I still have a bit of a dream sheet for the shop. This was a great find and one of those last tools. This is the last manual lathe I’ll need.. Unless I found a deal on a 10EE.
Well... I had planned on having a telehandler delivered to get the lathe off the trailer and into the shop. I was watching Pacemaker videos last night and came across a guy unloading a bigger one with his two post lift. My two buddies came over this morning and we went to work. I don’t have pictures because it weighs 5000 pounds and moving it is no joke.
Backed the trailer into the lift bay. It was a close fit, but it fit. Used some large aluminum bar that I had to go under the bed and tie each pair of lift arms together. Used big F clamps to keep all that in place. Test lift went well so we lifted it off the deck a few inches and drove the trailer out. Lowered it onto several chunks of 1/2 pipe. There was no moving it easily. Ended up using an old chain fall to drag it on the pipe with the machinery bar. It had to go about 5’, turn 90 and then over about 16’. All told took 2.5 hours. It’s in its final resting spot, safely on the floor.
I’m waiting on a breaker to supply the phase converter. Once I have that, I’ll temporarily power it directly from the phase converter and see how it goes. Hopefully that works well. 15HP is a LOT of motor. Many had 7.5hp and I wish this one did. Nonetheless, if the phase converter works I’ll send its output to a 3 phase panel and a feeder from the panel to the lathe. If it doesn’t, I’ll be buying a vfd similar to what powers the mill and use it as a phase converter only.
Lathe needs some cleaning and a basic going over.
I am spent. Moving this thing was a chore.