Sold September 2008 Back to Archive

I bought this machine some years ago, it has resided in the small workshop at the house along with a Myford Super 7 lathe, ostensibly for use by the boys. Whilst a sound idea in principle, with CNC machines available two minutes away at the main workshop, maintaining their interest in a machine where you have to wind handles has become an uphill struggle.

This is an Astra L2, substantially constructed around some very heavy bits of cast iron. It has a 13 x 4 3/8" table, rise and fall is by a ratchet-operated leadscrew. The table has conventional X & Y feed handles, in addition there is a quick-action lever which operates a rack in the X plane.

The machine has been single phase from new, belt-driven it runs very quietly and has four speeds, 620 to 1950 rpm. The switch on the side of the main body selected forward or reverse.

There is a vertical milling head, complete with Clarkson Autolok chuck and collets, arbor and overarm attachment for horizontal milling and a box of cutters including slitting saws, end mills and side and face cutters.

The entire machine can be mounted on a bench, however allowance must be made for the knee leadscrew to descend below.