two drive belts which have to be swapped to get all six speeds, but in comparison with the other lathes I looked at it is extremely well made. You have to make compromises with any lathe you get, fact of life. Pick the features you must have and learn to live without those that aren’t that important – ‘to you’. For me I wanted a quality machine with good thread cutting capabilities and at least a 25mm spindle bore.
If this is your first lathe, doesn’t matter if you get it wrong, second hand lathes in this group hold their prices well and sell quickly. The stands that come with a lot of these machines aren’t the best, if you can get a machine that satisfies your criteria and doesn’t come with a stand, no biggy, just make a stand yourself. Pretty well anything is better than the stands they supply.
Point taken about the stands supplied. I very much like the stand that Rob built (as per his website).
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7th June 2014, 10:11 PM #11SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Sep 2009
- Location
- Newcastle
- Posts
- 516
I have a Titan TM20LV mill and a TL180V lathe.
The quality, as expected for cheap Chinese machines, is poor (at best).
The lathe was hardly usable in stock form, the compound is rubbish and the handle would hardly turn.
The mill is passable, I'm 2/3rds the way through converting it to CNC.
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7th June 2014, 10:20 PM #12Novice
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- Jun 2014
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- Sydney
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- 18
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7th June 2014, 10:51 PM #13Novice
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- Jun 2014
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- Sydney
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- 18
Your point about gaining experience though use is well taken, but I don't think I'm looking for perfection. These are Chinese "budget" lathes after all. However, given that there's a number of lathes on the market within my budget I'm lining them up against each other in an effort to pick the one that gives what I feel is best bang for buck, as one does, manufacturing quality issues notwithstanding.
With any of these Chinese lathes, with the various manufacturers' machines parading under a variety of local brands and model designations, and with the subtle changes to spec that you can find even within the one brand, I feel there's a degree of pot luck involved anyway.
I acknowledge that many members have moved onwards and upwards over the years, but I'd certainly like to avoid buyer's remorse in the short term. I'm not in a hurry to decide. I'll mull this over for some time yet.
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8th June 2014, 11:55 AM #14Senior Member
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- Oct 2008
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- blackburn vic
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8th June 2014, 12:28 PM #15Member
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- Jun 2013
- Location
- Tasmania
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- 92
If you come across Ausino Engineering Supplies or Liw818 via Ebay in your search for Optimum gear, please take my advice and keep looking. Do not deal with this guy.
If buying a chinese machine customer service is absolutely essential and you wont get it from this guy