Lathe basics

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I'm going to start looking for a lathe.  I'm not in a huge hurry cause I need to save up a little money.  Probably goint to end up looking for something used.  So I thought in the mean time I would try and learn something about what to look for when buying a lathe.I've never used a metal lathe, have used wood lathes before.  Have watched others use a metal lathe before.  Can someone give an overview of the parts and what to look for.  Maybe which parts wear out over time and that I would need to check when buying a lathe.  And also how to check them.  I'm hoping to find an older one that is just sitting in someone's garage that I can pick up fairly cheap.  That's my dream at least!!!Also if anyone has advice on rebuilding a lathe or a partial rebuild depending on the shape of the lathe if I find one?  I know this is kinda a vague question but I'm just trying to do some research and learn about lathes so I can start looking more for one and jump on it when a good deal comes along.Thanks, Scott
Reply:http://www.metalwebnews.com/machine-tools/fmt.htmlhttp://www.mermac.com/advicenew.htmlLast edited by woof; 08-29-2009 at 12:11 AM.Reason: additionA man who can't weld is as poorly educated as a woman who can't sew
Reply:This should keep you reading for a while:http://www.khake.com/page88.htmlIf you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:Try www.lathes.co.uk for detailed info on lotsa lathes.
Reply:Thanks for the info and links guys.  I will be reading the links tonight.  I'm not in a huge hurry so I will be waiting for the right machine/price to come along.  I did place an ad on craigslist for a metal lathe last night and got 2 repleys so far and both are for logan lathes.  A 955 and a 7500.  I don't need anything to big, just looking for something to do small stuff and learn on right now.  Then down the road when  I have some more money and room I might look for a bigger one.  Thanks again, scott
Reply:there is some excellent advise here.  South bend or logan would be my pick, they are both heavy machines and have lots of tooling and accessories out there available.  Look for a machine that comes with a good amount of tooling with it.  sometimes you can think you have a good deal on a lathe, then end up spending 3 or 4 times the purchase price in tooling.  I purchased an ancient Carrol Jaimeson machine in need of a complete rebuild for $450 becuase it came with a $2000 12" 4 jaw chuck, along with 7 others.  Look at the bed ways for dings and dents, this is a sign of a student used machine or one that has been abused, and should be priced accordingly.  Also, if you have a good level, take it with you to see if the machine was setup level where it was being used, if not the bearings/spindle could be worn.  Take your time, and don't be afraid to pass one up if it doesn't feel right.There is no failure...only feedback
Reply:Put up a thing when Weldbead bought his new lathe.  He'll probably be able to go back and find the link to the website that explains the bare bones requirements.  Something like www.americanmachinetool or something like that"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:bad link, but he should be able to figure it out"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:What sort of turning work do you want to do?  Big stuff, or model engines and pen barrels?There is a nice Monarch available on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, if you are near or have a heavy hotshot to bring it home.http://capecod.craigslist.org/tls/1336792431.htmlYou could turn hydraulic pistons for excavators on that honey! It would be mine if I had a big shop and the means to move it.I dream big.Meanwhile, this is what I have now:1935 Craftsman (Atlas) 12 x 24-MondoLast edited by Mondo; 09-05-2009 at 02:39 AM.Reason: Adding photo of my own lathe.Member, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Reply:You might rent this video series from Smartflix:http://smartflix.com/store/video/465/Lathe-LearninI did, and it was pretty good. It'll show you a lot of basics and tricks about the lathe, and get you cranked up and ready to turn some metal.I ended up with a 13" x 6' South Bend. Pretty big machine, but it does a good job. I also have a Grizzly 3-in-1 lathe/mill/drill. It tries to be 3 things but doesn't really do a good job at any (but I traded for it, didn't buy it, so I am not complaining). The only thing that the South Bend lacks - that the Grizzly covers - is metric threading. So it still has a spot in my shop.The two tricks I see to buying a lathe if you're comparing different offers on machines - (a) buy a machine that's in the best condition for the $$, and (b) pick the machine with the most accessories. Accessories add up FAST if they don't come with your machine. Quick change toolpost, steady rest, follow rest, live centers, cutters, extra chucks, all add up to $$$ if they don't come with your lathe. If you're looking at a fully equipped 9" versus a barebones 13", I'd pick the fully equipped 9".The soldering toys pay for the welding toys.Hakko 928 dual iron, 4xHakko 936Madell 850D Hot Air SMT ReworkMiller 252, HTP Invertig 201 AC/DC, and a Hypertherm 45.
Reply:Thanks for all the advice guys.  I found a logan 7500 with a "chucker" for 800 or he siad just the lathe for 500.  I believe the chucker is the tailstock?  Can anyone explain what a "chucker" is?  I looked on logans website and it showed the 7500 being a chucker but I'm not really sure what that means.  Thanks
Reply:Don't rush into any lathe deal without exploring all of the links that have been mentioned previously. The "best" lathe deal will have a "TON" of extra bits to go along with the basic machine! The more you get with the lathe, the less you will have to scrounge up later.Be realistic about what you are going to be using the lathe for. You don't need to hold .0001" tolerances unless you are working on Mars Rover components.This is my '47 Atlas 10 X 30. It's been making chips in my garage for 14 years.A quick change gearbox is a must-have feature, IMO.A nice selection of chucks is a good thing.A Jacobs headstock chuck is a great substitute for a set of collets.Change gears allow unusual and Metric threading.Have fun with you search for a lathe!RexLast edited by rode2rouen; 09-05-2009 at 11:16 AM.Reason: Hit "submit" too soon.
