Who's got lathes?

[xpmcharly]

Bought my Logan from George at Orion Machine in Muskegon, Mi. last spring. Small machines are hard to find in E.Tn., George helped me load it in the rental car!, included some nice tools, thanks George! Another great guy is Tom Lodari at Adrian Machine in Knoxville, Tom asked, "What do you know about running a lathe?", my reply was, "Don't leave the key in the chuck." "Well, that's a start". Six months later, a couple of books, and Mr. Pete, aka Tubal Cain, I'm starting to scratch the surface of what this old machine will do.An amazing addition to any shop's capabilities, opens up a lot of avenues for creativity. I asked one of my old motorcycling buddies to show me a few operations and he said," my lathe work is like my fiddle playin' I pretty much have to learn it every time, 'cause I do it so seldom.

 

[rickairmedic]

I want I want I want

Neal what are you wanting a flashlight or a lathe to make flashlights with .


Rick

 

[Nighttrain]

Mine is a Craftsman (Atlas) 12x36 that I picked up for a song. I built a steel topped bench for it.

It is really nice being able to turn a small part you need, when you can't buy one.

I saw one very similar to this one today tag as an Atlas. About the same size. Its at a estate sale and listed for $570. No dies with it. It does have center post? and also a round type table for holding your work and milling. It going half price on Saturday. May swing by then to see if it still there.

 

[trbomax]

I have these two that are not set up yet. The sb is a 13 x 40 with a taper att. The other is a 10" chi com,Ive had it about 6 yrs now and never done anything with it.Still has the grease paper on it! My wife bought it so we could do metric threads,but then we stopped building the snowmobile suspensions and didnt need it. The third one I dont have a pic of because its still in ohio. It has been the go to lathe for 50 yrs.Started out in my dads shop. Its a pre-ww2 sheldon overhead belt drive 10 x 36. Has a plate on the change box that says "war finish as directed.....". The best thing about it is the large 1.5" bore in the headstock. We used the hell out of it makeing suspension shafts.

 

[dagoat_1]

I have 2 - a 11x37 Rockwell and a 12x36 Clausing - both are what I consider perfect home machines. Here's a shot of my Clausing with a 392 Hemi crank I was polishing and also truing up the crank pilot. After this fire drill I definitely wouldn't consider going smaller. The thing is I NEVER intended to put a crank on one when I got them, but as you use these things more you see more and more possibilities.

It's a very rare week when I don't use one of them for something!!

I paid DIRT for the Clausing - it needed a pulley repair - which I did on the Rockwell

The chuck was worth what I paid for the whole thing.

You'll be surprised at how many uses you end up finding for these things once they're there!!

Please! Please! Please! be extra carefull when those journals start spinning.
When i was 14 putting my first motor together I had a 302 crank micropolishing it just as you have setup. Being 14 i used to use old work shirts from my father and the sleves were always too big. Shirt caught one of the journals and pulled my arm in. thanks GOD and my Father for putting a quick safety shutoff at waist height right in front of the lathe that I managed to push with my knee. About 35 sticthes later from mid bicep to mid lower arm, trip in an ambulance and scare of my life I have a great conversation scar.
I know I was stupid and will never forget so thought I might save someone some heartache.

 

[rickairmedic]

I have these two that are not set up yet. The sb is a 13 x 40 with a taper att. The other is a 10" chi com,Ive had it about 6 yrs now and never done anything with it.Still has the grease paper on it! My wife bought it so we could do metric threads,but then we stopped building the snowmobile suspensions and didnt need it. The third one I dont have a pic of because its still in ohio. It has been the go to lathe for 50 yrs.Started out in my dads shop. Its a pre-ww2 sheldon overhead belt drive 10 x 36. Has a plate on the change box that says "war finish as directed.....". The best thing about it is the large 1.5" bore in the headstock. We used the hell out of it makeing suspension shafts.

Max I feel almost as bad for your lathes as I do for the 2 southbends rotting away in Bills back yard . Hook that sweet old southbend up and let it make some fresh chips again .

I gota ask do they just give away old southbends up there in Michigan ? Thats 3 southbends I know of that are not gettin any love up there .


