- Joined
- Oct 11, 2013
- Messages
- 90
Gentlemen,
The basic Asian lathe design is quite remarkable from an engineering standpoint. Although belt driven, it has some desirable features such as hardened V-ways, helical gearing in the headstock,, ball bearings, robust castings, metric & english screwcutting, power longitudinal & cross feeds, decent swing (11-12") and length (24-36"), and generally very versatile from a small shop standpoint. That it was originally built overseas and offered to the US at a competitive price is also somewhat amazing.
Not withstanding the idea that Taiwanese engineers could have developed the design independently, my hunch is that the basic design originated somewhere else and eventually found its way to these talented builders. One example of this is the Emco Maximat Super 11 lathe, originally designed and built in Austria. It is my hunch that Emco at some point in the recent past decided pass production on to Taiwan/China, where it was re-incarnated as the new South Bend 'Heavy Ten', currently offered by Grizzly.
Your thoughts and commentary are welcome, and best regards!
Lou O.
(1982j Enco Branded 11"x24 Taiwan Built 'Precision Bench Lathe'
The basic Asian lathe design is quite remarkable from an engineering standpoint. Although belt driven, it has some desirable features such as hardened V-ways, helical gearing in the headstock,, ball bearings, robust castings, metric & english screwcutting, power longitudinal & cross feeds, decent swing (11-12") and length (24-36"), and generally very versatile from a small shop standpoint. That it was originally built overseas and offered to the US at a competitive price is also somewhat amazing.
Not withstanding the idea that Taiwanese engineers could have developed the design independently, my hunch is that the basic design originated somewhere else and eventually found its way to these talented builders. One example of this is the Emco Maximat Super 11 lathe, originally designed and built in Austria. It is my hunch that Emco at some point in the recent past decided pass production on to Taiwan/China, where it was re-incarnated as the new South Bend 'Heavy Ten', currently offered by Grizzly.
Your thoughts and commentary are welcome, and best regards!
Lou O.
(1982j Enco Branded 11"x24 Taiwan Built 'Precision Bench Lathe'