TireTracks
Well-known member
Thats why I plan to build my own machine tools. Stave off the ineviable hemmorageing of money on tooling for a few years.
Who's got lathes?
- Thread starter brats.n.harleys
- Start date
Thats why I plan to build my own machine tools. Stave off the ineviable hemmorageing of money on tooling for a few years.
onewaydave
Well-known member
Time to fess up.
A 6" BTC plastic Stanley pen lathe. Never used.
A 10" x 4' Craftsman wood lathe. Turned duck calls, tool handles, etc.
A 6" x 12" Craftsman that has turned some silver violin frog adjusters, and violin bow bits.
A 10" x 36" Monkey Wards (Logan) that I use the most. Its turned some tool arbors, adjusting handles for OWWM, arbor shims for the table saw, fly rod handles, and other stuff. Have a milling atachment but haven't used it yet. Current job is a 1" od 3/4" id shim (using washers as stock) to mount new blades on an old Darr James table saw. Just finished turning reproduction knobs to adjust the guides on a 1900 Hall and Brown 36" band saw. 2" knerled knob with a 3/8 threaded post.
A 17" x 7' South Bend (1912) that my great great Unkle used in his Ford dealership that he bought new. Havent used it yet but it will make a 105mm howitzer for deer season one of these days.
None of my lathes have quick change gear boxes. Don't need no stinkin QC gears. And they may be old school, but they made the new school lathes everybody insists they want.
All, except the Stanley have screw capabilities.
Ditto on the advice to know how and to inspect the lathe before purchase. If possible turn a test or 2 to prove it is not junk.
Unless you use it in a machine shop or something, its unlikely that you'll use it every day. We hobby people have to judge whether the expense is worth the handiness of having it.
Expect to pay more for the tooling than for the lathe, unless you are very lucky. Most lath owners know the value of the tooling and will price it accordingly. Estate sales are where you might get lucky.
Dave, sufferer of chronic migrating lathophilia.
A 6" BTC plastic Stanley pen lathe. Never used.
A 10" x 4' Craftsman wood lathe. Turned duck calls, tool handles, etc.
A 6" x 12" Craftsman that has turned some silver violin frog adjusters, and violin bow bits.
A 10" x 36" Monkey Wards (Logan) that I use the most. Its turned some tool arbors, adjusting handles for OWWM, arbor shims for the table saw, fly rod handles, and other stuff. Have a milling atachment but haven't used it yet. Current job is a 1" od 3/4" id shim (using washers as stock) to mount new blades on an old Darr James table saw. Just finished turning reproduction knobs to adjust the guides on a 1900 Hall and Brown 36" band saw. 2" knerled knob with a 3/8 threaded post.
A 17" x 7' South Bend (1912) that my great great Unkle used in his Ford dealership that he bought new. Havent used it yet but it will make a 105mm howitzer for deer season one of these days.
None of my lathes have quick change gear boxes. Don't need no stinkin QC gears. And they may be old school, but they made the new school lathes everybody insists they want.
All, except the Stanley have screw capabilities.
Ditto on the advice to know how and to inspect the lathe before purchase. If possible turn a test or 2 to prove it is not junk.
Unless you use it in a machine shop or something, its unlikely that you'll use it every day. We hobby people have to judge whether the expense is worth the handiness of having it.
Expect to pay more for the tooling than for the lathe, unless you are very lucky. Most lath owners know the value of the tooling and will price it accordingly. Estate sales are where you might get lucky.
Dave, sufferer of chronic migrating lathophilia.
Update:
I was going through my grandpas garage and found another chuck for this lathe... It's a 3 jaw self centering chuck. I also have the 4 jaw that came with it as well.
I put the 3 jaw on it and put some 3/4" round cold rolled steel in it and it doesn't seem to center very well. Is there a trick to setting up a 3 jaw or is this chuck just worn out?
