Thread: 10EE Love at First Sight

Must have been sometime in early 1976 when I first saw that lovely row of Monarch 10EE’s in the Texas Instruments North Building Model Shop in Richardson Texas (Dallas). I was a green weenie mechanical engineer with a lot to learn so I hung out there as much as possible working and talking with the machinists. It was the 10EE’s and the big SIP Jigbores that got my machine lust going the most.

Now I can thank (or blame) this here forum for re-igniting that desire to have my own 10EE.

Here are some pictures of my 10EE project starting point. Got this lathe from a local machine shop a few weeks back for $2200. It is a 1960 model, WIAD, Square Dial with ELSR and taper. Mechanically in good shape (just very dirty from sitting) but unknown electrics as the shop owner said the drive did not work now but did when they purchased it at a University of Arizona auction several years ago. Monarch says it is one of the last of the WIAD drives with a mfg date of 10-60.











The plan is to first clean, lubricate, adjust mechanicals as required for basic operation then see if I can get the WIAD to run. Will use 240VAC single phase for power (no coolant pump). Got the proper manual and some replacement parts from the nice folks at Monarch (flat belt, way wipers, apron pump filter). Just waiting for me to get some time to go at it. After I get it running I will decide on what level of further refurb to do. Probably will then do a paint job but not sure what level of effort I will be doing on that.

Cal Haines came over last week to check it out and to share his considerable knowledge on 10EE’s. He showed me a lot of the neat little Monarch design features that are not immediately obvious and I look forward to his support on this project. Another local machine guru, Kevin Potter, says he had previously run this very machine at the University and it was in very decent condition at that time. With all that local expertise and this fine forum I have no excuses not to get this baby purring.

Thanks for a such great resource in this Monarch forum. 24/7 free tech support as Cal says.

Steve

Congratulations on a good find, that's an awfully nice looking starting point considering the price! Keep us posted as you go along.

Your love affair has only begun, wait until you have some hours running it.

Reminds me of mine when I first got it. But mine was totally "wore out". The carriage handwheel would turn almost a half of revolution before it would move the carriage, and over .100 backlash on the crosslide dial. Sounds like yours is a whole lot better.

Steve,

Thanks for the kind words. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to learn more about square-dial machines. I cut my teeth on a square-dial 10EE, but I didn't get a chance to dig into the mechanical details.

Cal

Hi Steve..................I saw my first EE at T.I. also. Ours was in the CRL Model Shop. I also visited the North Bldg often to watch the SIP's being run. Tha t would have been from '73 to '78.
Enjoy your lathe , I like mine too (1964 modular from TI Houston !)

Tim in D

I hope you have had a chance to talk with Bob he is real good with these things, he got my rivett going in an afternoon. That is the same machine that used to be in the instrument shop she was a real honney to run I am sure you will have her going soon.

Originally Posted by Tim in D

Hi Steve..................I saw my first EE at T.I. also. Ours was in the CRL Model Shop. I also visited the North Bldg often to watch the SIP's being run. Tha t would have been from '73 to '78.
Enjoy your lathe , I like mine too (1964 modular from TI Houston !)

Tim in D

Hi Tim in Dallas,

Small world. I was at TI from 1972 to 1990 so maybe our paths crossed. Only had occasional meetings at CRL and never saw the model shop there. TI was full of great shops and I spent time working with the folks in the South Bldg, North Bldg and Lemmon Ave shops. All these were really first rate facilities. Don't know how much of those shops are still around these days. Good to hear some of the TI machinery went to a good home.

Steve

Originally Posted by daryl bane

Reminds me of mine when I first got it. But mine was totally "wore out". The carriage handwheel would turn almost a half of revolution before it would move the carriage, and over .100 backlash on the crosslide dial. Sounds like yours is a whole lot better.

Hoping it will suit my needs without a total tear down and bed regrind. Hard to tell without being able to do a test cut and check for taper but I took the risk buying it knowing I may be in for extensive work. Carriage handwheel has only 5-6 degrees of backlash. Crosslide screw has about 0.020 (diameter on the dial) backlash as it is now. Tailstock seems tight at full extension. Carriage has not been scraping the inside flat way ever. No abuse of the ways is visible and wear "looks" to be not bad (looks can deceive here however). Spindle nose is decent looking with some minor dings and such that will need dressing up.

Steve