Reply:"Chucker"is another name for a "Turrett" lathe...Tailstock has 6-8 setups in it..4 way tool post..Endless amount of stops...Good for making the same thing by the thousands..Suck to set up..Suck to run.You want a good ENGINE lathe from what I can gather.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:That's a nice set up you have.  I'm not rushing, kinda excited to get one but at the same time just keeping an eye open.  I placed a wanted ad on craigslist and got a couple of replies but nothing really promising.  One guy with a logan 7500 said no chuck or headstock was included or any tooling. I have been reading the links above and learned alot so far.  Thanks again.
Reply:Thanks for the explanation zap.  Sounds like I don't want a chucker if they are a pain to set up and I won't be doing production runs.  Yes I'm looking for an engine lathe.  Nothing to big, just mainly want it to do small round pieces.  There has been a lot of times where it would have been nice to drill out a piece of pipe to a certain diameter for a pin or cut a groove for a snap lock or take a rod and make an end of it a different diameter.  I'm just looking for something simple that can do those little things that come up when your making a project.  Right now I need to bore out a peice of pipe to accept a 3/4" pin to make a hinge, would be nice to be able to just walk out to the garage and do it.  A member on here offered to do it for me which is nice.  I decided I would start looking for one and see what's out there and when I find a decent one for a fair price I'll snatch it up.  But I thought I should start doing some homework on how to know what I decent lathe is!  I've used them before but not a lot and never bought one so didn't really know what to look for and what is normal wear.  The links above have taught me a lot.  Thanks guys.
Reply:Maybe you could get this cheap!http://cgi.ebay.com/HEAVY-DUTY-13-x-...d=p3286.c0.m14...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammPut up a thing when Weldbead bought his new lathe.  He'll probably be able to go back and find the link to the website that explains the bare bones requirements.  Something like www.americanmachinetool or something like that
Reply:Even better:Monarch  18x54http://capecod.craigslist.org/tls/1336792431.htmlMember, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Reply:That one would be nice but a little out of the budget right now and also don't think I have that much space to give up!  I placed an add on craigslist in a couple of the bigger cities around me and got about 20 responses so far.  From 300 bucks to 1200.  Going to go look at a few of them this week and check them out.  I'm going to start seeing what's out there and go from there.  One said 300 bucks and said it was in good shape and came with bunch of tooling.  Said it came out of a machine shop and has a 7 foot bed and 8" swing and said the name was carrol-jamieson.Thanks again for all the help guys.  I'm looking but not going to jump in since I don't "need" one right now.  I don't need anything big so I'll just wait till one comes along that is a good deal.  I've learned a ton from you guys on this thread though!
Reply:Originally Posted by ponch37300One said 300 bucks and said it was in good shape and came with bunch of tooling.  Said it came out of a machine shop and has a 7 foot bed and 8" swing and said the name was carrol-jamieson.
Reply:Yeah, a 7' bed means probably a 14"-17" swing. Big 'un! Maybe an 8" chuck? That's about how big the chuck on my 13" South Bend is.The soldering toys pay for the welding toys.Hakko 928 dual iron, 4xHakko 936Madell 850D Hot Air SMT ReworkMiller 252, HTP Invertig 201 AC/DC, and a Hypertherm 45.
Reply:Ya that is a big un!  Would be nice for 300 bucks plus he said it comes with a 3 and 4 jaw chuck and alot of other tools and parts.  The only problem I see is that he just emailed me and says it's 3 phase.  Not sure how much it would cost to get it running on single phase?
Reply:Best way to handle 3 phase (in my opinion) is with a variable frequency drive (VFD). They can be had on ebay for not too much money. It'd allow you to get pretty much any RPM you want out of the motor.You can buy/build a cheap cheap static phase converter, and that'll work too. It can be done for under $100.When I got my lathe, I was told it was 3 phase, and it came with a 3 phase plug. I had it jacked off the ground and crawled under and checked the plate on the motor. Turns out it was a single phase motor, and they'd only wired up two of the 3 phases in the plug.  I was ready to do a VFD for it, almost bought one on ebay while the lathe was in transit.PracticalMachinist.com has a section dedicated to this.Last edited by cabletech; 09-08-2009 at 09:33 PM.The soldering toys pay for the welding toys.Hakko 928 dual iron, 4xHakko 936Madell 850D Hot Air SMT ReworkMiller 252, HTP Invertig 201 AC/DC, and a Hypertherm 45.
