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ZMM Sofia 12 X 36 lathe

turn2pb

Aluminum
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
Location
Canada
I am wondering if anybody can give me any information on this type of lathe. I appears to built in Bulgaria.

Brent
 
This must be some sort of cosmic Bulgarian week- this is the second question about a ZMM lathe in just a few days.
The lathes are indeed made in Bulgaria, here is the factory website:
http://www.zmmvratsa.com/index.php?lang=en
Someone said they are sold here in the USA by Summit in Oklahoma City,
http://www.summitmt.com/products.shtml
and International Machinery ? in California.

Doesnt look like they still import the little 12" model- 14" is the smallest at Summit 420mm (16") is the smallest at the ZMM website.
 
Ries
There is one for sale up here so trying to find a little more about them.

Thanks for the links. Much appreciated.

Brent
 
I own one of these and have had mine apart a few times now. The big positive of this machine is the clutch drive. The big problem with the machine is all the parts are metric and you can not get factory replacements. These machines also have a very poor half nut design (barrel cam) and when they start to wear they stick which can lead to some hairy situations. The other beef I have with these machines is the overall build quality is poor.

[ 11-09-2005, 04:49 PM: Message edited by: lego boy ]
 
I ran a Sofia from bulgaria back in the early 80s.There was no way to keep oil in the headstock.The castings where so porous that it literaly flowed through the paint.I do not know the outcome of the machine as I left for another shop.
 
Here is a pic.
sofia.jpg
 
Did you have any luck? I just found one of these a cheap price.
Would like to clean up. get a tail stock...maybe a manual.
Any help is appreciated..
 
Maybe if I give specifics it will help, mine is a zmm sofia type c8m...I need to know the speed and HP of the motor (this one is missing) or maybe a salvage/used parts house...also a manual would be awesome!
 
Never buy a lathe made in "Eastern Europe,"NEVE NEVER.I had a Promaster,Romanian.It had so many problems I can't begin to enumerate.MSC stopped carrying them,but I wouldn't trust Summits either.I have had much better results with Taiwan lathes.
 
Maybe if I give specifics it will help, mine is a zmm sofia type c8m...I need to know the speed and HP of the motor (this one is missing) or maybe a salvage/used parts house...also a manual would be awesome!
I have this lathe and information. How can I help you? John Cox,765-463-6396
 
A couple of fairly decent shape lathes came up on sale. I´m thinking on purchasing one of them for my garage. One of them is an 17"x80" Austrian VOEST and the other one is a 20"x60" ZMM Sofia (runways are in very good shape). Question: For wich one of those options whould you guys go for if they where your only options to choose from, and why? Or, would you just let them past and try to get something different. Thank You.
 








 
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