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My First Lathe - Few Questions

humdinger

Plastic
Joined
Oct 15, 2017
Hi all,

I was recently at an action and picked up my first lathe, from my initial research it appears to be a Monarch AA but I am yet to work out what size it is.

The lathe is still at the workshop so I am in the process of working out how to move the big unit, I am trying to gauge a rough weight of the lathe so I can see if my truck will be up to the tasks or if I need to get someone to move it for me - We have an 8ton excavator to lift it at the workshop end and the same at my end so I think that will be up to the lifting task.

I have uploaded a few pictures, wondering what information people might be able to give me based on the photos? As it was an action I was rushed a bit and did not get a chance to takes measurements before I left or decent photos. I might try head into the workshop and grab the bed length and swing this week.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

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... appears to be a Monarch AA but I am yet to work out what size it is.

....trying to gauge a rough weight of the lathe so I can see if my truck will be up to the task

Coupla sources online:

Member Ichudov - the manual, which shows recommended rigging procedures:

http://manuals.chudov.com/Monarch/Monarch-SS-BB-C-CK-CU-CY-EE-K-M-N-NN-W-Lathes.pdf


Vintage machinery.org, the brochure, with 2600 lbs "base" weight, plus 250 lbs each extra two-feet of bed stated:

Monarch Machine Tool Co. - Publication Reprints - Monarch Helical Gear, Ball Bearing, Gear Head Lathes | VintageMachinery.org
 
thanks for the links - they look very handy!

So ill grab the bed length and then work out the weight based on the 2600lb + 250lb for every extra 2 feet over 6ft. I think it will be less than I was originally thinking so this is good news!

Cheers.
 
thanks for the links - they look very handy!

So ill grab the bed length and then work out the weight based on the 2600lb + 250lb for every extra 2 feet over 6ft. I think it will be less than I was originally thinking so this is good news!

Cheers.

Not all that "good".. unless you have a trailer behind that "truck". Or it is a sizable flatbed, not a pickup. Overall length issue - not just the longish bed on that Monarch.

Strongly recommend following the "factory method" of rigging and engaging a proper crane with a competent operator.

Many a vintage lathe has been face-planted trying to slide or roller them about, and parts? Especially downunder?
 
Its a Toyota Dyna 300 with the extra long tray, I'll measure it up before hand to be sure. Agree the last thing I want is an upside down lathe!! slow and steady wins the race.
 
The lathe is 16 speed and has Timken spindle bearings, so later than the linked brochure. It used to have the normal Monarch data tag to the left of the spindle speed tag but that is gone missing, all you see is the drive screw holes. It could be old enough to have the proprietary Monarch flanged spindle nose - but can't tell from photos

On Edit - add brochure pages for a CW 16 which was a bit less than 5000 for 30" centers
 

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Its a Toyota Dyna 300 with the extra long tray, I'll measure it up before hand to be sure. Agree the last thing I want is an upside down lathe!! slow and steady wins the race.

Aye - I see their "cousins" in Hong Kong, not so much in the USA. Could be a near-perfect match.

Auto/truck wrecker boom should be able to sling-lift it, per the manual. It isn't actually very heavy as Grand Old lathes of the next coupla generations were to go.
 
Aye - I see their "cousins" in Hong Kong, not so much in the USA. Could be a near-perfect match.

Auto/truck wrecker boom should be able to sling-lift it, per the manual. It isn't actually very heavy as Grand Old lathes of the next coupla generations were to go.


I have lined up 2 excavators at either end of the trip (one lives on site at its current location, other one is my next door neighbours, so was convenient) so I think they should do the job, my problem is getting it into the shed, the roller doors on the front are not high enough for the excavator to get its boom in with the lathe slung so ill need to build a contraption to sit it on so we can pull it into the shed... this is yet to be worked out but ill have more of a look once the lathe is on site.
 
The lathe is 16 speed and has Timken spindle bearings, so later than the linked brochure. It used to have the normal Monarch data tag to the left of the spindle speed tag but that is gone missing, all you see is the drive screw holes. It could be old enough to have the proprietary Monarch flanged spindle nose - but can't tell from photos

On Edit - add brochure pages foe a CW 16 which was a bit less than 5000 for 30" centers

Thanks for these great pictures johnoder,

Based on the information people have provided so far I think I can reasonably assume its total weight wont be anything over 6000 or even max 7000 (including motor) - but like I mentioned earlier ill need to take a few more measurements to get the exact size then work out the weight.

As weird as it might sound, i'm actually looking forward to getting stuck in an scrubbing her down removing all those years of grease and dirt! who knows it might actually come up okay and not need a paint for a while!
 
I have lined up 2 excavators at either end of the trip (one lives on site at its current location, other one is my next door neighbours, so was convenient) so I think they should do the job, my problem is getting it into the shed, the roller doors on the front are not high enough for the excavator to get its boom in with the lathe slung so ill need to build a contraption to sit it on so we can pull it into the shed... this is yet to be worked out but ill have more of a look once the lathe is on site.
You could also roll it on pipe.
 
You could also roll it on pipe.

I think that might be part of the solution, my main problem is that the shed is on a concrete slab and the outside is gravel with a small lip from the gravel to the slab, so if we cant get it onto the slab via the excavator ill need to make something to sit it on so it will roll onto the slab, then as you mentioned some pipe will do the trick once inside.
 
could roller it or drag it up a couple 4x6s.. Might be a good idea to bolt a 4x6 across the foot print so less chance of tipping her over...
likely 6000 pounds or better so not an easy move.

