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Machine ID help (was "help I am clueless")

Are you kidding or what ? There are the greatest assemblage of old machine tool gurus and wizards on the planet participating in this 'Board. However, you are expecting miracles or must think the assembled group is capable of clairvoiance or some other para normal abilities. Not enough dat in your inquiry, or your photo !

Unless you are in some other geographic location, start by taking down any data on the machine, like a manufacturer's name , nameplate data on something other than the motor.... Unless you furnish more data, it is hard to make too much out from the photo you posted. Get some old clothes on, get some rags, a pad and pen, and a good light and put some effort behind your inquiry. Get some data and then be more specific in your inquiry such as: "Info needed on XYZ Machine Company model....." If you can;t get any model or other data, then take some better pictures and at least get a manufacturer's name, which on old machine tools, is typically cast in raised letters on the base, access doors, or major parts. Put some effort in up front if you expect us to help you. Once you supply more data, people may be able to give you more exact information.
 
I understand the issue with the limited data but I have not been able to schedule an inspection to get more info and this is the only picture supplied.

Further research seems to point to some type of large pipe threader. Maybe a landis or other? And FYI I have been looking on OWWM, VM and other sites but large pipe threaders don't seem to have the same following as other types of machines KT's, VN's, Cincy's, etc.

Also the sarcasm and chastisement is not appreciated... but you are from the east. (Feel the pain?)
 
If it's made by Landis, I'd betting it's a grinder of some type, not a pipe threader. Whatever that might be, it is WAY to big for some plumber or pipe fitter to be hauling around in a one ton pickup.

Oh yeah, take the advise of the folks around here and be nice.
 
Guys I am not sure where the attitude is coming from, must be some kind of hazing thing. All I had was the picture and I was hoping someone with more experience in metal milling type machines would have an idea of what it might be. Sorry for wandering on to the wrong turf.
 
SF is being funny. Clean off the detritus, make a reasonably well lighted (flashed) pix from the front, nameplates are nice but frequently painted over. Make it easy for us. Minimum four pix from the quadrant angles is a good place to start. I think the limit for a single post is five? Granted, a lot of machinery "in situ" is not easy to capture on film.

We fun with each other about Craigslist posts frequently done by folks with a cellphone and frequently poorly done. And these are people who have the most to gain financially by putting a little effort into their sale. And we see it done so poorly so frequently - it astounds!

And a snappy reply frequently begets more of the same? Sometimes it's best to approach a stranger looking for favors with one's figurative hat in hand.

Graciousness is a suit nicely worn among strangers, best worn among friends.

And we consider ourselves among the latter until proven otherwise.

So maybe give it another try? We're here to help and this by our own volition and what you show us intrigues.

Thanks,
Joe in NH
 
Landis made a wide variety of "Bolt Threaders", "Lead-screw Threaders" and "Thread Rollers".

All excellent quality, production machines, ... that have been mostly obsoleted, by the dramatically lower tooling costs of CNC machines.



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Large pipe threading and chamfering,and rotary cutoff machines usually allow the pipe to go clean thru,and also top load[or side load].That appears to have a stationary chuck or some thing similar on the near end.It might be a spud threading machine,for short sections.I know a little about the subject,as a tennant left a number of these machines when he skipped owing rent.The advice I was given was "gas cutting and welding have made these machines obsolete,scrap them"I may be wrong ,I frequently am.Regards John.
 
Looks like a pipe threader. We have a couple of these at work. Like john.k said thread, chamfer, cut. To me, unbelievable torque. One of the large ones we have can thread 6" pipe and up to something like 4" plus straight threads. Worked at a place that had an Oster threader with 2 1/4" capacity. Saved a lot of single pointing.
 
I own a Landis bolt threader and have a couple of Landis catalogs. The machine in the pictrure does not look like a bolt threader (sometimes called a bolt cutter) of the generation and size of the one I have.

Later, landis was much more well known for grinders as was already said. And I think the photograph might be a grinder. (It might also be some kind of pipe threader and, if the catalogs were more accessibler I would go check. This might be possible.)
 
That machine is on a goverment surplus site and the discription of it was very poor. I'm sure it will be hard to get better information from him if he's unable to visit the location it's stored at.
 
You are definitely welcome here.

DiZyDnIndy

You are definitely welcome on this forum. Nobody here is really surly. (Well, possibly maybe a very few, but the Moderators do their best to supress them.)

What else could we, as a group, have written, given that you provided only one photo and that taken while critical parts of the machine are obscured by milk crates?

The post about the milk crates was somebody's lighthearted way of saying that the milk crates are covering the parts of the machine which need to be seen in order to identify it.

A few words in the first post explaining that this is the only photo obtainable would have gone a long way.

We just can't see enough to ID the machine in that photo.

John Ruth
 
DiZyDn:

In looking closely at the photo you posted, I can make the following from it:

-the machine is a large capacity pipe or bolt threader
-the photo was taken from the back side (or off side) of the machine, not the operator's or working side.
-What is visible at the left side of the photo is a die head with movable/changeable chasers.
-there is a gear pump to the further end of the machine, presumably a cutting oil circulation pump

Landis is still in business, and I believe they do support the pipe and bolt threaders with new die chasers. Other than that, I think Landis is pretty much out of manufacturing pipe and bolt threaders. Landis pipe and bolt threaders were never portable "pipe machines" that could be taken to the jobsites. They were usually much heavier stationary machine tools designed to be permanently installed in a pipe fab shop. Several things pretty much eliminated the need for heavy pipe threading machines. One was the move to grooved ("Victaulic" or "Groove Lock") pipe coupling systems with approvals from Factory Mutual and Underwriters for use on sprinkler and fire protection piping. Another was the move to welded pipe joints vs screwed. Anything over about 2" or 2 1/2" steel or stainless steel pipe is run using welded joints for the most part. Screwed brass pipe in that size is almost unheard of anymore, and sweated copper or mechanically joined copper (hydraulically crimped fittings) has pretty much taken the place of screwed brass pipe. In short, the need for large pipe threading machines is greatly reduced except perhaps for well-service related work. Bolt machines would generally not be that large. We have an Oster pipe and bolt machine in our powerhouse machine shop. It can take, I think, 4" pipe thru the head at the largest. It is nowhere near the size of the Landis machine you posted. We use the Oster pipe machine mainly for threading bar stock for pipe hangers or stud bolts. Another thing that pretty well killed the need for large capacity pipe machines is the portable "orbital" pipe prep machines. These are easily carried by one person. They clamp and center themselves on the end (or along) a piece of pipe. With a parting tool, these machines can cut the pipe square and face the ends, or with a toolbit or milling head, can put on weld preps. We have a few of the portable orbital pipe machines in our plant, and these are taken to the work. We groove pipe ends for Victualic couplings, cut, and bevel for welded joints with them. If the big Oster pipe machine gets used once or twice every couple of years it is a lot. The Landis Machine you posted is probably a real monster, maybe capable of taking 6" or 10" pipe thru the head. No one threads that size pipe anymore short of for well casings. I doubt there will be much activity on the part of buyers for that machine, and would guess it goes for scrap. I also think the range of pipe that machine can handle may be limited, possibly starting at something over 2". Unless you can check the machine over quite thoroughly, and see if die chasers (and condition of them) come with it, I'd steer clear of it.

Joe Michaels
 








 
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