Check out this lathe

[jmlcolorado]

Just found this on Craigslist.
It's apparently made by a machinest. Looks pretty sweet..... And dangerous..... And sweet

Wonder how well it works, if at all. He's asking next to nothing for it. $50.

 

[Rust]

That looks like fun.
Well worth 50 dollars just on the cool factor.

 

[jmlcolorado]

I've got an email into the guy. I sent it less then 3 minutes after he posted.
It kinda looks like it has some sort of pipe threading attachment on the end of it :/ but I'm not very familiar with lathes. But I still want it

 

[Jim Johnstone]

That 3 jawed item on the end isn't a pipe threader, its a steady rest, most every lathe comes with one.

That is certainly cool looking, definitely has a very homemade look to it, still could be an ok machine though.

 

[jmlcolorado]

That 3 jawed item on the end isn't a pipe threader, its a steady rest, most every lathe comes with one.

That is certainly cool looking, some parts have a very homemade look to them, still could be an ok machine though.

The way I see it, if a true machinest built it, despite how caveman it looks, he would have known the important qualities in a lathe and hopefully built those into the machine.
I have an old *** drill press my dad made when he was in school. It's not pretty, and doesn't do a whole heck of a lot, but has certainly helped me out on many many occasions. It's drilled 3 1/2" holes through plate that I would have never even thought about touching with a hand drill. I really like handmade stuff. Just has a certain "feel" to them.

 

[Jim Johnstone]

The way I see it, if a true machinest built it, despite how caveman it looks, he would have known the important qualities in a lathe and hopefully built those into the machine.
I have an old *** drill press my dad made when he was in school. It's not pretty, and doesn't do a whole heck of a lot, but has certainly helped me out on many many occasions. It's drilled 3 1/2" holes through plate that I would have never even thought about touching with a hand drill. I really like handmade stuff. Just has a certain "feel" to them.

It may be extremely accurate, judging by the looks of it, I don't think you would be taking very aggressive cuts or deep cuts at all. Still damn cool though.

 

[jmlcolorado]

It may be extremely accurate, judging by the looks of it, I don't think you would be taking very aggressive cuts or deep cuts at all. Still damn cool though.

It would be a good learner. Something I'm not afraid to try things out with. Then once I get a real lathe, ill know better how to properly use it.

 

[Outlawmws]

It's very likely a specialty lathe made for a specific purpose. No Clue what, but within its limits (Light cuts and probably soft easily machined materials), probably perfectly adequate. basically only "between centers" cutting since the spindle looks to be solid.

Be sure to ask what he built it to do.

 

[2oolhound]

The square tubing ways don't look too appealing, you'd have to keep re-leveling it. The 4 jaw chuck, motor, tool post for sure easily cover the investment. I like how he has a wire wheel mounted near the drive pulley.

 

[GeneralDisorder]

That's uber primitive and there's NO WAY those angle-iron ways could hold an accuracy of even .001" over a 12" test piece. It's common to hold .0005" or better on a tool room lathe. That setup is too flimsy and made from scraps of flat bar and angle iron. For rough work I'm sure it would work though it would be a nightmare to operate and probably won't hog material which is exactly what you want for rough work unless you have all day to make itty bitty chips.

GD

 

[Outlawmws]

Since none of us know what it was specifically built for, and it clearly is not intended for "tool room" accuracies, and certainly not heavy cutting use, your comments make no sense whatsoever.

 

[GeneralDisorder]

Since none of us know what it was specifically built for, and it clearly is not intended for "tool room" accuracies, and certainly not heavy cutting use, your comments make no sense whatsoever.

They will make perfect sense to the OP who clearly stated he knows next to nothing about lathes, thought the steady rest was a pipe threader, and for which nothing is "clearly intended" or otherwise since he doesn't know what he's looking at. It's clear to you and I but we didn't ask for an opinion on that mess.

Regardless of what it was built for - its not a general purpose machine and as such is likely useless and a waste of effort for the OP unless he just wants a curiosity to take up shop space and look weird.

GD

 

[jmlcolorado]

I appreciate your objective opinion. I can understand your concern for the construction of the lathe as it does look rather primitive. As you noted, I do know little about lathes, just like I knew almost zero about welders prior to me getting one and messing around with it.
I am fully understanding that this lathe is not setup for heavy production work. I do not plan on clamping in the biggest piece of bar stock i can find to make a bunch of toothpicks. I just figured it would be a neat piece of equipment that i can try things out on to learn what aspects are important to have on a lathe, and what aspects are not.
My guess is having a wire wheel mounted on the drive pulley would not be too important

Heck, if i pick the thing up and it turns out to be a very specific tool meant for one thing only, ill probably still get it just to investigate what a machinist does to make a tool for himself.

