by "Pearson Hurst" (phurst)
Published 04/28/2017 at 17:26
by "Pearson Hurst" (phurst)
Published 04/28/2017 at 17:26
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STARS: 7
I like my home workshop. I like tools. I like old stuff. All of those likes have now converged, and I’m the proud new owner of a 60+ year old lathe.
I have no immediate use for a lathe (though I have been in situations where one would have been pretty handy), and the one I got wasn’t super kick-ass when it was brand new, just a basic consumer grade machine, but a lathe I have.
It is externally driven, and didn’t include the original motor, so I DID take the opportunity to modernize a little, with a decent 3 phase motor, and Variable Frequency Drive to run it, since variable speed is a necessity here.
I’ve been planning a complete rewire of my workshop with new wire and a dedicated 20A circuit so I can turn on more than one thing at a time without having to turn off the air conditioning or unplugging the beer fridge, so great timing for having to hard wire up a controller and motor. Hopefully it will be up and spinning before the weekend is out.
While on the subject of old tools, man, they REALLY don’t make them like this anymore. Cast iron, hand machined parts, function over form, yet somehow still pleasing to the eye. This was MADE to last 60+ years, not to be a disposable appliance. Of course, it lacks many features of a modern lathe, or even a vintage professional grade one, but I’m not building aerospace parts in my workshop, so this should do just fine.
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
04/28/2017 at 17:30, STARS: 0
My dad has one exactly like that one, and I do mean *exactly*, down to a slight variation in paint color. I had to order a new chuck for it because the original had been lost.
"Pearson Hurst" (phurst)
04/28/2017 at 17:35, STARS: 0
How do you like it?
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
04/28/2017 at 17:40, STARS: 0
three phase? that thing is huge!
"Pearson Hurst" (phurst)
04/28/2017 at 17:43, STARS: 0
It’s just 1/3 horse, 1800RPM. The lathe is pretty small if that’s what you’re comparing it to.
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
04/28/2017 at 17:46, STARS: 0
Ah, I must be way off. Of curiosity, why 3ph and not a 90v DC or similar variable?
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
04/28/2017 at 17:47, STARS: 1
I couldn’t say, I haven’t actually used it for anything! I think my dad did before the repair shop lost the chuck, but considering I only got the chuck within the past six months (in a “fixing tools” mood) and it had been missing before that for as many as 15 years, I can’t really say how good it is.
"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro)
04/28/2017 at 17:49, STARS: 0
Very cool! I miss that kind of build quality.
"Pearson Hurst" (phurst)
04/28/2017 at 18:14, STARS: 1
Because they were a package deal of surplus equipment. The DC motors I looked at were $200-$600+ and the three phase and controller were $100.
"Frank Grimes" (FrankGrimes)
04/28/2017 at 19:38, STARS: 0
so cool! You know what I hate about modern tools? The way they look. A drill can’t look like a drill it needs to look like something from some sci fi movie and have multicolor angled grips and bright colors and crap.
"Pearson Hurst" (phurst)
04/28/2017 at 22:43, STARS: 0
And last 1 day past the warranty, because they’re made of Chinesium.
"Frank Grimes" (FrankGrimes)
04/29/2017 at 00:17, STARS: 1
new tools = not skookum as frig.