Swing Lathe

Howdy Bill,

If you're asking for honest opinions, this is not a good candidate.
Even if it were free.

KJ
 
Did you ever notice that most pics of relic lathes always have a coffee can in the background? LOL
 
It's wght. wouldn't concern me, that's about it's only plus, it's the exposed flat-belt drive for starters.
Look where the belt is coming from. The motor is overhead.
Possibly a previous jack-shaft drive converted to motor driven?
Not enough room beneath or behind I guess.

Some of the finest lathes in the world have flat ways. The pic's not clear enough for me to tell what it's got.
Is there a bore to the spindle and if so, what size?
That's a waaaay long bed, even to spin a shaft btwn centers. Do you want to sacrifice the floor-space?
Current scrap price is about $250/ton. Take the money and run.
Well, unless you're into restoring useless antiques.
Should I apologize for my candor?

KJ
 
Colormegone2002 said:
Can this be used for simple cue cleaning,tip changes, you know just kind of a repair type lathe or no? Sorry if this has ever been shown or asked but I just found this for sale and it;s a good price.Thanks for your input


http://forums.azbilliards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=384324&stc=1&d=1431561727
Click to expand...
I am curious, what are they asking for this lathe? I see lathes on craigslist all the time. They usually ask like $800 to $2000 when in reality the lathes are often just junk. I am not sure where they get the idea they are worth so much.

If you want something to do some simple repairs and also learn about lathes on, look at some of the mini lathes on the market. You can have some fun with one of these and not drop any big bucks.

Combine it with a wood lathe for sanding and polishing wrapping and so on and you can do a lot for very little money. If you really get the bug and want something larger, you will still find plenty of use for the mini lathe, it will not be a waste. Even hobbiest cue guys often have 4 or 5 lather.

http://www.mini-lathe.com/
 
If it is cheap, you have the room and a way to move it. I say go for it. Sanding and cleaning is a given on this one. Tips can be done with a steady rest. Even if it doesn't have a thru hole in the head stock. My first full size lathe was 72" between centers. Sometimes the big lathes can be had cheap, because few have a way to move them.

Larry
 
KJ Cues said:
It's wght. wouldn't concern me, that's about it's only plus, it's the exposed flat-belt drive for starters.
Look where the belt is coming from. The motor is overhead.
Possibly a previous jack-shaft drive converted to motor driven?
Not enough room beneath or behind I guess.

Some of the finest lathes in the world have flat ways. The pic's not clear enough for me to tell what it's got.
Is there a bore to the spindle and if so, what size?
That's a waaaay long bed, even to spin a shaft btwn centers. Do you want to sacrifice the floor-space?
Current scrap price is about $250/ton. Take the money and run.
Well, unless you're into restoring useless antiques.
Should I apologize for my candor?

KJ
Click to expand...

Joking K... some of us do appreciate your candor.

It is almost certainly a converted drive shaft lathe.

FWIW - the flat belts can still be obtained or, even better, replaced with a handful
of link belts.

To the OP - The amount of time, work, and dollars it would take to get this machine
to the tip-replacement-ready stage would be better spent on a more practical alternative.

Dale
 
pdcue said:
Joking K... some of us do appreciate your candor.

It is almost certainly a converted drive shaft lathe.

FWIW - the flat belts can still be obtained or, even better, replaced with a handful
of link belts.

To the OP - The amount of time, work, and dollars it would take to get this machine
to the tip-replacement-ready stage would be better spent on a more practical alternative.

Dale
Click to expand...

I think KJ is overlooking the true potential of this machine.

My CNC tapering lathe - I've had the same one for 20+ years - is build up on an old cast-iron lathe that was over 100 years old when I got it. Paid $100 for it and used a "cherry picker" and a snowmachine trailer to move it off the enclosed porch of a very old house in west Anchorage.