Rick

 

[RossABQ]

After years of lusting for a lathe, I found an Atlas in decent shape and with a lot of accessories. Still getting familiar with it and cleaning it up.

 

[Nighttrain]

After years of lusting for a lathe, I found an Atlas in decent shape and with a lot of accessories. Still getting familiar with it and cleaning it up.

Thats sthe same one for sale here! Do you mind if I ask how much you paid for it?

 

[mike13u]

Dont know what I would do without it. I have an old WWII era swedish clone of a south bend. Its a 9". Nothing special, but it is good quality and its all I have needed.

Here is a shot with her brother, a Powermatic Millrite milling machine:

 

[trbomax]

Max I feel almost as bad for your lathes as I do for the 2 southbends rotting away in Bills back yard . Hook that sweet old southbend up and let it make some fresh chips again .

I gota ask do they just give away old southbends up there in Michigan ? Thats 3 southbends I know of that are not gettin any love up there .


Rick[/QUOT

Dunno,is $500 give a way? Has an almost new single phase motor on it too and a brand new faceplate!

They are waiting for the shop room that will be thier permanent home.Should be done this winter. If I need the sb I could hook it up in about 10 minutes,welder plug is only 10 feet awy.

 

[rickairmedic]

Well down here that is 9" B or C model money so I would say thats a killer price especialy with an almost new single phase motor and face plate on it . Depending on what else it came with of course .

Rick

 

[Richard D]

I have a Burke Millrite, but it's a bit different than yours. The name "MILLRITE" is cast into the ram on mine(you can barely make out the blask raised letters in the photo below), while yours looks to be a plate mounted on it. My motor looks different as well; maybe my machine is older(it was made in '68)? Is yours a 3 phase? Mine is and it is an unusual shape; I don't think I will be able to find a single phase to replace it so I will need a phase converter or VFD to run it. Yours looks to be a modern motor of a more common configuration.

The motor is removed from my machine in the photo above. Here's some pictures from the Lathes.co.uk website for comparison.

Here's some good info on the Millrite:
http://www.lathes.co.uk/millrite/index.html
And most any other machine tool:
http://www.lathes.co.uk/page21.html

 

[Richard D]

I also have some articles from Home Shop Machinst magazine on building a riser block, and adding power feed to the quill. I can send you a copy if you want it.

 

[Richard D]

This is my TAIG micro lathe for small jobs.

QUOTE]

I had one of these and the TAIG milling machine as well, nice little machines made in the USA. I thought they were China before I bought them; I asked and the name comes from the son of the company's founder; he could not pronounce "Craig" as a child. Unfortunately my father's building they were in burned, and I was told by my friend who cleaned up after the fire that all that was left was a big pool of aluminum and some bits of steel.

 

[Falcon67]

I love the VFD I use on my mill - why I bought a 3 phase unit. Much better spindle control with a VFD than any single phase. I can stop the spindle in .5 seconds (maybe less) from full speed when I hit the E-Stop.

 

[OccupantRJ]

No. A drill press is not designed for side loads. Vibration will also unseat the chuck taper and send the chuck flying.

Are you talking about the taper mounting the chuck to the quill adapter, or the quill taper itself? The bearings in the drill press and the machines overall mass and rigidity prevent it from being a good candidate for a mill, but your statement about the chuck is a bit of a blanket statement, albeit a good one for politically correct safety reasons. With that being said, I have milled utility cuts every day for 23 years with a taper mounted chuck, using end mills as large as 3/4". The chuck is mounted on an R8 adapter in a Bridgeport, and has been in use since the late 60's in this fashion. I would never recommend this for anyone to do, but this is one instance where it has worked for a very long time. The chuck had to have been pressed onto the adapter with some high tonnage and permanent Loctite, otherwise it would not have lasted this long.

 

[OccupantRJ]

This is my 14 inch swing with about an 8 foot bed Carrol-Jamieson lathe from about the 40's I would guess. I recently got it and have only used it a little so far. Still needs some cleaning.

That's a pretty creative chip tray. Just adjust it to where the cut is!

 

[trbomax]

Well down here that is 9" B or C model money so I would say thats a killer price especialy with an almost new single phase motor and face plate on it . Depending on what else it came with of course .