It is top heavy even slinging it...so yes consider how to lift it center up..perhaps another sling up through bed center..
Here is a big old girl in the states Monarch Lathe - heavy equipment - by owner - sale

Shes a nice looking unit - hopefully mine comes up looking like that! makes me feel like I got mine at a decent price then, I paid around $900 AUD.
 
I have lined up 2 excavators at either end of the trip (one lives on site at its current location, other one is my next door neighbours, so was convenient) so I think they should do the job, my problem is getting it into the shed, the roller doors on the front are not high enough for the excavator to get its boom in with the lathe slung so ill need to build a contraption to sit it on so we can pull it into the shed... this is yet to be worked out but ill have more of a look once the lathe is on site.

Just did much the same a few weeks ago where the FL couldn't enter the garage/shop, and there is a pronounced ramp just INSIDE the rollup panel door as well.

I detest / will NOT ever-again use f*****g pipe juvenile-delinquent redneck rollers. That's why I have dozens of proper machinery skates.

In these cases, I used a wooden "railway" as well / instead:

Layer one: 10' long paralleled 4" X 6", wide side flat. 4" X 4" blocking to support the outdoors end, which is almost exactly the ramp-rise height.

Layer two:
Pair of 8' 4" X 4" atop

Layer three: Pair of 6' 2" X 4" atop. These have to be shorter, as they will travel inward the furthest.

Set the load down atop the uppermost layer of wood. Back-off, fit timber plate and pushbar to FL.

Push. Adjust. Repeat.

Upper layers slide over lower layers until machine (HBX-360-BC lathe, ~ 2900 lbs Avoir) was deep enough into the space to be over the flat floor. Jacks put it up onto rollers for the rest of the moving about, thence grillage so I could re-use the rollers for the mill and AB5/S drillpress. Those were slid in laid-down on a timber sled, then hoisted upright back to a vertical operating position once past the ramp and clear the other side of an overhead beam that hangs down ten-eleven inches.

Fuggabuncha pipe rollers... Recirculating the bastids is akin to the mouse who spent the night with a horny lady giraffe.

Between shagging at one end and kissing at the other, poor devil had to run about 200 miles before dawn.

:(
 
Just did much the same a few weeks ago where the FL couldn't enter the garage/shop, and there is a pronounced ramp just INSIDE the rollup panel door as well.

I detest / will NOT ever-again use f*****g pipe juvenile-delinquent redneck rollers. That's why I have dozens of proper machinery skates.

In these cases, I used a wooden "railway" as well / instead:

Layer one: 10' long paralleled 4" X 6", wide side flat. 4" X 4" blocking to support the outdoors end, which is almost exactly the ramp-rise height.

Layer two:
Pair of 8' 4" X 4" atop

Layer three: Pair of 6' 2" X 4" atop. These have to be shorter, as they will travel inward the furthest.

Set the load down atop the uppermost layer of wood. Back-off, fit timber plate and pushbar to FL.

Push. Adjust. Repeat.

Upper layers slide over lower layers until machine (HBX-360-BC lathe, ~ 2900 lbs Avoir) was deep enough into the space to be over the flat floor. Jacks put it up onto rollers for the rest of the moving about, thence grillage so I could re-use the rollers for the mill and AB5/S drillpress. Those were slid in laid-down on a timber sled, then hoisted upright back to a vertical operating position once past the ramp and clear the other side of an overhead beam that hangs down ten-eleven inches.

Fuggabuncha pipe rollers... Recirculating the bastids is akin to the mouse who spent the night with a horny lady giraffe.

Between shagging at one end and kissing at the other, poor devil had to run about 200 miles before dawn.

:(

Thanks for the nice write up - this will come in handy but at this stage I think I wont need to useany form of rollers / skids.

I have organised a Franna Crane to pick it up and load it onto my truck, then meet me at the other end to unload and put into place in the shed... so if this all goes to plan it *should* be pretty straight forward.
 
I went for a drive to the site which the lathe is currently at to get some more pictures and measurements, hopefully to help me work out the rough weight.

here is the measurements I got today - since you guys are stuck in the imperial ages I have to convert to metric so I can make sense of them! so I might have got it wrong... :-)

Overall Machine Length = 3000mm (9.8ft)
Bed Length = 2285mm (7.49ft)
Bed Width = 430mm (1.4ft)
Overall Width (including drip tray) = 1030mm (3.3ft)

So going by the reference above from Monarchist it seems that the standard length is 6ft & 2600lb and then 250lb for every additional 2 feet, so this is how mine calculates (I think??)

Base Length = 6ft + 3.8ft(lets call it 4ft) = 2600lb + 500lb = 3100lb

does this calculation sound right to people? in my language that's only 1406KG which is really less than I thought.

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You left out the only important dimension which would help you determine SWING or size of lathe

As stated before it is not a 2600 lb 8 speed lathe - it is a heavier and later 16 speed lathe - though old enough to have threaded spindle nose

I would guess It will be at least 4000 lbs / 1800 Kg. You have to say SWING - a 12" Monarch will be lighter than a 14" or 16"

Here is a way to determine SWING - measure from inside corner of flat way to center of chuck or tailstock

A 12 will be at least 7 1/4, a 14 will be 8 1/4 and my 16 is 9 1/4

This is because a "C" series 12" Monarch will swing 14 1/2, a 14 will swing 16 1/2 and my 16 will swing 18 1/2

Why do I say "C" series - because this view of yours looks EXACTLY like my 1946 CW16 - other than the out size spindle speed chart - and earlier shift levers
 

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What's the extra knob for under the cross slide shaft? (Immediately behind cross slide hand wheel)

L7
 








 
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