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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2020
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    Willowbank QLD
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    517

    Default How to buy a lathe

    I am not sure if this is the right area but I will give it a go.

    Today I learnt that even though I have owned and used a lathe for 10 years I have little idea on buying them.
    I went and looked at an old lathe and fortunately it was so worn a blind man on a horse could have picked up the wear.

    What I would like is a recommendation of a video or some tips that will let me pick up what faults I am looking at and how bad they are. I did a quick google search and like most things there are varied opinions and videos. Some may be accurate and some may be just a wacky opinion.

    The thing with buying second hand is you can only do so much at the sellers place. I am looking to minimise the risk of buying a lemon or one that will require twice as much as it is worth to fix.

    Thanks Steve

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
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    71
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    5,942

    Default

    You've certainly raised an interesting subject, would be a good subject for a sticky.
    This chap recommends watching several machinists on you tube, Tubal Cain Abom 79? and another I can't remember.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbqYvpcdeLw

    If/when you find a machine, try to find someone who's a machinist on here close to you or the lathe, and ask them to come along and assist you in checking it out, it may cost you a carton of Liquid Currency, but it will be well spent.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Willowbank QLD
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    517

    Default

    To be perfectly honest, I consider myself quite mechanically minded and reasonably mature with purchases. The lathe I looked at still had almost all of its original paint, the oil was nice and clean on the dip stick. It had full thread cutting gearbox and all the controls appeared to work. I was thinking if I get this at a reasonable price I will be a very happy boy. Something is not right with the spindle or chuck as it did not show any free movement but appears to have over 15 thou run out on the chuck and when i put a bar in the 3 jaw chuck it was worse. I could not get the screw off chuck off to investigate further. When I had a good look at the ways I could see very visible wear.

    I was thinking that this lathe has been looked after, just a bit worn but has all the features I wanted. It was about then I took the rose coloured glasses off. If it has a lot of wear on the ways, it will have a lot of wear in other places. They had $3000 on it but indicated they were defiantly negotiable and $2000 would get it then and there. When I started working out it probably needs spindle bearings, a regrind or scrape, the tail stock bore reground plus anything I missed I realised I would have a lot of time and money invested in this.

    It was then it occurred to me that I was 17 again and the shiny charger with a 265 and four speed was what I had to have. It was after I bought it I discovered it needed $1500 worth of engine work as it had been bored crooked and to the last oversize. I still loved it once it was fixed but....

    This lathe still may be worth buying as the final conversation was if the don't find a buyer in the next month it will probably go to scrap as they need the floor space.

    I am not sure if I got it at scrap price would I still be buying more trouble and expense than I can handle.
    I also realised that I have a lot to learn about buying lathes.

    I should add the seller was not trying to rip me off in my opinion. They had purchased the large industrial shed to expand their business and the lathe and a few other things were left there. The new owner upfront said he knows nothing about lathes but he was told these lathes are probably worth about 3 or 4 grand at least. He appeared to think it was try to sell at a fair price but ultimately he needs the floor space.

    Steve

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Brisbane
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    245

    Default

    I took along my mate who's a machinist and paid him to inspect mine and help me move it.

    He measured the bed wear by putting a dial indicator with a stand on the saddle, with the indicator tip riding along the tailstock ways. It showed almost no movement near the chuck or going up and down. He told me this is a good indication there's very little bed wear. I don't know much about lathes (more about mills) but for me bed wear is critical. Worn bed and I'd walk away. Don't trust visuals either - some people do some stupid like sanding down the bed with emery paper for a shine - looks like new but it's a ruined lathe.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Cairns, Q
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    666

    Default

    Steve,

    This is the best advice I have come across on inspecting a second hand lathe (after navigating through the b/s in the introduction). It details how to do a thorough systematic inspection

    Advice on buying a Lathe

    Frank

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Ipswich QLD
    Age
    68
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    1,996

    Default

    Not unlike buying new there are pitfalls.
    Its a good topic there was a post about 3 or more done some years ago on here.
    It all boils down to
    How much $$$$ you have
    How big do you need? If I was buying again I'd go one size up (Ml7 i love but restricted so much).

    What power supply? .
    What comes with it?
    Can I access everything (me personally, as well as we all get older)

    What repairs are needed to bring it up to your standard?
    Do you have space?

    Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Willowbank QLD
    Posts
    517

    Default

    Thanks Wheelinround

    I know exactly what I want in a lathe, it more of a case on how to buy the right on.

    The best analogy I can think of is if I wanted a HR Holden. There are still quite a few for sale.
    Some are rust buckets that you can see before you get within fifty feet, they are easy to rule out. Some are freshly painted and look a million bucks, but are full of bog, the chassis rust has been filled and painted over and the motor has been slapped together, it runs nice but will die in 6 months. I know some tricks to pick those cars. It is the car in the middle that looks reasonable condition that you really have to know what you looking at to work out what condition it is in.

    Lathes are the same. Some people do a paint brush resto, a few question will usually show that it was all that was done. Some are so poor state and incomplete that it is not worth even looking at. I just don't know how to quickly and reasonable accurately sort the wheat from the chaff.

    What I am thinking but could be way of track are the two big ticket items. That is bed wear and spindle condition. A motor is an easy fix but a bed scrape or regrind is not. I also understand that the cost of some spindle bearings would shock me.

    Steve

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    melbourne australia
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    3,228

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Reidy41 View Post
    I could not get the screw off chuck off to investigate further.
    That's potentially very probematic.

    Quote Originally Posted by j3dprints View Post
    He measured the bed wear by putting a dial indicator with a stand on the saddle, with the indicator tip riding along the tailstock ways. It showed almost no movement near the chuck or going up and down. He told me this is a good indication there's very little bed wear.
    I might be visualising the setup wrong, but I don't see how that method can reliably indicate bed wear. If the tailstock ways are as worn as the carriage ways, it will nullify some/all of the DI reading. The correct method is to place a test bar in the chuck and run the DI along the top of the bar.
    Chris

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    245

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jack620 View Post
    That's potentially very probematic.



    I might be visualising the setup wrong, but I don't see how that method can reliably indicate bed wear. If the tailstock ways are as worn as the carriage ways, it will nullify some/all of the DI reading. The correct method is to place a test bar in the chuck and run the DI along the top of the bar.
    Absolutely, the idea is though that comparatively the tailstock ways get far less wear.
    Sometimes there is also a flat on top of the carriage ways that is not in contact and doesnt wear with the bed, and you can measure this. This is the case on my smaller optimum lathe. However on my hafco lathe this was ground in a different setup to the ways so it is no good for an indication of bed wear.
    The other way I guess you could measure bed wear is by turning something 200mm long or so and measuring the taper. It assumes proper setup of every aspect of the lathe though I guess. This is just me guessing, as I said I havent done much lathe work. The two previous methods are what my machinist mate does though. He also has some other techniques, someone like him should really make a video on inspecting bed wear as it's the one thing I wouldnt want to fix. Cross slides aren't too bad to scrape in in comparison but beds.... ugh.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    sydney ( st marys )
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    64
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    Default

    Good question what is the right one.

    If you know what size you are looking for is a good start.

    Wether it be geared head or belt change for speed, most but not all later models will probably be geared head, sometimes a bit hard to know what the condition is unless you run it or take the inspection cover off, belt drive you can usually see the gears ( might have to remove a cover or two ).

    Gear box for threading / feeding once again hard to tell unless you try it, if it uses changes gears try and see if they are all supplied.

    Wear in the bed you may need to visually inspected or use mechanical means ( dial indicator, etc )
    Slop in cross slide/ wear can usually be determined by the push pull method.

    Items that would normally be with the machine would be a bonus ( steadies , face plate, change gears.

    The spindle if plain bearing could be checked by lifting the spindle ( dial indicator on a bar held by the chuck ), if bearing mounted maybe the push and pull method with bar attached to chuck.

    To check feed operation select a setting,apply some load to handle against direction of travel and see if it over comes the resistance applied.

    Check if you can to see if spare parts are available, if not it could become expensive to repair.

    Dont worry to much if the machine is not emaculate it might just be used often, use a rag or brush to give it a wipe over ( my machines are virtually left as last used, dosent mean they are not good ) saves having to keep surface rust away.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Location
    Sydney
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    46
    Posts
    116

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by franco View Post
    Steve,

    This is the best advice I have come across on inspecting a second hand lathe (after navigating through the b/s in the introduction). It details how to do a thorough systematic inspection

    Advice on buying a Lathe

    Frank
    The bit on inspecting the bed looked good to me.

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