 

[Steevo]

As something to use for playing and learning about how a lathe operates, it would be a fun hobby item. I would imagine that it was built to work with soft material like plastics or very soft metals, for a specific purpose, or as an experimental mock-up.

There are more than $50 worth of pulleys on it, and a low-end 4-jaw chuck, as well a a number of pillow blocks, etc., so the investment would pay back in spare parts for other projects when you were done playing with it.

 

[Kevin54]

If you get it, you definitely want to cover those gears with a piece of sheetmetal or something. An articly of clothing or worse yet a finger, it wouldn't be too forgiving. It does have a cool factor to it though.

 

[jmlcolorado]

Turns out he also has a drill press and "power hacksaw" too. The hacksaw rund off a 3.5HP gas engine so I might not use it much.
All really cool tools though! He's asking $50 for the power hacksaw and $25 for the drill press. So for $150 I could have all three.
Although they are not professional machines, for that price there is a boat load of cool!

If you get it, you definitely want to cover those gears with a piece of sheetmetal or something. An articly of clothing or worse yet a finger, it wouldn't be too forgiving. It does have a cool factor to it though.

I couldn't agree more! I would fab up a heavy screen for all the gears and pulleys at the very least.

 

[GeneralDisorder]

My opinion is that for a *metal* working hobby lathe - precision is the most important factor. Now obviously it can't hog material - but then a lot of hobby lathes can't do that. But if it *also* can't hold a cut to within at least .001" then it is useless for metal work. The whole point of a metal lathe is that its better than using a drill motor and a file. That mess isn't going to teach you about lathes - it doesn't appear to have any change gears for threading, it doesn't have a through-hole in the spindle, and the tool post looks very limiting.

It likely is worth $50 in parts. But don't expect much educational value here. If that's what you want then a few good books for the same price will get you farther.

GD

 

[jmlcolorado]

My opinion is that for a *metal* working hobby lathe - precision is the most important factor. Now obviously it can't hog material - but then a lot of hobby lathes can't do that. But if it *also* can't hold a cut to within at least .001" then it is useless for metal work. The whole point of a metal lathe is that its better than using a drill motor and a file. That mess isn't going to teach you about lathes - it doesn't appear to have any change gears for threading, it doesn't have a through-hole in the spindle, and the tool post looks very limiting.

It likely is worth $50 in parts. But don't expect much educational value here. If that's what you want then a few good books for the same price will get you farther.

GD

Sound advice GD. Reality is that if I could afford a mini lathe to really get my feet wet with, I would jump all over it. And I'm still looking for a good lathe that can provide a more valuable learning experience. My buddy has a 9x36 lathe that he is thinking of passing on to me when he packs up and moves out of state in the next few years. He's also got a mill that might have the same fate
This is my best option for quality machines.

 

[GeneralDisorder]

Why not put the $150 in savings and save up a little more for a South Bend, Logan, etc? Patience is a virtue.....

GD

 

[Outlawmws]

Why not let the guy have his fun? $50 is not a huge cost, the value in parts alone exceeds that, and you really need to quit trying to compare this special purpose machine to tool room tools. Heck, its no less solid than any wood lathe, and in fact, it may have been used for wood as a more "precision" way to make particular wood pieces.

No, It won't thread. Neither will a jewelers/watchmakers lathe, or at least most that I have seen. It does apparently have a power feed, which a jewelers lathe generally doesn't. Yet people still make useful things with them...

The fact remains he did not ask if this was a wise investment, nor did he ask for anyone's opinion on how to save or invest his money. He likes the thing, and home brew things like it, and that's enough.

 

[bobadame]

I think they would just take up valuable shop space.

 

[Zeke]

I went looking for large pulleys to gear down a band saw. Anything around 12" is 100 bucks. So, there are several hundred dollars worth of part on the thing. I wouldn't hesitate.

 

[RCStocker]

If you get it, you definitely want to cover those gears with a piece of sheetmetal or something. An articly of clothing or worse yet a finger, it wouldn't be too forgiving. It does have a cool factor to it though.

Oh Hell, the gears don't need covering. Just don't get drunk and fall in.
When you have run machine shop tools or a table saw that late is safe.

