Who has machine tools?!?

[DocsMachine]

my only machine is this ... take raw coffee and turn it in something drinkable.

-That thing can turn raw coffee beans into Mountain Dew?!?



Doc.

[DocsMachine]

[chatterbox deleted]

-Too tidy. Hardly looks like you do anything in there!



Doc.

[Kit]

In the process of cleaning so I can fit the wifes car back into the garage.

[DocsMachine]

Put this in my dads Tacoma and drove it home. It broke the rear shock mount off the shock. Paid 700$. It had a stripped gear in the gearhead. Called up Smithy and they still stock parts for this machine. 40$ for a new gear and it was good as new.

-That's the one drawback to "old iron", American or otherwise. Outside of a pretty narrow range, like Southbend, Logan, Monarch, Bridgeport, etc. parts can get pretty dang hard to find. My big Springfield lathe was never made in huge numbers to begin with, and the company was bought out and dismantled by the early 70s. I keep checking for parts on places like eBay, and they virtually never show up. On the other hand, there's like literally twenty pages of Logan lathe parts.

I could not get a trailer in time and had to tear it down to big chunks.

-That's been a running issue with me. Not the trailer part, but my 'machine room' is basically a side room of my shop, and there are no garage-style loading doors. Only standard 3-foot wide man doors. So apart from the lathes, virtually every machine has had to go in there piece by piece.

The process is to dismantle it out front, using the engine crane, and set the parts on pallets. Roll the pallets into the machine room with a pallet jack, then dismantle the lift. Reassemble the lift in the machine room (more often than not after first moving three quarters of a ton of packrat crap ) then jockey everything around in order to reassemble the machine in place.

It's not a lot of fun, it's hot, heavy work, but thankfully it's not like I have to move the machines every few weeks.

Doc.

[Kit]

I'm in the process of breaking down a brown and sharp universal vise to clean it.

[DocsMachine]

I'm in the process of breaking down a brown and sharp universal vise to clean it.

-Now that is in interesting piece of kit. I'm familiar with the more common Palmgren style of angle-able vise, but that bruiser is a lot beefier, and it swivels. Needs a little TLC, and a new set of jaws, but looks in otherwise good shape.

What's the other bit? A riser block? Looks too small for a Bridgeport...

Doc.

[Kit]

-Now that is in interesting piece of kit. I'm familiar with the more common Palmgren style of angle-able vise, but that bruiser is a lot beefier, and it swivels. Needs a little TLC, and a new set of jaws, but looks in otherwise good shape.

What's the other bit? A riser block? Looks too small for a Bridgeport...

Doc.

I have the larger #3-T version. The tilting base can swivel and the vise itself can swivel on top of the tilting base.

The round part is a riser for the Bridgeport.

[Ratzo]

I have a Busy Bee B240 bench top mill, Granville Hi-Speed lathe and a couple drill press.

[DocsMachine]

I have a Busy Bee B240 bench top mill, Granville Hi-Speed lathe and a couple drill press.

-Sorry, you know the rules, Photos are mandatory.

[jots down two demerits for Ratzo]



Doc.

[Kit]

I know it only has three jaws holding it down. No, I did not spin the contraption at speed. Only rotated it by hand to machine the 0.015 needed for the feedneck groove.

[russc]

This is awesome. Is that a Blazer? Never seen a tube layout like that.

[Kit]

Yes, it is a Blazer body.

[XEMON]

I know it only has three jaws holding it down. No, I did not spin the contraption at speed. Only rotated it by hand to machine the 0.015 needed for the feedneck groove.

Wish i had a lathe that size ...
Does anyone know of a large head lathe (big enough to hold a body) with a through bore of 1+" bit a SHORT bed (no more than 36")?
I dont have much space and dont care about long things too much ...

Also, do you guys use your lathe as a "mill" and put a vertical vise on the tool post?

[Kit]

The Grizzly G0602 10" x 22" bore is just shy of 1". Pretty sure you bore the spindle out alittle. When I had a 7x12 mini lathe. I bored out the spindle to 13/16 to pass thru smaller diameter barrels. I also had a 9x20 lathe that I wanted to make a big bore spindle for but i got my current lathe and had no need.

[XEMON]

Definably a contender.
Thanks for the info

[russc]

Just picked up a sherline CNC Mill and Lathe AND 4th axis for a grand!! Gonna flip the mill and keep the rest. The 4th axis will literally wire right up to the Gecko 540 I'm using to control my Taig, so I'm gonna keep it to use with that machine.

[DocsMachine]

I know it only has three jaws holding it down. No, I did not spin the contraption at speed. Only rotated it by hand to machine the 0.015 needed for the feedneck groove.

-That still kind of hurts to see.

But, it got the job done, and no on was killed or maimed, so hey, if it works...!

[/Does anyone know of a large head lathe (big enough to hold a body) with a through bore of 1+" bit a SHORT bed (no more than 36")?

-New? Grizzly has a couple models, look for one that says it can take 5C collets. You need at least 1-3/8" for the drawtube to use those. Used? Same game- look for one that can take 5C collets. My 11" Logan and 10" Sheldon both can, the 10" South Bends can, and of course a ton of 'professional' models like the Monarch 10EE, virtually all Hardinges, most Rivetts, etc. My Logan has a 24" bed, and the Sheldon has a 36". That range is common for the Southbends too. But of course with used machines, what matters most is more simply what's available locally, not necessarily what might be the best choice.

Also, do you guys use your lathe as a "mill" and put a vertical vise on the tool post?

-I've done that a few times for some specialty needs, but generally of course I'll use an actual mill. But, that said, "milling attachments" for lathes are common, and lacking a better option, very useful.

While it's always nice to have a proper, easy-to-use, purpose-built machine, there are definitely times where any machine is far and away better than no machine at all.

Doc.

[DocsMachine]

Latest acquisition:



Yep, Old Iron Disease is a terrible thing. Won't you donate today to help wipe out this debilitating illness?

(Hey, I gotta do something to help anchor my shop against earthquakes. )

Doc.

[Kit]

Very interested to see what parts you're going run with that machine. What's the minimum parts run to make up for machine setup time with a turret lathe?

[Kit]

Two into one to save space.

[XEMON]

I was really looking at those before I pulled a 6X48 Wilton from the dumpster at work ... They bought the wrong size belt and when it didn't work, they threw the entire grinder in the garbage ...

[Kit]

A free 6x48 belt sander? Mines a 2x48. Big box stores don't carry 2x48 so i just buy 6x48 and cut them to fit.

[XEMON]

Free with the base and all ... Just missing the plate/job support piece for the belt side.
Also has a 10 or 12" disk on the side (now i think of it, i need to post a pic).

[desertT1]

I have something typed up, but it won’t attach my phone pics because it says they are too big. I see there is an upload from album, but clicking that says I don’t have anything in an album. Yes, I know. I would like to change that please. I can’t find any album info poking around the new site. What obvious thing am I missing?