It’s amazing how things were built back in the day, simple construction, but well built, easy to rebuild. Enjoying the videos keep them coming! Have a good one my friend!
Morning again, Jim. There two darn good reasons why this machine is coming apart so well. 1. 130 years ago they still manufactured machines to last forever. 2. Businesses and individuals kept up on their maintenance and took care of their equipment because they planned on them being a one time buy. Machinery wasn't built, bought, or used with plans on them being disposable consumables. They were not considered depreciable commodities. Now a days the thought behind tools and machinery is that you build and buy them with plans on replacing them in 5-10 years, max. Everything now is disposable or high maintenance.
@@TheTradesmanChannel yeah, I totally agree. Looking at what you've shown so far, and not even putting my own hands on it, and comparing it to my bandsaw that is just a couple of years old, I can see a world of difference in the build quality and materials used. Your lathe has solid materials vs my bandsaw with stamped relatively thin gauge steel. Heck, even the cast iron table on my saw is super light weight compared with how they built machines back in the day. The only relatively newer machine I own with thicker iron casting is my harbor freight wood lathe, and it still doesn't look as refined as that old antique beauty.
It amazes me how things were built before we came into the 20th century and were sapose to be so smart. All the technology in the world will never touch the true ambition of men to fill a need.
That lathe is identical to my pratt&whitney 1890s, ever screw thread plate it all the same,lol. I should have recorded my restore, great video, keep'um coming..
Mike at The Backyard Machine Shop may have rebuilt one of these but I am SURE he's rebuilt a ton of vintage machines in that time era. May have trouble finding the one you're looking for but he's well known by Mr Rucker. They (together) will probably be your best source of help and advice. Good luck Jim.
@@TheTradesmanChannel me too. Getting close to having the new shop ready for production. Lathe, mill, and plasma cam. Burned up the motor on my new compressor $1700.00 to replace it. 7.5 horse 230v. Think the generator pulled too much at start up and it burnt out the windings. Tryed using my 25kw gen the big generator the starter went out and no longer avalible so having to have it rebuilt.
Looks to me like this old beast was used easy, then retired to a shop where she only saw occasional use, but frequent enough to keep her moving smooth. Great find. I don't think I'd take her down as far as you're going. I'd probably just sort of hose her off, lube her back up, and put her back to work, but have fun with it.
Something about this machine is just screaming for a well deserved shine and new paint. Usually with something like this I just get it working just enough to use.
So far your doing a good job of getting it torn down , just have a question what was that part that came off from the end of the main shaft? And if anyone needs a video to calm them down I put up one of a wild rabbit eating on on my porch there is me talking in it though trying to narrate what's going on in it.
HiJim Purple-power degreaser from Home Depot will melt the grease and much of the old paint away. I restored a 1943 South-bend lathe. Soaked them 1 or two days. Rinsed in hot hot hot water . Then a soak I Evapo-rust. Came out like new. I got two or so years from both fluids. Don’t. Soak aluminum or other soft metal Long or at all in the Purple power it will dissolve them .Also heavy duty rubber gloves and safety squint’s are a must . Also watch-out for tapered roller-pins they will bight you in the rump. Good luck with a great project
I have nearly the same lathe as yours, I'm missing the ID plate so i had to spend a few hrs online to ID it. I recently got a new electric motor for it and that has made an improvement, it had no power no matter the ratio i tried. mines pretty janky sounding but the shaft has no play and doesn't wander, except for the previously repaired 3 jaw chuck. the chuck was not fixed perfect so anything ive made with it has been on the rough side. eagerly watching how yours will turn out.
you recast bearing with an under sized [.005 ] shaft that spans both bearings and scrap to fit the new bearing. with .050 shims for top cap adjustment.
Hey Jim, sorry I've been largely absent from the comments for a while - but have been following. Man I am so jealous, I wish I had a small vintage machinists lathe like yours - and it's in such great shape for it's age! You probably know this, but watch for taper pins hidden beneath the grease holding a gear, retention collar or handle in place on a shaft. They were commonly used on these old machines and can be hard to spot. Anyway, I'll be following along to see how this thing works out - HAVE FUN WITH IT! One question - did it come with the change gears for the left end of the headstock to change the lead screw feed speed?
No change gears which is disappointing but I'll scrounge them. It is great to hear from you. I was wondering how you were doing the other day. Hope all is well.
It's a rather light lathe by the size of the head stock. I had a chance to buy some massive lathes with 6-14" head stocks and the beds were 4-10' long, all roller or ball bearings, I should have got one. When you can afford stuff like that, you're too old!
Built in a time when people cared about their products! How long did you leave her to soak in the oil bath? .... Cleanest Babbitt's I've seen coming out .... and that chuck! Seriously? I suspect you could get to cut some Close tolerances with this one!
I think that chuck spacer is an add on. I don't think it should be there. The back of the chuck should seat flush to the spindle shoulder. The chuck was only held on with a few threads.
Hi Jim, Try getting in touch w/ Eric at Hand Tool Rescue he's been doing this stuff for years including redoing babbitts. He's also on IG. God bless and take care buddy.