I pulled and sent everything to scrap except the bed, legs, headstock, and tailstock. I then rebuilt the old babbitt-bearing head with tapered roller bearings and a 5C collet spindle; mounted a large DC motor drive under the bed, added square linear ways and linear table cross-slide with a 0.8 Amp Perske motor driving a carbide wing-cutter. Centroid controller & axis motors. I've made a lot of money from that original $100 investment.

You can buy all the light-weight extruded aluminum rail you want to build a tapering machine (or whatever), but NOTHING beats a heavy, solid cast iron lathe for a machine base. Anyone who knows anything about machinery knows that mass is very conducive to smooth operation and clean, chatter-free cutting. This old lathe, even with the skirt, cross-slide, and gearbox all missing still weighs at least 800 lbs. There's literally nothing it couldn't cut with zero vibration.

Mass rules. Snatch that thing up before someone who knows the value of "old iron" beats you to it.

TW

 
Thomas Wayne said:


I think KJ is overlooking the true potential of this machine.

My CNC tapering lathe - I've had the same one for 20+ years - is build up on an old cast-iron lathe that was over 100 years old when I got it. Paid $100 for it and used a "cherry picker" and a snowmachine trailer to move it off the enclosed porch of a very old house in west Anchorage.

I pulled and sent everything to scrap except the bed, legs, headstock, and tailstock. I then rebuilt the old babbitt-bearing head with tapered roller bearings and a 5C collet spindle; mounted a large DC motor drive under the bed, added square linear ways and linear table cross-slide with a 0.8 Amp Perske motor driving a carbide wing-cutter. Centroid controller & axis motors. I've made a lot of money from that original $100 investment.

You can buy all the light-weight extruded aluminum rail you want to build a tapering machine (or whatever), but NOTHING beats a heavy, solid cast iron lathe for a machine base. Anyone who knows anything about machinery knows that mass is very conducive to smooth operation and clean, chatter-free cutting. This old lathe, even with the skirt, cross-slide, and gearbox all missing still weighs at least 800 lbs. There's literally nothing it couldn't cut with zero vibration.

Mass rules. Snatch that thing up before someone who knows the value of "old iron" beats you to it.

TW
Click to expand...

I wouldn't disagree with anything you say... however...

As in, "location, location, location... think, context, context, context...

The OP queried:

"Can this be used for simple cue cleaning, tip changes, you know just kind of a repair type lathe or no? "
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Considering the question he asked, I'm doubting he has the skill and/or inclination
to transform it into a world class automated cue construction work station.

I'm just sayin'.

Dale(practicing punctuation for effect)
 
KJ Cues said:
It's wght. wouldn't concern me, that's about it's only plus, it's the exposed flat-belt drive for starters.
Look where the belt is coming from. The motor is overhead.
Possibly a previous jack-shaft drive converted to motor driven?
Not enough room beneath or behind I guess.

Some of the finest lathes in the world have flat ways. The pic's not clear enough for me to tell what it's got.
Is there a bore to the spindle and if so, what size?
That's a waaaay long bed, even to spin a shaft btwn centers. Do you want to sacrifice the floor-space?
Current scrap price is about $250/ton. Take the money and run.
Well, unless you're into restoring useless antiques.
Should I apologize for my candor?

KJ
Click to expand...

Space is not the problem neither is the weight.I am not into restoring antiques either

I can pick this up for about 600 maybe a little less.But if it's not monetarily feasible or

there might be something else that would be better in that price range, I'd be

interested.

I took a closer look and it is a flat belt with no grooves
 
pdcue said:
Joking K... some of us do appreciate your candor.

It is almost certainly a converted drive shaft lathe.

FWIW - the flat belts can still be obtained or, even better, replaced with a handful
of link belts.

To the OP - The amount of time, work, and dollars it would take to get this machine
to the tip-replacement-ready stage would be better spent on a more practical alternative.