I had about a 4" piece with a 2" long stub sticking out and maybe 2" inside the chuck. At the end of the piece it would wobble by about .030 or so. I can only imagine how bad it would be if it were the full length of lathe!
I watched a few videos on how to center a 4 jaw chuck so I may just have to stick with that one but I'd rather not have to set it up for every single thing I do.
Also bought the rebuild kit and guide too so when that comes I'll get to know this lathe a little more intimately.
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
Dont give up on that huck yet! I center my work with a dial inductor even on my 3 jaw chuck. If you just drop a piece of metal into the lathe and tighten the chuck it could easily be that far off. I put the metal in tighten the chuck so that it just snug then I tap on the piece a little or use my fingers to push it to center using the dial indictor as a guide before tightening the chuck. I can usually get it to within a couple thousands in less than 30 seconds.
I was told to keep a dial indicator and stand next to my lathe all set up so there is no excuse not to use it every time. The total setup was less that $15 on sale at HF.
Chris
I was told to keep a dial indicator and stand next to my lathe all set up so there is no excuse not to use it every time. The total setup was less that $15 on sale at HF.
Chris
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Can anyone tell me if this is way 'overkill' for a hobby lathe (I have turned wood but never metal) . I haven't seen it in person yet, so I don't know about tooling etc...
http://omaha.craigslist.org/tls/2705123753.html
The real kicker... One of my Best Buds had a lathe sitting in the corner of the garage about a year ago and finally sold it on CL... HE even asked If I wanted it, and at the time I was like, "NAH, don't know when I would ever use it"... Now I'm jonesin' for one bad. Even considering the 7X12 from HF just to get in 'cheap' (I know, junk, but it would scratch the itch for less scratch)
http://omaha.craigslist.org/tls/2705123753.html
The real kicker... One of my Best Buds had a lathe sitting in the corner of the garage about a year ago and finally sold it on CL... HE even asked If I wanted it, and at the time I was like, "NAH, don't know when I would ever use it"... Now I'm jonesin' for one bad. Even considering the 7X12 from HF just to get in 'cheap' (I know, junk, but it would scratch the itch for less scratch)
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Shadowdog500
Well-known member
If that lathe works, is fairly accurate, and you have the room for it you would probably be set for life. I you get a mini lathe you would probably want to upgrade to something like this in short order.
If that lathe was close to my house I would have taken time off from work to look at it today.
Chris
If that lathe was close to my house I would have taken time off from work to look at it today.
Chris
Thanks Chris, If the guy had put a number on the ADD I would probalby be there now. But as it is, I am waiting for a call back.
So I have no tooling and no 'fine' measuring devices... would it be rude to ask to use a dial indicator and test the head run out? etc. How can I check the ways? Other than to just look at how beat up they appear? The add states 220v ... I just hope its not 3Ph! but even that I could problbly get around one way or the other)
(I don't really have the room for this, but don't tell my wife till I get it home!)
So I have no tooling and no 'fine' measuring devices... would it be rude to ask to use a dial indicator and test the head run out? etc. How can I check the ways? Other than to just look at how beat up they appear? The add states 220v ... I just hope its not 3Ph! but even that I could problbly get around one way or the other)
(I don't really have the room for this, but don't tell my wife till I get it home!)
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That's a cute little baby lathe where I come from and besides, there's no such thing as overkill. Even if it's killed you can always kill it more.
It appears some parts are available from MSC, doing a search on 951735
Price is not bad if it works and suffers no major damage. I notice the headstock sight glass appears dry, however.
Inspect carefully.
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Falcon67
Well-known member
+2 - already done that. IMHO, both machines have paid for their raising.
If you have a HF store anywhere close by, a dial indicator and a mount won't set you back very much $.
3 phase 1 HP would be really a good thing IMHO - with a VFD to feed the motor, you end up with better motor control. My ideal lathe would be something in the 12x36 range with a 1 or 2HP 3 phase motor on it.
