Is it my turn? Anything to do with lathes, mills and other shop tools

Definitely an old lineshaft machine that's been converted. My Seneca is the same way. There are a ton of them out there still making chips.
 
I'm no expert on this kind of thing but it looks to be from days of when belts powered it.

Hi azman,
at the start of WW2 Bristol Aircraft Company boosted their machine shop capacity by outsourcing small parts to folks with home machine shops.
There was help available for those who needed tooling upgrades.
One guy replied that he was OK for tooling but as his age weakened legs limited his ability to treadle could they please put a motor on his lathe?
 
More progress on the freebie lathe. Still haven't found anything to indicate it won't work fine when reassembled.

Looked into the motor today, a Century 1/2 horse repulsion/induction 110/220 unit. HEAVY bastige, I bet that thing weighs 70 pounds or more. Cleaned it up a little, gave the shaft a spin and it was quiet and coasted pretty well. Decided to hook a suicide cord to it and see if it would run. Spun right up, no smoke, no smell, no unusual noises, coasted for nearly a minute when unplugged.

If the information on the InnerWebz is correct (of COURSE it is, you can't lie on the Internet!) this motor is almost certainly over 100 years old and may have been built in 1910. Try that with today's Chineseum motors!
 
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Any advice on what to look for in a used lathe for motorcycle work?
Well, any work, for that matter. Something for working on hot rods too?...
What to watch out for, what to avoid (junk)? Do they "wear" out?
...Is this too many questions?
 
You want something big enough to fit your parts on, but small enough to fit in the space you have. Really a 9-12" swing will do quite a bit, probably want 18-24" between centers. That gives enough room to make a steering stem if you want.

Yes they can wear out, it's the reason gibbs and half nuts are adjustable on better machines.

A good one that can be found on a budget would either be a southbend 9a, or an atlas craftsman lathe. The TH series are good, but the QC series makes threading easier with a quick change gearbox. I would look for a 10 or 12" in the atlas, 10" being most common. They do need to be mounted to a solid bench as flat ways can twist easier.
 
Any advice on what to look for in a used lathe for motorcycle work?
Well, any work, for that matter. Something for working on hot rods too?...
What to watch out for, what to avoid (junk)? Do they "wear" out?
...Is this too many questions?

That's a can of worms. It'd be best to let the parts you wanna make dictate what type/condition/features/price machine you're looking for. Kind of in this order think about (and i'm probably forgetting some things):
Diameter of expected work pieces
Precision needs/what are you wanting to make? Crankshafts/pistons vs. swing arm bushings/steering stems vs. low tolerance brackets/adapters
production stuff or just 1 off parts
materials you wanna turn
threading (metric or standard)
cutting long tapers

Also, tooling included with the machine is important, the cost of chucks/toolposts/centers/cutters/rests and other attachments add up quick.
 
Any advice on what to look for in a used lathe for motorcycle work?
Well, any work, for that matter. Something for working on hot rods too?...
What to watch out for, what to avoid (junk)? Do they "wear" out?
...Is this too many questions?

Hi Tebo,
any lathe is better than no lathe.
Any lathe you get won't be exactly what you need as you'll need at least two of them (one big, one small) and a milling machine
as well. So whatever single machine you get will be a compromise.
Make sure the lathe you buy is old enough to not have anything electronic on it. That shit can't be DIY-fixed when it goes wrong.
 
The biggest problem I have with my old lathe is runout on the chuck. 1" from the jaws I show as much as 30 thousandths runout. That's just nasty.

I can shim the stock and get it reasonable but I'm looking for a new chuck or other fix.

When you go look at a used lathe, ask the owner to set up a dial indicator and check the chuck. Check both on the body of the chuck and on a piece of stock clamped in the jaws. A couple or 3 thousandths is pretty normal, much more than that is a problem.

If you think you're going to do much lathe work at all, plan on spending a couple of hundred or so for a Quick Change Tool Post and a handful of tool holders. Changing bits and setting up a lantern-style tool holder gets to be a pain in the ass VERY quickly.

If/when you're ready to start looking seriously, several of us here can give you tips on what to look for.
 
An oldschool guide is the best work occurs when the workpiece is 1/6 the swing.
If doing mostly 1" and less, a 6-inch lathe.
If doing mostly 1.5" and less, a 9-inch lathe.
If doing mostly 2" and less, a 12-inch lathe.
 
My lathe is classed as a 10". I use it a bunch, and the reality is that once a piece is over 4" in diameter it gets harder to do just because of space and rigidity. I have done 6" diameter pieces, but I had to be creative on tool holding. That's why even for someone new to home machining I would look for a 9-12". Most stuff I have done is smaller, but the ability to do a bigger piece is nice.
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Ditto. It's a different world when swinging large diameters.

Long ago I was considering a budget Enco gap-bed lathe. Wanted to pursue some flywheel projects.

Changed my mind. Felt insecure about rigidity, accuracy, and repeatability.

Edit: Maybe some inspiration in here:

https://toptenswag.com/best-mini-metal-lathe/
 
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Any advice on what to look for in a used lathe for motorcycle work?
Well, any work, for that matter. Something for working on hot rods too?...
What to watch out for, what to avoid (junk)? Do they "wear" out?
...Is this too many questions?

Hi again Tebo,
the machine tool is only half of the equation.
How are your lathe operating skills?
A skilled operator can do good work on an unsuitable/worn out machine.
A newbie don't have the ability to do that and so needs better gear.
 
Hi again Tebo,
the machine tool is only half of the equation.
How are your lathe operating skills?
A skilled operator can do good work on an unsuitable/worn out machine.
A newbie don't have the ability to do that and so needs better gear.
Very true in many fields of work!
Give some klutz a nice shinny new set of Snap-On tools and he will cross thread every bolt and crack the head trying to replace a spark plug. Give a real mechanic the cheapest set of tools Princess Auto or Harbor Freight sells and they will get the machine running just right.

Not sure where I fall in that list but hope it is a bit closer to the latter than the former!
 
the machine tool is only half of the equation.
A newbie don't have the ability to do that and so needs better gear.
Then I'm gonna need a zillion dollar machine, Fred, 'cause I'd be a total newb with a metal lathe. :shrug: While I understand some of the concepts, I have zero experience with one. I do have some skilled friends though, and I'd be leaning on them heavily...
 
Then I'm gonna need a zillion dollar machine, Fred, 'cause I'd be a total newb with a metal lathe. :shrug: While I understand some of the concepts, I have zero experience with one. I do have some skilled friends though, and I'd be leaning on them heavily...

Hi Tebo,
skilled friends are good so long as they tell you how to do stuff rather than push you out of the way and take over.
Note that the FIRST thing to learn is how to turn the machine OFF.
Also check your local community classes for beginner's machinist courses.
 
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