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Birmingham lathes

I've had a 12X36 for the better part of 2 years. I have had no problems, and am well satisfied with the machine. It is not the end all of machines, but it was well worth 2K. The dials are marked metric and inch, and the conversions are not even, so some error is present. However, it is negligible until you start compounding it by large reductions in size without remeasuring. I won't pimp the dealer here, but if you want to know where I purchased it, I will email the info. Mike
 
I came within a hair of purchasing one of those machines. What killed the deal was that everytime I inquired with a seller/distributor as to how I could contact Birmingham in the event of a question or problem I NEVER ONCE RECEIVED A CALL BACK.

They all swore up and down that Birmingham had a huge facility in CA with parts up the wazoo and on and on.

Birmingham has no web site that I could find, and after numerous attempts to try to ascertain how service was dealt with, I never got a phone number, address, or smoke signal. NOTHING!

My belief is that if you want to conduct business in the USA, you make yourself directly available to customers and sales inquiries.

No web site, no sales dept, no service dept, no follow-up...NO BUSINESS!

[This message has been edited by John Gargano (edited 12-19-2002).]
 
John G
The distributor for Birmingham is as follows:
www.cptools.com/
I purchased one in 1996.Not a bad machine for the money.I later trader up to a Tos (great machine)
e
 
Motor,

CP Tools is but one of many resellers of Birmingham machines. To anyone that can find THE Birmingham web site, I will provide lunch for two at the cheesebugrer joint of their choice.

I'm not bad-mouthing their machines. I am simply saying that I found their often referred to parts department in CA to be quite illusive. More than one machinist I spoke with relayed horror stories about purchasing a lathe from China and having it be out of commission for a year or more due to no response from the manufacturer when they needed to replace a part.

I still maintain that a forthright company has an easy to find web site and makes no secret of how to locate their service department.

Just to cite a few examples, see if you can find the web sites for Victor Machines, RongFu or Sharp Industries.
 
I've owned a 12x36" for 3 years and use it alot. Have had no problems with it. The only thing I did to it was put a nice BISON 6" chuck on it. For the money I don't think you can go wrong.
If buying one I would go to the vendor (if possible) and look at the exact one you are going to buy, check it out carefully. While shopping for mine I saw a couple different versions, different handle shapes, variations in paint quality, clarity of dial markings, etc....
I've dealt with CP Tools and found them to be very helpful.

CB
 
John
If I remember correctly,there was no reference to the name Birmingham anywhere in the owners manual.I would guess it is a cover name for some mfg in China.
At the time I purchased the machine funds where tight (and still are!) but it was not a bad machine for $6000.00 U.S.$ new (model 15x50).
When I upgraded I went with a tried and true TOS.I would not spend too much on something that I could not (at that time and you say still today) find many people using and felt that if I needed parts then it would be a problem.
I make my living with the TOS I would not want to be down for parts.Steel does not make a good supper.

e
 
Motor,

Where does one purchase a TOS? I have seen a web site for a company called TRENS out of Slovakia, and Machinery Vaules in NJ has a TOS on their web site, however, I seem to have lost the distributor in NJ that was the source for service and parts (my big issue)on the TOS.

I currently have a smaller machine and I know the point will come where I'll need a larger, heavier machine as well and I've heard nothing but great things about the TOS - and all from people that make a living with them. I've also heard that Summit is a good machine in that size range.
 
Renyolds Machine Tool in the chicago area handles TOS by the last catalog I have for them. Also I believe that KBC does to.
 
"We serve you with all our hearts" ??

Dang, now we get touchy feely folks directing those luan crated slathered in cosmoline goo Chinese machines to Joe Blow in Iowa
smile.gif
 
I was looking at the Birmingham 12 X 36 lathe some time ago. I went to the impoters warehous in ElMonte CA, not too far from IPS industrial. Pretty much what you would expect. A large modern warehouse filled with Chinese and Tawainese machinery. Lots of red grease. I talked to one of the owners. He was nice and made me a good deal on the lathe. If I would have had the cash on me I would have had him put the lathe in the back of my truck. I saw where they had a room with some parts but nothing like the parts department of Clausing industrial I'M sure. Thing is if you need a part in the distant future I doubt you would be able to get a copy of the dwg like you can from Clausing, just a thought.


C.P. Machine Tools Inc.
10925 Schmidt Road,
El Monte, CA 91733

Telephone: (626) 579-9696
Facsimile
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626) 579-9697
Email: [email protected]


Bill T.
 
need replacement lock cams. c

John G
The distributor for Birmingham is as follows:
www.cptools.com/
I purchased one in 1996.Not a bad machine for the money.I later trader up to a Tos (great machine)
e

Contacted CPtools.com and he said China doesn't make replacement parts available. our ycl1236 has worn out lock cams in the headstock. Have no idea what to do, but to take one off a working lathe and take it to machinist to mill out new ones. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Never heard of a lathe company not selling replacement parts for parts that wear with daily use.

thanks
 
Lot of Chinese stuff they dont make spares for.......Chinese forklifts ,for instance......often the machines come with a few spares in a box,thats it......Its changing now that they are trying to market cars and trucks in the West.....I once knew a guy in the machine tool industry,could identify and source Chinese stuff,he had a Chines wife ,and lived there .Usually though,some critical part would be unavailable ,due to being made in Japan or Taiwan,and high priced,but he would get the bulk of a long list of parts for you.....
 
Howdy from Texas..I’ve a retired Boeing engineer friend of mine who has a DL2280..he looking for a #15 gear to cut metric threads.. the lathe came with # 11,#12,#14... he needs the #15.. according to docs that came with the lathe..would appreciate you gentlemen’s thoughts, directions and/or referrals
 








 
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