My 9x20 has all the normal issues (see the 9x20 lathe group on Yahoo) but I didn't have it a month before I figured out it needed to be bigger.
mrbreezeet1
Banned
That looks like a hell of a lathe for $500.00.
I guess you do not know what all come's with it?
I guess you do not know what all come's with it?
John in OH
Well-known member
If that lathe is in any kind of decent condition I'd be all over it for only $500!! Even with no tooling (but the $500 price should include what is shown in the photos ... the 3-jaw chuck, lantern tool post & holder, and the tailstock drill chuck with taper)!
Show up to inspect the lathe with $500 in cash in your pocket. If the lathe is in decent condition, ask about tooling and offer their asking price, in cash, if they will include some additional tooling and will agree to load if for you.
220v 3-phase is no problem. If you have 220v single phase readily available in your garage, a simple static phase converter can be had for about $120 (or much less if you want to build it out of your own components. Lots of sites on web can explain how to do this).
Shadowdog500
Well-known member
crowesnest
Active member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2011
- Messages
- 31
My Clausing 12x36
metalmagpie
Well-known member
I have owned 3 different 9" South Bends. They are nice for the hobbyist, but they are NOISY with their open back gears. Never did find one of those that ran quiet with the gear train engaged. Sold my last one a few years back. Now I have a nice Nardini Mascote 1440E, a very solid European designed lathe made in Brazil.
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mrbreezeet1
Banned
Boy thats a lathe there.
crowesnest, looks like your has the QCGB, does it have the automatic apron too?
That is one thing I am not crazy about my Logan, the feed is by the half nut only.
I have a HF8x14 & a PM12x36. Both China lathes that I purchased new since I did not know enough in what to look for in buying a used one at the the time.
Been pretty happy with both but of course the HF required lots of tweaks before I was comfortable with it. Only had the HF for 9 months before I grew out of it & knew I needed something bigger.
Been pretty happy with both but of course the HF required lots of tweaks before I was comfortable with it. Only had the HF for 9 months before I grew out of it & knew I needed something bigger.
OP
brats.n.harleys
Well-known member
Finally got one! Picked it up Sunday. Got it wired today. Excited to learn.
rickairmedic
Well-known member
Bout time looks like a nice rig should be able to turn plenty of pegs and grips on that one .
Rick
looks like a nice rig should be able to turn plenty of pegs and grips on that one .Rick
Steve from Socal
Well-known member
Congrats,
A war baby heavy 10" was my first lathe. Get How to Run a Lathe published by South Bend, it is a great guide and resource to using your lathe.
Someday perhaps you'll want want one of these!
Steve
A war baby heavy 10" was my first lathe. Get How to Run a Lathe published by South Bend, it is a great guide and resource to using your lathe.
Someday perhaps you'll want want one of these!
Steve
mrbreezeet1
Banned
Finally got one! Picked it up Sunday. Got it wired today. Excited to learn.
What kind is it?
Is that a quick change gear box?
Automatic apron?
metalmagpie
Well-known member
It is possible that the jaws have been put back incorrectly. Below is the procedure for installing jaws on a 3-jaw scrolling chuck. Good luck - metalmagpie
First of all, see which way the numbers on the slots for the jaws "run" - clockwise or anti-clockwise.
"Open" the chuck as if opening it with the chuck key - until the end of the scroll just passes slot1.
Put jaw 1 into slot 1 and press it down onto the scroll - and keep pressing it.
"Reverse" the scroll until the end of it just passes back past slot1. Jaw 1 will "drop" as the end of the scroll passes it.
Keep the pressure on jaw 1 and "close" the scroll until it is just past slot2.
Put jaw2 into slot2 and keep the pressure on jaw2.
Reverse/open the scroll until the end of the scroll passes jaw2. Jaw2 will drop to hit the scroll. Keep the pressure onto jaw2.
"Close" the scroll until the end of passes slot3.
