Buying new Lathe Need help with comparison Hwacheon HL-460 VS Clausing VS15

tlowe · Mar 25, 2021

Want to upgrade my lathe, currently have a Clausing Colchester 12 gear head. Added a VFD to it for more flexibility with spindle speed.
Need a more stable lathe for general machine shop work. We make parts in the machining center and rebuild engines. Constantly needing to use the lathe.
Will cut threads, parting, facing, boring ect. From simple stuff to harder projects.
Looking at buying new. Used machines can take time to find and weed thru the mess.
The 2 candidates are the Clausing 8044 15x50 ,it is a variable speed lathe and comes in at appr 3300 lbs. Second is the Hwacheon HL-460 18x60" Gear head lathe.Weighing 5200
Either would get a DRO.
For users of either lathe, can you give me some pro's and con's of either lathe? Both have similar costs.
The Clausing seems to have more options. I would probably add a VFD to the Hwacheon to aid in spindle speed adjustments.
I don't need the lathe for production, the VMC does that. When fixing my old Clausing (made in 1983) had some trouble locating parts. Got most of them in England. It seams the newer machines would be easier to maintain for at least 15 years. It is a big purchase and do not want to regret it.

The old lathe

Brett W · Mar 26, 2021

Whacheon all the way. You answered your own question It weighs almost 2000lbs more than the Clausing. I'm also guessing the Clausing is made in Taiwan, the Whacheon is made in Korea and is a copy of the Mori Seiki. Very high quality machine. Also a lot more money than the Clausing.

BTW I have a set of Molnar rods here in my shop. Nice enough parts. They were much more consistent on the big end bore than the K1 rods from Wiseco.

tlowe · Mar 27, 2021

Where is the carriage direction reverse lever located on the Hwacheon? On the head or at the carriage?
We go thru lots of Molnar rods here.

Brett W · Mar 27, 2021

No idea, the Whacheon was out of my budget when I bought my new lathe in 2019. Call Greer and ask Steve:
http://greermachinery.com/used-lathes

They are they experts on those.

It looks like on the apron. Whacheon is not a clutch type machine, I don't think. They are On/Off/ON. The old Clausings had a clutch setup that left the motor running, but the chuck would stop. No idea if the new ones will.

GregSY · Mar 27, 2021

The HL460 is a much beefier lathe. I have one...no real complaints. It is a no-clutch machine, I start and run mine on a VFD.

The one funny thing (which might be my lack of exploring the lathe's features) is the X and Y feeds are reversed from all the other lathes I run. In other words, when you engage the X, it travels toward the head. But when you engage the Y, it travels away from the chuck centerline, not toward it. If you reverse the direction of feed, the X travels away from the head and the Y travels toward the chuck C/L.

I'm missing something...what's with the Molnar references? I don't see any connection to this thread.

Nmbmxer · Mar 27, 2021

I have a Webb that’s the same basic thing. I like it, probably my second favorite lathe to run. I liked the TOS we had at work better, it was a clutch type spindle control that was easy to feather but my favorite part was the joystick for feed direction and a rapid feed button.

ripperj · Mar 28, 2021

That’s weird on the HL-460, all the lathes I’ve seen the same feed setting that moves the carriage to the headstock , feeds the cross-slide in/away from the operator. That would take me a while to remember

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

jbacc · Mar 28, 2021

ripperj said:
That’s weird on the HL-460, all the lathes I’ve seen the same feed setting that moves the carriage to the headstock , feeds the cross-slide in/away from the operator. That would take me a while to remember

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I have a LeBlond Regal, Whacheon 17" and a SB Heavy 10, all of them work the same way. If you have the feed set to move the carriage toward the headstock for normal turning and you decide to engage the feed on the cross slide, it feeds out towards the operator. You need to change the direction to make the cross slide feed in, away from the operator. My point, the Whacheon is no different than my LeBlond and South Bend with regard to feed direction.