Rick

The motor is clean and shiney so it cant be very old,its a 2hp.Came with a taper attachment, three jaw,new faceplate in box with cod tag for almost $200 on it,dial readout on the longitude feed, toolholder for 4 tools,belts all look new,and a steady rest. Its a 113b model. It looks dirtyier than it is,it was sprayed down with oil everywhere.

 

[Stephenw]

Are you talking about the taper mounting the chuck to the quill adapter, or the quill taper itself? The bearings in the drill press and the machines overall mass and rigidity prevent it from being a good candidate for a mill, but your statement about the chuck is a bit of a blanket statement, albeit a good one for politically correct safety reasons. With that being said, I have milled utility cuts every day for 23 years with a taper mounted chuck, using end mills as large as 3/4". The chuck is mounted on an R8 adapter in a Bridgeport, and has been in use since the late 60's in this fashion. I would never recommend this for anyone to do, but this is one instance where it has worked for a very long time. The chuck had to have been pressed onto the adapter with some high tonnage and permanent Loctite, otherwise it would not have lasted this long.

I'm talking about a morse taper on a typical home drill press. Without a hole through the spindle and a draw bar, the vibration will unseat the morse taper and spit out the chuck and chuck adapter.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I'm talking about a morse taper on a typical home drill press. Without a hole through the spindle and a draw bar, the vibration will unseat the morse taper and spit out the chuck and chuck adapter.

Very true. We have a drilling setup at work where the Morse taper drill is rather long, and if it dropped out of the drill press spindle, it could possibly fling around. I drilled a cross hole through the drill press spindle and the drill shank, and use a bolt through both as a positive retainer.

 

[mike13u]

I have a Burke Millrite, but it's a bit different than yours. The name "MILLRITE" is cast into the ram on mine(you can barely make out the blask raised letters in the photo below), while yours looks to be a plate mounted on it. My motor looks different as well; maybe my machine is older(it was made in '68)? Is yours a 3 phase? Mine is and it is an unusual shape; I don't think I will be able to find a single phase to replace it so I will need a phase converter or VFD to run it. Yours looks to be a modern motor of a more common configuration.

Thats a great machine for home shop use. Mine is a 3-phase and about 15 years younger than yours. I use a rotary phase converter to power mine. If you need any help with set-up, get at me. I have completely gone through mine and built back up. Also a Yahoo! group for Burke-Poweratic-Millrite owners.

Enjoy it man

 

[Falcon67]

Are you talking about the taper mounting the chuck to the quill adapter, or the quill taper itself? The bearings in the drill press and the machines overall mass and rigidity prevent it from being a good candidate for a mill, but your statement about the chuck is a bit of a blanket statement, albeit a good one for politically correct safety reasons. With that being said, I have milled utility cuts every day for 23 years with a taper mounted chuck, using end mills as large as 3/4". The chuck is mounted on an R8 adapter in a Bridgeport, and has been in use since the late 60's in this fashion. I would never recommend this for anyone to do, but this is one instance where it has worked for a very long time. The chuck had to have been pressed onto the adapter with some high tonnage and permanent Loctite, otherwise it would not have lasted this long.

My mill uses an R8 taper also. I like the R8 since there are tons of tools and adapters for it. What I'm talking about is the side load and vibration on a typical MT-2 (IIRC) chuck adapter, like on my 15" Craftsman and with out any draw bar provision. It won't hold and I've been chased around the shop by a 5/8 keyless with a 1/2 end mill and it ain't fun. One reason why I now own the G0519 and the drill press sits lonely in the corner. You cannot jam that adapter in their tight enough without the draw bar. I occasionally "cheat" with an end mill in a chuck for some light, quickies.

 

[omr]

heres my old work horse ..

 

[Zengineer]

Much line the 1948 P&W posted earlier, here is my "12x36" Pratt & Whitney, circa 1952... 4500lbs of fury, it will swing 14"

 

[larry_g]

Much line the 1948 P&W posted earlier, here is my "12x36" Pratt & Whitney, circa 1952... 4500lbs of fury, it will swing 14"

That is so purty. Are you man enough to lift the chuck off the pan and onto the spindle? Makes my machines look like toys.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Falcon67]

That's a 12x36 family size. Very nice. Not much flex in that thing.