Place jaw3 into slot3 and press it down onto the scroll - keep pressing jaw3.
Reverse/close the scroll until the end of the scroll passes jaw3 at which jaw3 will drop and hit the scroll.
Keep the pressure on jaw3 and close the scroll until the end of the scroll pases jaw3.
The jaws are now installed correctly. Close the chuck jaws until they all meet at the center. If OK - the chuck jaws are set up correctly. If not OK, repeat until the jaws are correct.
mrbreezeet1
Banned
OK I blew up the picture, QCGB , it is a south bend right?
Yeah, that cabinet is nice.
Can't tell about the apron though.
Aren't you glad you got this one now instead of that 1st one you were looking at?
LOL
Yeah, that cabinet is nice.
Can't tell about the apron though.
Aren't you glad you got this one now instead of that 1st one you were looking at?
LOL
OP
brats.n.harleys
Well-known member
Alright. I did buy the first one and instantly regretted it. It was part of the trade for the south bend. It's a 13", quick change gears and has tags for the US department of defense board of war productions. Traded a few things I ha laying around, and 150 cash for it. Super excited.
kmacht
Well-known member
Talk about night and day difference between the first lathe and the second. You have a really nice 10" south bend there. It should do just about everything you can throw at it in a home shop enviroment. If you need any parts for it I would suggest contacting Joe at Plaza Machinery. He has just about anything you could need for replacement parts on that lathe.
http://www.plazamachinery.com/
Another good place for some tooling for the lathe is toolsforcheap.
http://www.tools4cheap.net
Finally, if you are looking for some projects and want to make tooling for the lathe, this guy sells castings and instructions for making things like milling attachments, steady rests, quick change tool posts, etc.
http://www.sc-c.com/metallathe/index.html
Have fun with it and above all, don't forget to oil it up each time before use.
Keith
http://www.plazamachinery.com/
Another good place for some tooling for the lathe is toolsforcheap.
http://www.tools4cheap.net
Finally, if you are looking for some projects and want to make tooling for the lathe, this guy sells castings and instructions for making things like milling attachments, steady rests, quick change tool posts, etc.
http://www.sc-c.com/metallathe/index.html
Have fun with it and above all, don't forget to oil it up each time before use.
Keith
Here's my contribution--Its not too far off of Steve's Monarch: SB 1307 Tool Room lathe: 13" swing over x 20" between centers.
I used to run a 1307 in my shop. It was an amazing machine but for my uses, too big and heavy to deal with on a daily basis. Plus, when my DC drive started acting up a bit, I found a happy buyer and moved on.
Now I run a beautiful old Logan 1935-2 11x24 Toolroom lathe. It needs a power upgrade since the original 3/4hp motor is tired, but it cuts beautifully and I've managed to tool it with lots of original equipment. Still looking for a Collet Closer if anybody knows of one for sale.
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Harley Monster
Well-known member
Can you recommend an article, book or link to "How to evaluate a used lathe?"
1948
Well-known member
bratsnharleys thats a nice one!
metalmagpie
Well-known member
The bible on how to accurately measure wear on a lathe or mill is "Machine Tool Reconditioning" by Connelly, now well over $90 a copy. For a good reason. But that book is very technical, requiring extensive test fixtures and so on. I'll give you my off-the-hip best shot:
Only buy a lathe (or mill) from the actual former owner, and only if substantially everything sitting around the machine comes with it. Never buy a stripped-down bare lathe. The tooling and toolbits can very easily cost more than the lathe. Does this rule out tool dealers and ebay? Yes it does. Buy your machine off craigslist. Drive several states to get it if you have to, but make sure you can see it run under power. And don't buy any machine that has sat outside.