Dale
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply Dale. If it would cost alot more money and time,I wouldn't be

interested.Mainly because I don't know enough about doing the work that would be

required.I can post many more pictures of this antique if you guys think you might

see something that would change your mind but it seems the majority says PASS
 
macguy said:
I am curious, what are they asking for this lathe? I see lathes on craigslist all the time. They usually ask like $800 to $2000 when in reality the lathes are often just junk. I am not sure where they get the idea they are worth so much.

If you want something to do some simple repairs and also learn about lathes on, look at some of the mini lathes on the market. You can have some fun with one of these and not drop any big bucks.

Combine it with a wood lathe for sanding and polishing wrapping and so on and you can do a lot for very little money. If you really get the bug and want something larger, you will still find plenty of use for the mini lathe, it will not be a waste. Even hobbiest cue guys often have 4 or 5 lather.

http://www.mini-lathe.com/
Click to expand...

You pretty well nailed the price@ around 600.I kind of thought it wouldn't be worth it

but I knew if I could get an honest answer it would be here.

Thanks for the advice
 
Colormegone2002 said:
Thanks for the reply Dale. If it would cost alot more money and time,I wouldn't be

interested.Mainly because I don't know enough about doing the work that would be

required.I can post many more pictures of this antique if you guys think you might

see something that would change your mind but it seems the majority says PASS
Click to expand...

Todd at Mid America Pool offers this 'starter lathe' for aprox $500 that will do all
you want and more. Todd is a member here (screen name tsp&b ), good to work with
and very helpful for the beginner.

http://www.midamericapool.com/index_files/Page328.htm

The mega popular 7 x 10(12) mini metal lathe can also be had for that price range.

Pics of one set up for serious repair work can be found here:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=387558&highlight=america+lathe

Disclaimer - the extra beds and tailstock can be purchased online and are most
certainly the 'slick setup', but they add several hundred dollars to the cost.

Other options can accomplish the same goal for a few bucks.

Dale
 
pdcue said:
Todd at Mid America Pool offers this 'starter lathe' for aprox $500 that will do all
you want and more. Todd is a member here (screen name tsp&b ), good to work with
and very helpful for the beginner.

http://www.midamericapool.com/index_files/Page328.htm

The mega popular 7 x 10(12) mini metal lathe can also be had for that price range.

Pics of one set up for serious repair work can be found here:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=387558&highlight=america+lathe

Disclaimer - the extra beds and tailstock can be purchased online and are most
certainly the 'slick setup', but they add several hundred dollars to the cost.

Other options can accomplish the same goal for a few bucks.

Dale
Click to expand...

Thanks Dale, I knew I would be pointed in the right direction. I just really want some small

hobby to kill some time when I'm not working and it'll be a real plus if

I can learn to do my own work. Do you guys also recommend Chris's DVD as well or just

a lot of YouTube ?
 
Colormegone2002 said:
Thanks Dale, I knew I would be pointed in the right direction. I just really want some small

hobby to kill some time when I'm not working and it'll be a real plus if

I can learn to do my own work. Do you guys also recommend Chris's DVD as well or just

a lot of YouTube ?
Click to expand...

Chris's DVD is excellent, and an item well worth having, but youtube is FREE and can
get you started.

Look at Cuejoscuerepair on youtube for a start - Bob Dzuricky also has several
videos with much good info, though he more emphasizes building cues.

A search on "pool cue repair" will yield enough videos to keep you busy for
a week or 10.

Good luck.

Dale
 
Colormegone2002 said:
I just really want some small hobby to kill some time when I'm not working
?
Click to expand...

WARNING!
Tip repair leads to a desire to build cues. Cue building is very addicting. It's an addiction that can't be faded! It will suck every dollar any all spare time you have. You will soon find yourself whoring you cues at the local pool halls. To get money for wood to feed your addiction. It won't end pretty!
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Since weight of a large lathe is a problem. Todd's lathe would be a good choice. It can still come in handy WHEN your addiction takes control. Should things not work out with cue building. After you are broke, single, without friends and the addiction has taken all. Todd's lathe can be sold for close to what you paid for it!

Larry
 
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