BTW, other than not having a clutch, the Whacheon is a well made lathe.

tlowe · Apr 25, 2021

Hwacheon HL-460 is ordered. Hope to see it in the shop soon. Cleared out the needed space and arranged the heavy equipment to move it. Have single phase in my shop, so will be adding a VFD to it. Bonus with VFD, will have variable speed in all gears.

tnmgcarbide · Apr 25, 2021

you will be pleased .that lathe is a wet dream .

daryl bane · Apr 26, 2021

I just got a used Hwacheon from Greer last month. Wonderful. I love it.

Marty Feldman · Apr 26, 2021

GregSY said:
...I'm missing something...what's with the Molnar references? I don't see any connection to this thread.

See the Molnar boxes, 3 of them, at the top of the pic in OP.

-Marty-

ClappedOutBport · Apr 27, 2021

jbacc said:
I have a LeBlond Regal, Whacheon 17" and a SB Heavy 10, all of them work the same way. If you have the feed set to move the carriage toward the headstock for normal turning and you decide to engage the feed on the cross slide, it feeds out towards the operator. You need to change the direction to make the cross slide feed in, away from the operator. My point, the Whacheon is no different than my LeBlond and South Bend with regard to feed direction.

BTW, other than not having a clutch, the Whacheon is a well made lathe.

Every lathe I've ever used is that way, except one, my own Sidney. I actually prefer the carriage left and infeed to be the norm as that is what I generally do. Others prefer it the opposite as they cut to a shoulder and feed out. I just do that by hand.

tlowe said:
Hwacheon HL-460 is ordered. Hope to see it in the shop soon. Cleared out the needed space and arranged the heavy equipment to move it. Have single phase in my shop, so will be adding a VFD to it. Bonus with VFD, will have variable speed in all gears.

Congrats, you outta love it!

tlowe · May 5, 2021

It's Here

Got the lathe delivered to me and safely unloaded. Had it fired up last night. Nice and quiet running in all gears. Started making the back plate from a D1-6 blank. It sure cuts NICE. And it is a heavy bugger at about 5300 lbs. 2 of us and a set of pipes got it put in place today.

Long Tom · May 5, 2021

You made the right call! Jealous.

I have an 80’s 17” Whacheon (WL-435)and it’s a wonderful and DURABLE machine. Very high quality.

Brett W · May 6, 2021

That is awesome. Good looking machine. Get to making some chips. HAHA

Brett W · May 6, 2021

That is awesome. Good looking machine. Get to making some chips. HAHA

mm@glennmichaelassociates · Feb 27, 2024

GregSY said:
The HL460 is a much beefier lathe. I have one...no real complaints. It is a no-clutch machine, I start and run mine on a VFD.

The one funny thing (which might be my lack of exploring the lathe's features) is the X and Y feeds are reversed from all the other lathes I run. In other words, when you engage the X, it travels toward the head. But when you engage the Y, it travels away from the chuck centerline, not toward it. If you reverse the direction of feed, the X travels away from the head and the Y travels toward the chuck C/L.

I'm missing something...what's with the Molnar references? I don't see any connection to this thread.

View attachment 317592

GregSY, I have a client that is rebuilding this lathe and he is looking for a brake rebuild kit or complete brake assembly. Do you have any idea on a part number or avenue on which I could locate this item?

GregSY · Feb 27, 2024

mm@glennmichaelassociates said:
GregSY, I have a client that is rebuilding this lathe and he is looking for a brake rebuild kit or complete brake assembly. Do you have any idea on a part number or avenue on which I could locate this item?

No but I know you can buy parts from Greer Machinery. I have also read someplace the lathe uses the same brakes pads as an automotive application....some Volvo or something like that.

Bill D · Feb 27, 2024

Datsun and triumph, not Hundai?

Webb Whacheon WL-400 brake parts

Does anyone know what the auto equivalent brake caliper seals and pads are for this machine? I'm going to try the 1979-80 Mazda 626 clutch master cylinder today which is supposed to be a direct replacement. Thanks, John Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

www.practicalmachinist.com

Buying new Lathe Need help with comparison Hwacheon HL-460 VS Clausing VS15

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