Look at the machine. Do the ways look banged up? Are the ways rusty? Rust on machine ways is generally very bad news. Does the machine generally appear serviceable? Beware of a machine tool with shiny new paint. The paint has very little to do with condition of the machine and can seduce us by its shininess. Ask the owner about lubrication. He should know absolutely everything there is to know about lubricating the machine. He should have oil cans standing by, he should know exactly what kind of lubricants he uses and he should know where to get them. If this isn't the case, suspect he didn't take care of the machine and become instantly much more skeptical about it.
Listen to the machine (running). Listen in all gears. Can't tell you what sounds right and what doesn't, but wouldn't you feel stupid if you brought it home, ran power to it, turned it on, put it in high speed in the low gear range and heard an awful whining somewhere?
I personally won't buy a lathe if it doesn't include a 3-jaw, a 4-jaw, steady and follower rests, a tailstock chuck, points for turning parts between centers, and something decent in the toolpost to hold tooling with, preferably (my preference here) an Aloris wedge-type toolpost with a dozen or two toolholders. Collet setups are nice to have, sure, but you can get those for nearly any lathe, while older larger lathes make it nearly impossible to find steady or follower rests. Taper attachments are fine if you need them, but I've owned a few now and have never used one yet.
Before you buy a lathe, do you have room for one? Do you have electrical power to run it? Do you know how to move it? Do you have a plan for moving it? These are all questions that must be answered before you spend any money.
I'm sure you will get more answers. Good luck!
John in OH
Well-known member
Read through these items before you spend money on a book:
http://www.mermac.com/advicenew.html
http://www.lathes.co.uk/page2.html
Lots of good information on these two sites.
John in OH
Well-known member
Nice. Looks as if you got a decent machine! Enjoy learning to use the new toy. What kind of tooling came with it?
OP
brats.n.harleys
Well-known member
not very much just 2 high speed pieces and one rounded carbide insert one. it did include a live center though. going to look at some tooling and a drill chuck after work today. hopefully pick some up. just watched 4 hours of lathe videos and read the south bend book. looks like it does way more than i thought it could.
danroy323
Active member
Here is mine.
The lathe is a Summit 11 x 32. Not sure of the year or where it was made. It's in great condition and does everything I need it to do.
The mill is a 50s era Bridgeport 9 x 36 round ram. It has a variable speed motor and VFD so I don't have to mess with the belt anytime I want to change speeds, a must for me. It will need work in the X and Y ways, the wear makes them tight at the ends and loose in the middle. It will be a good occasion to learn to scrape ways. It was in a really sad shape when I got it. I dissassembled most of it and cleaned, repaired and repainted it. Previous owner used it mostly as a drill press. It's much better now but in retrospect I think it wasn't such a great deal. You gotta learn from your mistakes! With some more work and a digital readout it will be perfect for me, I've been making many parts with it as it is now for the past 7 years.
The lathe is a Summit 11 x 32. Not sure of the year or where it was made. It's in great condition and does everything I need it to do.
The mill is a 50s era Bridgeport 9 x 36 round ram. It has a variable speed motor and VFD so I don't have to mess with the belt anytime I want to change speeds, a must for me. It will need work in the X and Y ways, the wear makes them tight at the ends and loose in the middle. It will be a good occasion to learn to scrape ways. It was in a really sad shape when I got it. I dissassembled most of it and cleaned, repaired and repainted it. Previous owner used it mostly as a drill press. It's much better now but in retrospect I think it wasn't such a great deal. You gotta learn from your mistakes! With some more work and a digital readout it will be perfect for me, I've been making many parts with it as it is now for the past 7 years.
chief ben
Well-known member
This is my 1979 12 X 36 jet lathe, it is 32 years old and still runs true,
I have had it for 24 years and love it, and this is my new small 12 X 16
machine shop.
I have had it for 24 years and love it, and this is my new small 12 X 16
machine shop.
John in OH
Well-known member
Yeah, if you read through South Bend's "How to Run a Lathe" book it kind of blows your socks off when you realize the capabilities of a lathe! Even without a lot of the really cool accessories!!
Enjoy!!