Need Lathe ID Help

[kf4zht]

So after month of searching I finally found a metal lathe. Ended up getting for $165, which in this area is a steal. It needs a good cleaning, and only has the 3 jaw in the pics, but I can make up for that when you compare to the $2500 south bend bench models around here.

Hoping that someone has some info on this. What I know:
Model Number is 11059
Northern Hydraulics sticker on the back side
Mfg Date 10/1991
6 Amp (~1hp) motor
Appears to be around a 9" swing by ~20" long
Appears to be asian make

Anyone know anything like the manufacturer, or better a manual with parts diagram? The thing is covered in grease mixed with sawdust. Minimal rust, but the levers are all tight and need to be scrubbed.

 

[nine4gmc]

looks like this one maybe
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200423979_200423979

 

[Carla]

kf4zht de wa6ube,

Apologies for being the bearer of bad news, but you have a 'learning curve device'.

Many of those were imported, by many re-sellers. Some were Taiwanish, others mainland Chinese.

The manufacturers were under pressure to build the cheapest possible product which 'would look good on the sales floor', and run long enough to sell.

You may.....and thats may.....be able to make it work well enough and long enough to use it to make a few open-tolerance parts, and then sell it after you have experienced its limitations.

It will provide you with worthwhile experience.

There is good reason why you were able to get this machine so much more cheaply than, say, a South Bend, Logan, or Sheldon.

You may be able to research the importer of that particular batch, and find out whether a manual or parts book was ever issued for it, and whether the importer got any replacement parts with the batch of 'lathes'. Its probable that the next batch sold by the same importer, under the same name, will be sufficiently different in minor details that few parts would be applicable.

cheers

Carla

 

[Man of Many Vices]

Several months ago I purchased a 16-inch throw by 72-inch long South Bend for $450, with three- and four-jaw chucks, face plate, steady rest, all the change gears, miscellaneous tooling, etc. I had been keeping my eye on it for more than a year, watching the price drop from $900 to $600 when I finally pounced.

My point being, as I suspect Carla will agree, there are many excellent U.S. made lathes available for several hundred dollars. $1,500 will buy the manual (not CNC or DRO) lathe of your dreams. Some are even available for practically nothing because the owner has finally decided to get rid of it NOW, regardless of price.

If you want to see what your lathe looks like all shiny and new, go to Harbor Freight. It sells for about $400. In the meantime, play with it, but don't spend any more money on it. (Confession: I bought a cheap lathe before I realized how limited in capability it was; thankfully, I did not spend more money on it.)

 

[rsanter]

That is the same machine that is offered by grizzly, ENCO and several others.
I think prices range new from about $700 to $1500
not a bad home machine and not bad for learning on and making general purpose things.
I have the same machine that I used to replace one of the older cman/atlas machines and I like this one better as the controls are more comfortable
I think you are ok on the price paid as long as it can be made to work for just cleaning it up. I paid $400 for mine but it came with a ton of tooling and misc stuff

Bob

 

[kf4zht]

Several months ago I purchased a 16-inch throw by 72-inch long South Bend for $450, with three- and four-jaw chucks, face plate, steady rest, all the change gears, miscellaneous tooling, etc. I had been keeping my eye on it for more than a year, watching the price drop from $900 to $600 when I finally pounced.

My point being, as I suspect Carla will agree, there are many excellent U.S. made lathes available for several hundred dollars. $1,500 will buy the manual (not CNC or DRO) lathe of your dreams. Some are even available for practically nothing because the owner has finally decided to get rid of it NOW, regardless of price.

If you want to see what your lathe looks like all shiny and new, go to Harbor Freight. It sells for about $400. In the meantime, play with it, but don't spend any more money on it. (Confession: I bought a cheap lathe before I realized how limited in capability it was; thankfully, I did not spend more money on it.)

I see that you don't have a location. Guessing that you are not around the Atlanta GA area... Since we never had any real industry other than farming machinery prices do not match most of the rest of the country. Last time I showed up a garage sale to buy an import benchtop mill it ended up going for the asking price of $1000. There were 3 other people ready to buy it at full price. The Atlas/Craftsman bench lathes go for $650-1000 on a regular basis.

While I know that it will not be perfect and the tolerances a bit off I have been successful at making numerous parts to 3 thou accuracy on a HF mini lathe, it just takes time. That is plenty for my needs. My other lathe is a Unimat, it will be nice to make something larger than a thimble.

Looks like this matches up pretty good with the grizzly G4000. I will give the parts diagram a try and fix what doesn't match up.

 

[Man of Many Vices]

My 16-inch South Bend lathe was (1) first put into service in the Naval Shipyards outside San Francisco before World War II. (2) It passed to an equipment dealer who (3) sold it to someone who (4) sold it to the guy (5) I bought it from.

I think I got such a good deal because nobody except the equipment dealer was out to make a profit on the sale, but, rather, to rid themselves of an underused, no longer wanted space waster. Each acquired it at a discounted price from the previous owner, and then sold at a steep discount to the next guy, who then sold at a steep discount to the next guy, on down the line.

If my theory is correct, I will probably end up giving my lathe away under any of the following scenarios. (1) If my productivity advanced to such a degree that a more capable machine was needed (not likely); (2) the lathe failed to provide the boost I need to sustain an expensive hobby (probably); or (3) my wife has finally delivered an ultimatum to get rid of all my junk before she calls the scrap man.

Identify a good deal by understanding why the machine is for sale. Then make sure the machine has not been abused too severely. If you can't find one around the shipyards, military bases, rocket launch pads, airports, rail yards, or closed down industrial arts departments at high schools and colleges, then pay an extra $500 to have one shipped from the great industrial centers further north.

I live in Indio, California, not far from Palm Springs. I kept my eye on every advertised lathe within 100 miles for more than a year before I jumped on this one when the price bottomed out.

I hope this helps. (Another confession: I have bought a lot of junk before I realized what not to buy. "Many of Many Vices" is really a shortened nickname for "Man Who Bought Too Many Crappy Vises Because He Didn't Know What He Was Doing."