Reply:Originally Posted by cabletechBest way to handle 3 phase (in my opinion) is with a variable frequency drive (VFD). They can be had on ebay for not too much money. It'd allow you to get pretty much any RPM you want out of the motor.You can buy/build a cheap cheap static phase converter, and that'll work too. It can be done for under $100.When I got my lathe, I was told it was 3 phase, and it came with a 3 phase plug. I had it jacked off the ground and crawled under and checked the plate on the motor. Turns out it was a single phase motor, and they'd only wired up two of the 3 phases in the plug.  I was ready to do a VFD for it, almost bought one on ebay while the lathe was in transit.PracticalMachinist.com has a section dedicated to this.
Reply:A lot of good advise here, so there is not too much to add.I do recommend joining the Practical Machinist http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/and subscribe to the Home shop Machinist.  You could also check around to see if there is a machining program at a nearby vo-tech or community college.One more thing, purchase a copy of South Bend's "How to run a Lathe".  You will not find a better written book on the topic.For got to mention, there is a SB lathe for sale on the Practical Machinist forum.
Reply:Most 3 phase machines are not wanted by DIY's because of providing 3 phase power in their garage. If you find a good deal on one, a phase converter will work, or you might want to compare cost of replacing the motor with a used single phase 220/110 VAC motor.Sometimes local machine shop auctions are a good source, especially for tooling. And given this bad economy there are many bargains right now. What you need now is education, ask a lot of questions of machinists in your area. For instance, you want to ID Bore and machine a ring groove. Ask what tools they would use (eg. Boring Bar Size, HSS Steel?, Carbide Insert? Solid Carbide?, etc.)  Do they hold it with 3 Jaw Chuck? What Size? If you only have a 4 Jaw, it will take more time to Indicate it in.Do you have an mag base 1" Dial Indicator? What about measurement tools? You need to measure your work accurately. Do you have OD micrometers? ID Gages?  Get a local Industrial Tool Catalog and check the prices for all this "stuff" you will need, get to know what the cost is and you will know right away what is a "good" deal is. I recently bought a complete Mitutoyo  6-12" OD boxed micrometer set and 1-12" ID Bore set w/ standards for $50.00 at a yard/estate sale. The person just wanted to 'get rid' of his uncle's tools. The better you get at pricing tooling, accessories, attachments, chucks, micrometers, dial gage indicators,etc. The better you will be at recognizing a "good deal".Now you have to learn how to use these tools. Have you considered local Community College Machinecourses?Have fun
Reply:Thanks for the reply.  I did look into a machine shop class at the local tech but there is a 2 year wait right now.  I do have mics and dial calipers and know about them.  Just not the lathes.  Here is an email I got last night from a guy selling a lathe of a guy that past away.  He doesn't know much about it at all so maybe you guys can shed some light?  It's a logan but he doesn't know what size or model.  Here's a couple pics.He's says he doesn't know what tooling is included becaue he doesn't know what it looks like but he invited me to come take a look around and see what I can find.  Looks to be an older lathe but in decent shape.  I asked him what he wanted for it and he said he didn't have a clue, maybe 300-400 he said.
Reply:That looks like a decent starter lathe, especially if you can talk him down a little more (offer him $200 or $250 and see if he takes it  ).The ONLY hesitation I have is that it's a change gear lathe, and I don't see any gears (it doesn't have a quick-change gearbox). Ask him if he has the gears for it. Should be maybe 9 of them (though some may be in the headstock already). If he doesn't have them, and you want to do threading (who doesn't?), then you'll have to find a set. $$$The other major thing to look at is the ways, but if it's just going to be a learning / tinkering lathe, especially for that price, it probably doesn't matter a whole lot - you're probably not turning out NASA parts.  As long as everything seems to work OK. Make sure to take the covers off and look at all the gears. If they're missing teeth, they'll need to be replaced, and gears on old machines can cost $$$.The soldering toys pay for the welding toys.Hakko 928 dual iron, 4xHakko 936Madell 850D Hot Air SMT ReworkMiller 252, HTP Invertig 201 AC/DC, and a Hypertherm 45.
Reply:I have a Logan exactly like the that one. It was my grandfathers and he bought it right after he came back from WW2.  I emailed Logan Actuator Co and and gave them the number on the bed it was made in Feb. 04 1942.   Ive got most of the tooling. It went through a fire  and some of the gears got messd up. I need to buy some more from logan I need a flat belt to .  M ybig lathe is a Lehman and its got a 24 inch swing, its massive.   I got it for 800 from a truck shop that the  foreman didnt have a lathe hand.     I had a motor bearing go down last month I need to take it in to the electric shop.     Whats your location and I can probably put in in contact with a Machine tool dealer near you.   I buy all of my machines from a fella in Alabama and get good deals.
Reply:Originally Posted by woofhttp://www.metalwebnews.com/machine-tools/fmt.htmlhttp://www.mermac.com/advicenew.html
Reply:Many on Home shop machinist feel that 3 phase is better, as you can dial in the exact RPM you want with a VFD. There is a neat setup you can make using a bicycle speedo if you want some cheap high tech gadgetry on your lathe.Bob.Miller Dynasty 200 DXMillermatic 211Hypertherm PM 600In Tool acquisition Mode