 

[Zengineer]

Yes I can mount and demount by hand. The yellow post in the picture above the level is for a mini swivel crane to aid in chuck changes.

If I had to guess, I'd say those chucks are closing in on 80lbs each though.

Lathe is transitioned back to its origional gray from the green and yellow John Deere ad.

 

[brats.n.harleys]

been watching craigslist every day, hoping to pick one up sometime before christmas.

 

[tdkkart]

Got a 12" Atlas lathe, sort of a Frankenstein that i pieced together:

And same Millrite pictured by others:

Both machines are running on 3 phase generated from a VFD. Even small lathes run much smoother on 3 phase, and the recent surge in VFD availability makes it really easy to generate. Don't be afraid of 3-phase machines.

 

[Richard D]

I have a 12" atlas with change gears, I wonder if it can be fitted with a quick-change for easier threading?

 

[Richard D]

Got a 12" Atlas lathe, sort of a Frankenstein that i pieced together:

I have a 12" atlas with change gears, I wonder if it can be fitted with a quick-change for easier threading?

What kind of DRO are you using on your Millrite?

 

[bannedleader]

SB 13 X 60 here

 

[ert01]

I recently inherited a South Bend model A 9" from my grandfathers estate.

I don't know much about this thing except I looked up the serial number online and it seems to be pre-'47 era.

I am looking forward to playing around with it... I got a lot of tools with it but the one thing I don't have is a self-centering chuck. Any idea where I can find one for it?

 

[tdkkart]

I have a 12" atlas with change gears, I wonder if it can be fitted with a quick-change for easier threading?
What kind of DRO are you using on your Millrite?

Any of them can be fitted with a quick change box if you have all the right pieces.
IMO a quick change box is over rated. How often do you thread?? I've probably threaded less than a dozen times in the 15 years I've owned a lathe. Bolts are too cheap to make my own. Only occasionally do I change the carriage travel speed, the lathe is too flimsy to use much for feed rates.


The DRO on the MillRite is a CBX from Star-Techno:
http://www.star-techno.com/
I purchased the unit probably 10 years ago or more as part of a group buy negotiated by a forum I was a member of at the time. It has been absolutely trouble free the entire time I have owned it.

 

[david-h]

I have a Craftsman 12x36 and a Rockwell 21-100. Both of them work great and see almost daily use. It can get pretty expensive tooling this stuff up but the way i got most of the tooling for my lathe was to buy other 12" craftsman lathes keep what tooling I want or don't have and sell the rest of it.

 

[Torque1st]

been watching craigslist every day, hoping to pick one up sometime before christmas.

Good luck! I spent ~5 years watching E-bay, Craigslist, machinery flyers, and the local paper every day before I found mine. I had been looking on and off for 20 years. The old lady still raised ****** hell when I bought it. That is one of the reasons she isn't around anymore.

 

[Ric in Richmond]

been watching craigslist every day, hoping to pick one up sometime before christmas.

You know you can have CL do an auto search and deliver them to you right???

That is how I got mine...

 

[Ric in Richmond]

I recently inherited a South Bend model A 9" from my grandfathers estate.

I don't know much about this thing except I looked up the serial number online and it seems to be pre-'47 era.

I am looking forward to playing around with it... I got a lot of tools with it but the one thing I don't have is a self-centering chuck. Any idea where I can find one for it?

Ebay usually has a good supply.

I have an old school one that I might part with, but really saving it so the kids can crash it instead of my good 3 jaw.

 

[ert01]

Sounds good. Do I need a south bend brand chuck or do others fit and how would I verify that it would fit my lathe?

 

[Shadowdog500]

I recently inherited a South Bend model A 9" from my grandfathers estate.

I don't know much about this thing except I looked up the serial number online and it seems to be pre-'47 era.

I am looking forward to playing around with it... I got a lot of tools with it but the one thing I don't have is a self-centering chuck. Any idea where I can find one for it?

Does it have a 4 jaw chuck?

If so use go out and buy a cheap dial indicator and stand at HF any you will be in business.

Chris