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metal working m/c s from INDIA

ladaok

Plastic
Joined
Feb 16, 2017
this post maybe in the wrong section ? new here, so help me out

Although I am situated down under in New Zealand, I am asking if anyone on the forum has experience with Indian lathes / mills &c
I want to avoid China, (many reasons)

The m/cs need to be General purpose, non CNC, but good accurate beds and ways

Ta ... robbie
 
If quality of Indian hand/machine tools is any indication, I would choose the worst Chinese lathe/mill &c over any Indian one.:)
 
The "Enterprise" lathe had at least some satisfied owners. No idea about current production.

The one time I went to an industrial expo in India (maybe 15 years ago), it seemed to me that Hindu areas were into making decent software and Sikh areas were into making decent machinery. Maybe there's some slight cultural bias still left from days and caste systems gone by . . . . where not everyone aspires to mechanical labor?

In any case, IIT certainly graduates some sharp engineers.
 
The "Enterprise" lathe had at least some satisfied owners. No idea about current production.

The one time I went to an industrial expo in India (maybe 15 years ago), it seemed to me that Hindu areas were into making decent software and Sikh areas were into making decent machinery. Maybe there's some slight cultural bias still left from days and caste systems gone by . . . . where not everyone aspires to mechanical labor?

In any case, IIT certainly graduates some sharp engineers.

Thank you for a decent reply, I have the impression that that Indian tech and craftmanship has improved beyond recognition in the last couple of years or so, if they can produce nuclear bombs, shoot down a Pakistani satellite, mmmmm not bad going, and their latest Royal Enfield motor cycles are top quality. I bet their good lathes are very good.
I just need to find the GOOD, and not the BAD or UGLY
 
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Thank you for a decent reply, I have the impression that that Indian tech and craftmanship has improved beyond recognition in the last couple of years or so, if they can produce nuclear bombs, shoot down a Pakistani satellite, mmmmm not bad going, and their latest Royal Enfield motor cycles are top quality. I bet their good lathes are very good.
I just need to find the GOOD, and not the BAD or UGLY

They can do all that at the expense of foreign made equipment. Well, you got to start somewhere. Jeez, after all the stuff that rubbed of during the British
rule you would think that they could produce good stuff. Indian and Cheap ChiComm goods are a tough choice. I would choose the ChiComm made variety.
I remember that Korean car company glued the interior fabric panels to the inside of doors. Everybody starts somewhere.
 
Indian industry has been able to make high quality equipment for a long time.

An example I'm familiar with.

Many years ago, maybe 1983 - 1985 or so, Richard Anderson sometime managing director of Holbrooks and owner of the brand name had a decent sized batch of small lathes made in India to his design. If I recall our conversation correctly the aim was basically "Boxford done right". Something I'd agree with as quality and accuracy was clearly superior. Deficiencies being mostly due to the inevitable constraints of market price and need to be compatible with common accessories. I'm pretty sure he would have preferred a larger spindle and camloc, rather than screw on, chuck but clearly that would have taken the price beyond what the market would stand.

It was already beyond what my pocket could stand.

I would have rated it as being at least equal to a later Kerry. So rather above Boxford and well up to serious use on smaller work.

Historically I think the root causes of relatively poor quality from emerging nations has been firstly the lack of proper engineering led product design and secondly the inability of afford modern factory equipment to reduce the reliance on individual fitters skills. It hasn't helped that the local market was unable to afford machines priced high enough to fund quality factory equipment. It should be obvious that factory updating can only be funded via an expanding market. Starting by selling cheap, not that good, but still useable equipment not only get the industry going but also opens up a replacement market for better equipment which drives expansion all round as, with better equipment, the tool makes customers can make better good cheaper and sell more.

Western industry collapsed because the Western Governments would not permit market expansion and equipment turn-over at a rate fast enough to fund factory re-equipment.

Clive
 
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Indian machinery manufacture is plagued by parasitic middlemen and crooked dealers.......You must contact manufacturers and buy directly face to face......otherwise you will be defrauded.
 
I must admit I’ve looked at quite a few Indian videos of their machines, there was a horizontal shaper with a mill head on looked reasonable ok the castings looked like they had patterned an 1890 US machine, bit of ornate stuff going on
I watched a lathe being demonstrated, bhavya I think looked Colchester like, the ways didn’t look bad and the finish was way better than I expected, I’d certainly explore the idea, try to find another one in the country perhaps, the owner would know if it’s any good, and the manufacturer would know where they’d sent one
I wouldn’t rule them out, I’ve had parts made in India ( big gears for example) that were very well made, the Indians do have a can do attitude, I worked for them, I’ve no complaints at all, they beat the Dutch hands down
Mark
 
this post maybe in the wrong section ? new here, so help me out

Although I am situated down under in New Zealand, I am asking if anyone on the forum has experience with Indian lathes / mills &c
I want to avoid China, (many reasons)

The m/cs need to be General purpose, non CNC, but good accurate beds and ways

Ta ... robbie

Being in NZ, you would be far better served by finding a Hercus or Boxford. Even one that needs repair is likely to have been better-built than anything from either india or china.
 
this post maybe in the wrong section ? new here, so help me out

Although I am situated down under in New Zealand, I am asking if anyone on the forum has experience with Indian lathes / mills &c
I want to avoid China, (many reasons)

The m/cs need to be General purpose, non CNC, but good accurate beds and ways

Ta ... robbie

Any reason you're not looking at stuff made in Korea? Or Japan? I'd look there before I went to India but to each their own.
 
Being in NZ, you would be far better served by finding a Hercus or Boxford. Even one that needs repair is likely to have been better-built than anything from either india or china.

Gidday, I want new, everything for sale here in NZ 2nd hand is either a POS or very expensive, new here is usually from dealer and you would expect it to be GOLD plated for the price , hence looking at an up and coming nation. looking at Vietnam as well

Great comments Ta
 
I worked for a company that sourced Perkins diesel engine parts from Indian factories......the stuff was equal to UK made,at a 1/10 the price .....In fact the Indian spares made the 354 Perkins a legend of 60s,70s,and early 80s.........However the whole country is full of sharks ,and legal redress is non existent.....Any engineering machinery deals were always direct with principals .........and be assured there is a whole lot of Indian stuff made for pennies that is very poor quality,but looks OK on the surface ,until castings break and rapid wear sets in..............You need only look at the major brands of big diesel truck being made in India now to be assured quality manufacture does exist ......but generally you need to have the resources of a multinational to buy consistent quality.
 
I worked for a company that sourced Perkins diesel engine parts from Indian factories......the stuff was equal to UK made,at a 1/10 the price .....In fact the Indian spares made the 354 Perkins a legend of 60s,70s,and early 80s.........However the whole country is full of sharks ,and legal redress is non existent.....Any engineering machinery deals were always direct with principals .........and be assured there is a whole lot of Indian stuff made for pennies that is very poor quality,but looks OK on the surface ,until castings break and rapid wear sets in..............You need only look at the major brands of big diesel truck being made in India now to be assured quality manufacture does exist ......but generally you need to have the resources of a multinational to buy consistent quality.

yeas, and that's the trick, I do know an Indian fella here in NZ, He maybe helpfull ?
 








 
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