Emcomat 7

[rockets]

Hello all,

Does anyone have experience of the Emcomat 7? I will be having a look at a used one later this week. The guy is a retired toolmaker who has just bought a new Warco. The lathe comes with the milling attachment and is on its cabinet stand.

If anyone has experience of these machines I would be glad to hear it.

Many thanks,

Rockets

 

[abby]

I had the Emcomat 7 for several years and would class them as being one of the better small machines , very accurate and capable of quite heavy work.
These are a desirable machine possibly better than a Myford ML 7 and not often seen for sale.
The main drawbacks that I found are ;
the very small hand wheel and travel on the top-slide.
The gear change levers are die cast and prone to break , I replaced mine with brass levers.
The switch gear is robust but the contacts eventually burn out , spares are not available so a re-build using contactors will be necessary.
This was the only reason I disposed of mine , but now I use 3 phase motors with inverter drive I wish I had kept it.
The tumbler drive to the change wheel train has 2 nylon gears designed to act like a shear-pin in 20 years I destroyed 4 , they are still available through a UK supplier but are pricey.
The change wheel quadrant is cast iron but quite flimsy, mine broke opposite the tightening screw and needed sifbronzing.
Mine was less the milling head so I can't comment on that.
The lead screw is a fine thread so check for wear , and also the tool post bolt is very thin and can easily be stretched or the threads stripped , a new one is easy but make one before breaking the old one or you may not have a lathe !
I made the replacement square thread lead screws and nuts for my BCA jig borer on my Emcomat 7 and these are as accurate as the originals.
PS.
I think I have some toothed drive belts in stock!

 

[rockets]

Abby,

Thanks for the reply. This machine is said to be in good condition but I will check all of the points you mentioned. I have read about the switch gear burning out, I have a notion that 3 phase and an inverter would be the way to go, particularly as I have one sitting around. Also I have seen switch gear for sale on a NL site but as you say, pricey. Around 300 Euros.

Did you do much screw cutting? I would be doing metric mostly as I work on my East German motorbike as well as doing model stuff. The lathe has its change wheels present.

Many thanks,

Dean

 

[abby]

I did lots of screw cutting for motor cycle spares , from 35mm Moto Morini exhaust nuts , Laverda gear change and Vincent parts too , hundreds of 40 tpi steam fittings and as already said the lead screws for my BCA and also for a Centec 2A that I once owned.
For metric threads I had to keep the leadscrew engaged so the built in reverse switch and 2 speed motor was very handy.
The Emcomat7 was classed as a precision lathe and has heavy taper roller mandrel bearings and a bit more through clearance than the Myford , the head stock is also an oil bath so you can use the top speed top of 2500 but make sure the chuck clamp is tightened correctly or risk having a chuck bouncing around the workshop .
The low speed of 68 rpm is geared so has all the torque you could wish for , unlike an inverter , and you can part off large diameter bars in reverse (tool upside down ) without the need for a rear toolpost.
The more I think about it the more I miss it , I would have paid 300 euros for a new switch unit if I could have found one , sold the faulty machine for 500 quid.
Dan.

 

[rockets]

Thanks for the advice Dan, that sounds just the job.

Dean