Who has machine tools?!?

[DocsMachine]

Great. Info and thank you. Someone beat me to the Lathe and all of the wood planes.

-It happens, unfortunately. Not long ago, I got beat out on a cherry late-model and near-zero-miles (!) Colchester, complete with Heidenhain DRO, built-in metric threading, a 2+ spindle bore and a 2K RPM top speed. Would have been a very sweet machine, despite being 480V, which just meant that I'd have had to dig up a transformer.

I even had the cash, which itself was a rare thing.

But the seller, despite knowing I wanted it, and knowing I had the cash, and knowing I was just needing to arrange a way to come and pick it up, sold it to another guy who was able to get there about 24 hours ahead of me.

For those looking for a lathe, first consider what you're going to do with it. I know not many here are planning on going into production, but even still, many of the features that make it better for guys like me, make it more pleasant to use even for beginners or part-time tinkerers.

The main issue with that above South Bend is the fact it had no quick-change gearbox. That means switching from 20 thou per rev to 40 thou per rev, requires physically unbolting a gar, and replacing it with another. Ditto going from turning to threading.

If there's no other option, or affordable option, available locally, you can certainly make it work. One of my first lathes was that way- a Logan-built 9" Powermatic- and it did the job, but after a while it gets annoying, of not occasionally frustrating.

If you're planning on using it for real project work (car, truck, motorcycle, paintball, drone, whatever) it gets annoying when it takes longer to set up the machine than it does to make the cut.

Doc.

[CrowsFeast]

I left with a milk jar of marbles and an oil can. I really needed an oil can.

Something about that statement just made me crack up.

[Jellyghost]

Great. Info and thank you. Someone beat me to the Lathe and all of the wood planes. I left with a milk jar of marbles and an oil can. I really needed an oil can.

[DocsMachine]

How low would this need to go for you to buy it?

-Depends on your local market. On the East Coast, that's a $300 machine if it works. On the West Coast, maybe more like $500-$700, depending on the area. Up here in Alaska, somebody'd give you $1500 for it, but that's only because it's a machine-tool desert. Heavy iron costs a fortune to ship up here, and so even mediocre machines go for more than most of you lower-forty-eighters might pay.

Am I right in thinking that those things on the wall go with the lathe[?]

-Probably. One looks like a drill chuck or live center for the tailstock. The rest are hard to ID, but look like wrenches and such.

The most important thing to look for, if you're interested in buying, is a set of change gears. They'll be iron gears from around 2" up to about 6" in diameter, and might be as many as a dozen. That machine doesn't have a quick-change gearbox, so in order to change threading rates or feed rates, you have to swap physical gears. If there are no gears with the machine, cut the asking price in half.

[A]nd the value is north of $1500?

-In my opinion, no. It's an antique plain-bearing machine, limited in spindle speed, and is a change-gear machine. It'd be fine for a hobbyist who just wants to putter, and it'd likely be a very good learning machine.

IF it's in good condition, with minimal bed wear and minimal spindle slop, and the so-called "Silent Chain" drive (the big overhead assembly) is in good shape, AND you're in kind of a machine-tool desert area, it might be worth $700-$800.

Keeping in mind there is basically no such thing as a machine-tool collector- an older machine, even in great shape, is not worth any more just 'cause it's old.

Doc.

[netsurferdude2]

I wouldn't go more than $500 on a 9in Southbend like that. What type of tooling does it come with? 3 and 4 jaw chuck?

I have been in the market for a heavy 10 southbend for the past year.

[Jellyghost]

A South Bend Lathe just came up at a local estate sale. It is on sale tomorrow. I don't know if they realize what they have here (I don't either). How low would this need to go for you to buy it? Am I right in thinking that those things on the wall go with the lathe, and the value is north of $1500?

[Jellyghost]

I figured that. But when they make things today, they call it the Dremel 2000 or the Rikon 70-220VSR lathe. If you called it No. 2, everybody would think it's too simple to be worth much.

[DocsMachine]

That's actually a size designation. It's not like it's only the second one they built.

The smallest is a No.1, this one's the next up, a No.3 is only marginally larger but has more features, the No. 4 is considerably larger, and the No.5 is probably twice as large. Then there's the 1A, 2A, etc. up to the 5A, which weighs over 20,000 pounds.

Doc.

[Jellyghost]

Chips? You know a machine is old when it has a name like No 2.

[DocsMachine]

Latest acquisition:

-Just under four months later. Almost fully rebuilt and repainted, and as of today, 100% operational.



Can't wait to start makin' proper chips with it.

Doc.

[DocsMachine]

When I get a new old tool, I like to get the rust off and wipe it down with an oily rag. Do you have a favorite oil or coating for wiping down machines? I am never satisfied that I'm using the best stuff.

-There is no "best" stuff. Any oil is sufficient, as long as it's not a thin "penetrating" type that evaporates.

Generally speaking, for day-to-day one-off stuff, I use simple, inexpensive motor oil as a cutting oil. I have more exotic stuff, like dark sulfurized cutting oil, Tap Magics, way oils, etc. that I use as needed, but if I'm just tapping a hole in mild steel with a good sharp tap, a dab of motor oil does the job just fine.

I'll also use that, on a rag, to mop a bit of oil on something I don't want to rust, like parallels and sine bars.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using it on exposed cast iron- like a tablesaw top- to help prevent rust. (Apart from, of course, having to clean it off before use.)

That said, most of my machines get regular use, and thus regular distribution of normal lubes. Between that and a relatively low local humidity, flash rust isn't generally an issue for me.

Doc.

[XEMON]

I'm always using ATF ...
It has anti rust additive ... Always been happy with the results.
(I also wipe all my tools with it every year or two)

[Jellyghost]

When I get a new old tool, I like to get the rust off and wipe it down with an oily rag. Do you have a favorite oil or coating for wiping down machines? I am never satisfied that I'm using the best stuff.

[travis1581]

I just made an adapter plate for my Taig and got the Consew motor running. The pulley sits a little high on the input shaft because I used 1/2" Al plate, so I might have to tweak things, but right now it works like a charm. Big improvement for sure.

This is hands down the best upgrade I ever did for my taig. Another potential route you could go is use an XL timing pulley. They are a lot thinner than the multiple pulley setup of the stock taig and with a Consew, you wont need to change gear ratios. B&B manufacturing can sell you a set with any length belt you require (Mcmastercarr also stocks a limited size).

I originally used a 3/8" plate to hold mine. When I changed over to a servo motor, I used 1/4 and it seems to be holding up just fine.

[DocsMachine]

I dont know what I've gotten myself into....

-Don't fret. Graziano lathes are well-regarded, and parts, while nowhere near as common a Monarch or Bridgeport, are generally available.\

That particular machine looks like it's in very good shape. Looks like a D1-6, and a nice 5C collet chuck. get any other chucks, rests or tool blocks for that KDK toolpost?

I need to remove a wall in my home shop before I bring it home so I am storing it at work.

"Honey? What's this big grey thing doing in the upstairs bathroom?"

In my searching the internet for information, DocsMachine, I saw an old post of yours from 09 about picking up a Graziano. Did you ever get it?

-No. Guy wanted something like $2,500 for it, and it was very close to junk. I do kind of wish I'd gotten it- as I've said, I have a soft spot in my head for old machines - as it had some fun features, but I'm also glad I didn't get it, as the model I was looking at used a sort of electromechanical clutch- one for each gear- that I was told were virtually irreplaceable if they stopped working.

I have enough trouble putting complete machines back together, let alone junkers.

Doc.