It is like tramp art in the antique world. I would give $200 just to put it on display in my nini museum. It would give people something to take photo's of and talk about.

The bed might not be supper streight but it is a hoot that someone would every try building something like it.

If you ware worried about safty by better sell your tools and give up working with your hands. You are the type that will fall into the combine and get ground up. If not the farm mcahinery you would fall into the wood chipper or meat grinder. Safty. That is a hoot

 

[2oolhound]

Lets see,
Lathe......$50.00
HackSaw.$50.00
DrillPress$25.00

Where are you guys getting $150.00 from?

The chuck in the dp is worth $25.00 probably.
If there's gas in the hack saw It may cover the $50.00 for it.

All n' all there's a lot of useable material there, if you really want it offer $100.00.

Otherwise the advice to buy one decent tool instead of 3 half assed tools is good advice.

 

[A_Pmech]

Oh man...

That guy was either REALLY desperate for a lathe or REALLY bored.

Either way I wouldn't touch it. The chance of it being a productive machine in any capacity is very close to zero.

 

[justanengineer]

I went looking for large pulleys to gear down a band saw. Anything around 12" is 100 bucks. So, there are several hundred dollars worth of part on the thing. I wouldn't hesitate.

Try visiting either a flea market or antique tractor show. There's about $5 worth of pulleys and maybe $10 in material there. Looks like the "chuck" on that "lathe" was homemade as well.

+1 on someone was either desperate or bored. This is one of the few "machines" that make the Chinese mini lathe toys look both rigid and useful. $150? Ive seen South Bend 9s go for that at auction. To each their own however, but as a learning experience, I would prefer to learn on a nice machine so as to know when Im wrong vs the machine is wrong.

 

[Richard D]

I like home made cobbled together stuff; I'd carry it home myself, and I have a couple lathes. As for getting a mini-lathe, THAT is throwing money away; I've had a couple and they are junk. Buy a Taig. Made in U.S.A., cost less than a China **** mini-lathe(if you have an electric motor laying around). A little smaller than the China, but WAY more accurate(they actually have a jewler's chuck option). I had one years ago but only got to play with it a few times.
http://www.taigtools.com/

 

[woody 73]

They have an old saying and it goes something like this:" You can't take it with you to the grave". For fifty dollars buy it and have a ball ,heck put a block of wood on it and make some fun projects with it.

Besides today most people use that much gas just to fill up their cars so have some fun!

 

[jmlcolorado]

I gotta be honest, I find it quite interesting hearing the different views form everyone here. It's either love it or hate it! Buy it or fry it!
I guess it's all just a matter of preference. As far as I'm concerned, the tools might come with a really neat story.
Like many said, I'm sure I could easily recoup the cost with some of the hardware there. The "power hacksaw" seems more a novilty then anything since I see an actuall hacksaw riffed up there. But it's still neat.

I like home made cobbled together stuff; I'd carry it home myself, and I have a couple lathes. As for getting a mini-lathe, THAT is throwing money away; I've had a couple and they are junk. Buy a Taig. Made in U.S.A., cost less than a China **** mini-lathe(if you have an electric motor laying around). A little smaller than the China, but WAY more accurate(they actually have a jewler's chuck option). I had one years ago but only got to play with it a few times.
http://www.taigtools.com/

This is a cool link! Thanks for sharing! Now THESE spark a little genuine interest for me.

 

[a40lover]

you had better grab all three before someone else does.If I were close it would be gone!

 

[Zeke]

Try visiting either a flea market or antique tractor show. There's about $5 worth of pulleys and maybe $10 in material there. Looks like the "chuck" on that "lathe" was homemade as well.

+1 on someone was either desperate or bored. This is one of the few "machines" that make the Chinese mini lathe toys look both rigid and useful. $150? Ive seen South Bend 9s go for that at auction. To each their own however, but as a learning experience, I would prefer to learn on a nice machine so as to know when Im wrong vs the machine is wrong.

You know, flea markets in SoCal are probably not nearly as rich as those in IN for parts like this. And an antique tractor show? I think we have one about 2 hours from here once a year.

The lathe might be good for some small wood projects. I would pay the 50 bucks just to see how the guy built it. The drill press is a sad piece.

That hack saw is a riot. Probably runs way too fast.

 

[Steinmetz]

Just found this on Craigslist.
It's apparently made by a machinest. Looks pretty sweet..... And dangerous..... And sweet

Wonder how well it works, if at all. He's asking next to nothing for it. $50.

One piece of advice: Don't wear a necktie while using that contraption.

