[grouch]

Sometimes "rational" and "tools" just don't go together. I can't claim to need it because I've never used a metal lathe before, but I just acquired a 16 x 8 Hendey lathe. That's 16" swing and 8' bed (about 51" between centers). It appears to have been made around 1925 or so. It kept whining at me to take it home. Lucky I have a really good neighbor with a gooseneck trailer. It took right at $100 in fuel for the round trip and that's all he would accept.

The advice I received here about 3.5 years ago didn't stick, but this lathe is a little smaller, at least. It weighs about 3000 lbs, counting the added on 3 HP electric motor and jack shaft, instead of over 5000 (both of those are guesses).

Came with a steady rest, a 14" 4-jaw chuck (heavy mutha!), an 8" 3-jaw chuck, a 9" faceplate, 3 tool holders, a handful of cutting tools, a 6 RPM 1/4 HP gearmotor somebody cobbled onto the jack shaft (maybe they needed a slower speed than the back gears provide), and about 200 lbs of grime. I'm in the process of tearing it down to clean it up.

It may not help turn me into a hotrodder, but I'll have fun turning some metal into precise chips. Besides, it was a good excuse to wear my HR.com t-shirt.

Attached images:
1. My good neighbor (with the hat) and the seller trying to figure out how to load it without causing me to have a conniption.
2. Nervously chaining over a block on the ways.
3. The monster descends.
4. Brass plate with threading settings.
5. Chucks.

[C-10]

Looks like your workshop just got 50% smaller.

We have a local maintenance machine shop with a real good guy running the place (the owner too) and we were talking about the lacing leather flat belts together. He said that was the ONLY thing he dreaded doing for upkeep. The old machine itself needed very little- it was a machine designed to last 3 lifetimes. His was a Lodge & Shipley if I remember right.

Good luck whittling. Throw chips and wear short sleeves. (!) Keep the tool (where it touches the workpiece) set just above CL. Keep us updated on the handiwork.

[powerrodsmike]

Yeah baby
Old lathes are more fun than a busload of fat chicks. You are going to spend so much time with that thing your chick is going to think it's got a furry spot on it somewhere.

12 years ago I bought a 1922 Lodge & Shipley, a 14 X 60 I think it was, and it had been converted from belt driven to electric by someone . It was too bad the gearbox was gone, the feed nuts were shot, the feed screws were shot, and the ways were so worn they looked like an old swayback horse...It was missing too many pieces for me to mess with so I sold it back to the scrapyard I bought it from.
Then I got a 1959 Sheldon, a 13x 40 which worked great..that is until I got my '62 14 X 36 Graziano, now I don't even turn on the Sheldon 'cept for second ops.

A guy came in the shop a few months ago and saw the old machinery and asked if I wanted another lathe. He said it was a large Leblond..that had been taken apart for restoration, then sat in the rain for a couple of years...The last thing I needed was another 4000 pound rusty jigsaw puzzle, so I passed....Then another guy came into the shop, who I never met before and we started talking about machinery, he said he wanted a lathe....Well I called the guy with the Leblond and he said he was just going to call the scrapyard, so I went and picked it up, then gave it to the guy who wanted a lathe...

Turned out to be a 1954 LeBlonde, 14 X 36 at least.
I like playing matchmaker

Later, mikey

[grouch]

Originally Posted by C-10

Looks like your workshop just got 50% smaller.

Yep. I'm having to rearrange almost everything just to have room to walk through.

Originally Posted by C-10

We have a local maintenance machine shop with a real good guy running the place (the owner too) and we were talking about the lacing leather flat belts together. He said that was the ONLY thing he dreaded doing for upkeep. The old machine itself needed very little- it was a machine designed to last 3 lifetimes. His was a Lodge & Shipley if I remember right.

This belt looks something like woven canvas with metal loops connecting the ends. I've read about using rubber serpentine belts or timing belts, but those have 2 downsides: You have to disassemble the spindle and the countershaft to install them, and they don't slip if you jam a tool.

Originally Posted by powerrodsmike

Old lathes are more fun than a busload of fat chicks. You are going to spend so much time with that thing your chick is going to think it's got a furry spot on it somewhere.

So that's why she keeps visiting the garage at random times (she never did before).

Originally Posted by powerrodsmike

12 years ago I bought a 1922 Lodge & Shipley, a 14 X 60 I think it was, and it had been converted from belt driven to electric by someone .

I just found out from hendeyman on Practical Machinist that this one was built the first week of January, 1924. I don't know whether it came from the factory with the countershaft and an electric motor or not.

[NEW INTERIORS]

Man I know how you are feeling right about now...You will have a lot of fun with that thing,I love the one I have,And don't know how I did without it for so long,and Know now, I will do my best to keep it forever...Have fun,But be safe..

[grouch]

Originally Posted by NEW INTERIORS

Man I know how you are feeling right about now...

... Grimey. I don't think it's been cleaned since it left the factory. Not even Fast Orange can overcome the kerosene my hands have soaked up.

[Irelands child]

You folks are making me jealous - I haven't run a lathe, milling machine or much else but my little drill press since I left being a GE blue shirt machinist for a white shirt - a long time ago. Maybe after we move to a smaller house with a bigger shop.......

Grouch - good luck with that monster. Looks like fun!!

Dave W

[4 Jaw Chuck]

That thing makes my eye twitch, hope you have fun playing with it.

BTW whoever clamped the three jaw into the four jaw like that should be shot, accident waiting to happen. If you had to do that, you clamp so its flush against the four jaw scroll plate face by reversing the jaws. I can hear some of my old journeymen screaming at you now.

[11echo]

I picked up an old model "A" Monarch (14x 36) about 3 years ago now, it's been nothing but FUN! I wouldn't trade it for ANY new one. I still remember driving over in my little 1/2 ton pickup with my buddy and disassembling it down to basic components to load ...just the two of us! *L* ...And after getting all loaded up driving home using all the back roads! It took forever to stop the truck!!! *G* But it's in my shop now and still knocking parts out.