Info on this Clausing Lathe

poolhalljnkie

poolhalljnkie

House cue conversionist
Silver Member
I went to an estate sale saw this in the back of the shop, I believe the model number is 6307, the bed is 12x36 if I measured in the right places, something was mentioned about a quick change gear box, the chuck is 4 jaw, other than that I am completely clueless about lathes. I want to start buying machinery & stock & trying my hand at cue building. So here are my questions, can anyone give me anymore information about this particular lathe just by the picture (only one I have), would it be a sufficient lathe to build a cue on (I know its rough looking but figured it would clean up). There are lots of parts & pieces (collets, live centers, etc....) laying around that Im sure they are letting go with it & I believe I am going to be able to work out an excellent price, just would like some opinions as far as it being ok for cue building go before I make the purchase & spend the energy getting it moved to my house. Thanks everyone!

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It's a great lathe for cuebuilding IF IT WORKS AND IN GOOD SHAPE.
The previous owner must have been a pig.
You are looking at a major project.
It will make you cry.
But, if you have a lot of heart and appreciate great American steel, it'd be a nice project aka LABOR OF LOVE.
It's going to be expensive if you need gears , covers ( looks like it's missing two covers ) , gibs, re-grinding the ways , belts and chuck.
The 4-jaw chuck is used for cuemaking very seldom.
The tailstock doesn't look like my Clausing tailstock. Mine's a camlock in the back style.
I hate to see a great lathe like that abused but it appears to be one.

Here's a guide on that lathe.
http://www.lathes.co.uk/clausing/page2.html
 
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I'm going to guess it is big enough. Get the model number, or spindle bore size and distance between centers.

Read Dieckmans info online and do some searches on here. Order the manual for it from Clausing and Hightower's book. Get some videos too.

All that said, I've been there and done it. If you enjoy tinkering with machinery, buy it at <= $1000 if there aren't broken teeth and excessive wear. You will spend hours/weeks/months/and maybe years getting this machine where you want it, or learning from it and moving on.

If you're not a tinkerer, pass and buy a cuelathe.

That's my advice.
 
Scott Behrens said:
Read Dieckmans info online and do some searches on here. Order the manual for it from Clausing and Hightower's book. Get some videos too.
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Oh, this wasn't a "look a lathe, I think Im gonna build Cues" :D I have been wanting to learn to build for a few years now, have read Chris' book cover to cover 50+ times, watched his & Barringer's 10 DVD set more than I can count, even when Im not watching it, I will have them on so I can hear them in the background. I just haven't had the $$ for initial start-up & seeing this lathe for the price kind of lit a fire......




Scott Behrens said:
If you're not a tinkerer, pass and buy a cuelathe.

That's my advice.
Click to expand...

I am a pretty big tinkerer & love to know how things are put together & how they work, & would love to learn more about lathes, which I understand its pretty simple, it just turns a chuck, but I really want to learn about the tools used with lathes, taper bars, swings, offsets, etc.......

Thanks for the advice so far to both of you, I will get back out there & check out the gears, the gibs:confused: , the ways:confused:, & the overall condition. There is no power running to the house so I cant check to see if it works, but according to the family, the owner (may he R.I.P.) was out in his shop using it just last week
 
maybe the picture is short and fat but that lathe does not appear to have 36" between centers.

You might ask yourself if you want to build cues or work on equipment?

I say keep looking....unless the lathe is next to free.
 
jaydog468 said:
I'm in Deton TX were is the lathe? I can move it to my shop for you.:p
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You gonna clean it up & make sure its running top notch for me too, then I can just use it anytime I like in your shop until I get a shop of my own?? :thumbup:
 
That is all the lathe you need to put cues together. I'm sure it will be fine. If you decide cuemaking is not for you the lathe can easily be resold.
 
poolhalljnkie said:
You gonna clean it up & make sure its running top notch for me too, then I can just use it anytime I like in your shop until I get a shop of my own?? :thumbup:
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Yes sir! You just need to pay the rent:D. If you pass on it I would like to take a look at it.
 
The Clausing lathes are a standard of the industry, though not the 12X36. The 5900 series 13X40 is perfect. What you might find with the 12X36 is that it is too short for some operations with a 29 or 30 inch piece of work.

I don't know where you are but there are a lot of the 13X40 lathes on the market. You might want to look for one.

Good luck.
 
I use that same lathe for cutting points in my forearm. If you need some parts I have some that should work. If you and Jay decide it's not for you. I would be interested. I am just a few miles north of you.

Larry
 
63Kcode said:
I use that same lathe for cutting points in my forearm. If you need some parts I have some that should work. If you and Jay decide it's not for you. I would be interested. I am just a few miles north of you.

Larry
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Your gonna need to change your screen name to Equipment Depot!
 