 

[jmlcolorado]

One piece of advice: Don't wear a necktie while using that contraption.

Judging by all the moving parts, it's probably not a good idea to wear ANY clothes!


When I get it, I'll post a video of me using it for the first time

 

[Man of Many Vices]

Regardless of what it was built for - its not a general purpose machine and as such is likely useless and a waste of effort for the OP unless he just wants a curiosity to take up shop space and look weird.

GD

Taking up shop space and looking weird are some of the qualities I look for in old tools. This has a Thomas Edison Meets Rube Goldberg feel to it... Awesome.

 

[jmlcolorado]

Taking up shop space and looking weird are some of the qualities I look for in old tools. This has a Thomas Edison Meets Rube Goldberg feel to it... Awesome.

I'm not sure I could have said it better myself!

 

[Man of Many Vices]

...There are more than $50 worth of pulleys on it, and a low-end 4-jaw chuck, as well a a number of pillow blocks, etc., so the investment would pay back in spare parts for other projects when you were done playing with it.

Please don't tear it up for a few dollars in junkyard parts. What you have here is one ingenious man's response to the dilemma many of us face: "I need something, but I don't have the dough." I think it deserves a place of honor inside the well appointed man cave, all cleaned up, possibly inside a protective removable glass case, just as if it was a handmade grandfather clock.

 

[jmlcolorado]

Well, I went there this morning I got there an hour early hoping I could be the first to respond......again. I was.
Another guy showed up and he and I got to talking. Turns out he is a machinest as a hobby. I was really worried that there would be a crowd to fight over the mans machinery.
The seller also had a trailer full of metal scrap. Me and my competition got digging through and found TONS of cool stuff. Home made clamps, lots to random stuff the sellers dad had machined on his equipment with surprising accuracy. My and my competition had made a deal that we would work together rather then against each other nice we had access to the locked garage.

We both went straight to the lathe to look at it and let me tell ya, this thing is COOL!!! Seller also had another smaller lathe as well as a "surface grinder"
I REALLY wanted the surface grinder but me and the competition made a deal that I would take the lathe if he could have the surface grinder.
The deals were made with the seller.
We then decided to rough around the rest if the garage as it was filled with buckets and buckets of small screws, scrap metal, random machined parts and pieces. I found a good handful of tooling that the seller let me take with the lathe.
Another young guy (much like myself) showed up and jumped on the drill press. He was also eyeing the second lathe that I had also bought and then he asked if he could make a deal with me to buy the one of the lathes.
I figured since we were all being gentleman, I would let him buy it for the price I paid. $50.
I'm honestly really surprised at how civil the whole thing was. I figured there would be huge competition as to who was first, and who had more money, but there was none of that.
Everyone (out of first 3) left with some really neat tools!

The surface grinder was running with the flick of a switch. It had an auto feed table and many speeds.
The sellers dad had made all kinds of motor cases to run his equipment.
The lathe also ran smoothly. Ill have to get video of it. The gearing on the side is what runds the auto feed for this machine as well.

The big lathe also had quite a pile of metal shavings proving it was working and had been used.

Tomorrow we are all returning to unhook everything and get it loaded up.
Ill get more pictures of the stuff tomorrow but for now, here's the surface grinder.
Ill also add a dial indicator thing I got, and a small vice along with another center support for the lathe, all for free.
Oh, and since I sold the smaller lathe, I went ahead and bought the power hack saw, just cause I can, and its cool!

Not bad for a grand total of $100!!!

 

[jmlcolorado]

I think the next big win is that my competition gave me his name, number and email since he said he has a lathe that he said I'd too big for his use that he's willing to sell to me for a song if m interested.

 

[rwhite692]

The guy who built all of that stuff is very resourceful, I'll wager he is an older guy who lived through the great depression and had to figure out how to make do with whatever resources were available.

 

[jmlcolorado]

The guy who built all of that stuff is very resourceful, I'll wager he is an older guy who lived through the great depression and had to figure out how to make do with whatever resources were available.

He really was! It seemed as though he didn't buy much of anything. He made it.
Apparently he lived to be over 90 and passed away recently.

Despite the nay sayers on his machines, I feel
Quite privileged to have come across his stuff and was able to make it part of my garage.
The only thing I wish would have been able to know him while he was alive and be able to have soaked up some of that knowledge from him.
I don't even know the guy but I can tell from his garage, he was an incredibly intelligent guy.
His son tells me he only had a 7th grade education.