Paul Dayton said:
The Clausing lathes are a standard of the industry, though not the 12X36. The 5900 series 13X40 is perfect. What you might find with the 12X36 is that it is too short for some operations with a 29 or 30 inch piece of work.

I don't know where you are but there are a lot of the 13X40 lathes on the market. You might want to look for one.

Good luck.
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Thanks for the imput Paul, the fire is definately lit, I believe I am ready to start actively seeking equipment & finding a place to set up shop, & to start hounding all these local cue builders around me, so get ready for some phone calls or PM's guys, Im full of questions that Im sure you have already answered 1000 times :thumbup:

BarenbruggeCues said:
I don't believe the lathe in that picture is 36" long between centers.
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I measured the length of the bed (I believe thats what its called) from the point under where the chuck mounts to the end & it was 36" so I dont know what it is between centers. How do you measure that, run the tailstock all the way back & measure it from the chuck??


63Kcode said:
I use that same lathe for cutting points in my forearm. If you need some parts I have some that should work. If you and Jay decide it's not for you. I would be interested. I am just a few miles north of you.

Larry
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Larry, if I can get the lathe for the right price I will be giving you a call, or sending you a message, hell I may be doing that anyway, right now Im a sponge & really want to get this ball rolling in the near future. :thumbup:
 
BarenbruggeCues said:
I don't believe the lathe in that picture is 36" long between centers.
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I agree, I don't see 36" btwn centers.
That's not to say that the lathe doesn't have purpose.
It's just not the cue building lathe that you're thinking it is.
It will do joint work and other 'close to chuck' operations but you're not going
to spin a handle or shaft btwn centers.
In other words, this is NOT a lathe that will do it all.

You've made a statement that causes me more than a little concern.

"I am completely clueless about lathes."

Please excuse the metaphor but it's like buying a car before you learn to drive.
Guaranteed, you're going to 'total' the car.
Cue making is not something you jump into while wearing a blindfold.
The best money you'll ever spend is on education and I'm not talking DVDs and books.
I'm talking 'hands on' experience at a career-center or trade-school.
Want & desire are not enough. Just owning a lathe does not make you a cue-maker.
All it makes you is someone who owns a lathe and doesn't know how to use it.

If it sounds like I'm pissing in your Wheaties, you're right.
You're wanting to spend money (which may be limited) on something you know nothing about.
You're putting the cart before the horse. Get the education first.

KJ
 
To determine the length you can work on, measure from the end of the chuck to the tip of a live center mounted in the tailstock. The butt of a cue with a screw installed will require 30" and 32" would be a lot better. Less than 30" and you will regret it.
 
KJ Cues said:
You've made a statement that causes me more than a little concern.

"I am completely clueless about lathes."

Please excuse the metaphor but it's like buying a car before you learn to drive.
Guaranteed, you're going to 'total' the car.
Cue making is not something you jump into while wearing a blindfold.
The best money you'll ever spend is on education and I'm not talking DVDs and books.
I'm talking 'hands on' experience at a career-center or trade-school.
Want & desire are not enough. Just owning a lathe does not make you a cue-maker.
All it makes you is someone who owns a lathe and doesn't know how to use it.

If it sounds like I'm pissing in your Wheaties, you're right.
You're wanting to spend money (which may be limited) on something you know nothing about.
You're putting the cart before the horse. Get the education first.

KJ
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KJ -- You are 100% correct
Going thru my posts I seem to make it sound like Ive read books, Ive watched countless hours of video, next thing is to get me a lathe & I can just start building cues
I would like to apologize to all cue makers for seemingly disrespecting the hard work, the years of experience, & the art of what you do.
I do understand that owning a lathe does not a make you a cue maker, but I do have the want, the passion, and the heart for becoming a cue maker & have a chance at helluva deal on a lathe, just wanted to get opinions on if it would work or not.
Everyone had to be a beginner at some point & time & I deserve the right to be a begginer like the rest of you.
I do have a cpl of cue makers that are willing to work with me hands on & here in the Dallas area, Im sure there are some vocational schools that teach how to use a lathe & all the ins & outs, that is also on my list to look into.
Thank you for the reality check & please know that I do Respect the knowledge, the experience, & all the hard work of each & every Cue Maker out there, Legends, Icons, veterans, beginners, successful or not!!
I still aspire to be considered a cue maker one day, whether Im selling 30 high dollar cues a year & have a 5 yr wait list, or just making cues for myself & my friends & only selling locally.
As long as the quality craftsmanship & solid playability get there as my experience & knowledge grows....

KT
 
I
m sure there are some vocational schools that teach how to use a lathe & all the ins & outs, that is also on my list to look into.
Click to expand...
They're closing one by one.
Better check your local college.
I enrolled in one back in '97.
Went back to it last year for CNC and Mastercam classes.
Metal lathes are serious machines . I fractured two fingers on my old one.
 
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