Yesterday I picked up a 9" lathe from a closed machinist shop. It came on a set of cast iron legs. The serial number is 56600NAR10. I understand that NAR stands for 9", Quick Change gearbox, Standard spindle. I don't know what the 10 stands for and what exactly is the standard spindle. I have seen, literally 4 different spindle sizes listed. Does anybody know with more precision that what I found?
The shop was filthy. Those people did not believe in cleaning anything. As soon as they were done with a tool, they would dump it on a shelf, with metal shavings and grease on it. There was a permeating aura of sloppiness around everything in the shop. No wonder they eventually went out of business.
Now, come the other questions:
1.- Before I do anything, I have to bring it to the basement. For that I need to take it apart in 3-4 major pieces. I will remove the tailstock, the chuck and maybe even the motor to make it lighter. Is it easy and safe to remove the lathe from the chip pan and thus separate it from the legs? It will make it so much easier to get it down the stairs.
2.- The lathe is encrusted with crud and maybe even some flash rust here and there, mostly around the legs. I want to clean it up and possibly paint it. What is the best way to do it? I saw a dry steam generator for sale at Best Buy. It is called the Steam Shot and it is portable (looks like a tea kettle of sorts) and it is supposed to generate about 15 minutes of dry, pressurized steam for cleaning. Other than steam, what would be a good cleaner and degreaser to use? I will buy a respirator as the basement is not open to the outside and I have to vent everything with a fan, through a 2'x3' sliding window.
3.- The motor belt is chewed up. Where do I find a reference to belt size? It currently has a V-belt on it, but the large pulley near the motor seems to be flat, not V-grooved. I will have pictures in the next couple of days after I get it from under the cling wrap and the tarp and unload it from the truck.
4.- The on-off switch seems to be more modern than the rest of the machine and it is bolted to the top of the (plastic?) belt guard, right next to the hour meter (or whatever that is). Is there an accurate, period switch that I can use instead of the current one?
5.- How far is is safe for a newbie to go digging into the lathe for cleaning? I don't want to damage it in any way through my incompetence.
6.- I ordered the book: How to Run a Lathe, by South Bend. I am not clear what revision it is. The vendor did not list that or the year it was printed. I would guess probably a 1950's version, but I could be wrong. Will this book provide me with sufficient information to competently dismantle it for a good cleaning?
7.- I ordered Spindle Oil and Ways Oil from a guy named Mick, on eBay. Do I need other kinds of lubricants for my lathe? Online I see all sorts of references to A, B, C oils and Teflon grease.
8.- The company who owned it modified the tailstock, by removing the wheel, and attaching a lever system that would allow the tailstock spindle to be moved forward and back with a single hand stroke. Where can I find an eploded view of the tailstock to identify missing parts and purchase them to restore the full function of the device? I like the stroke levers, but I don't want them to be there all the time. I will set them up in a toolbox and used them if I ever need them.
Enough questions. Sorry for droning on.
Andrei
The shop was filthy. Those people did not believe in cleaning anything. As soon as they were done with a tool, they would dump it on a shelf, with metal shavings and grease on it. There was a permeating aura of sloppiness around everything in the shop. No wonder they eventually went out of business.
Now, come the other questions:
1.- Before I do anything, I have to bring it to the basement. For that I need to take it apart in 3-4 major pieces. I will remove the tailstock, the chuck and maybe even the motor to make it lighter. Is it easy and safe to remove the lathe from the chip pan and thus separate it from the legs? It will make it so much easier to get it down the stairs.
2.- The lathe is encrusted with crud and maybe even some flash rust here and there, mostly around the legs. I want to clean it up and possibly paint it. What is the best way to do it? I saw a dry steam generator for sale at Best Buy. It is called the Steam Shot and it is portable (looks like a tea kettle of sorts) and it is supposed to generate about 15 minutes of dry, pressurized steam for cleaning. Other than steam, what would be a good cleaner and degreaser to use? I will buy a respirator as the basement is not open to the outside and I have to vent everything with a fan, through a 2'x3' sliding window.
3.- The motor belt is chewed up. Where do I find a reference to belt size? It currently has a V-belt on it, but the large pulley near the motor seems to be flat, not V-grooved. I will have pictures in the next couple of days after I get it from under the cling wrap and the tarp and unload it from the truck.
4.- The on-off switch seems to be more modern than the rest of the machine and it is bolted to the top of the (plastic?) belt guard, right next to the hour meter (or whatever that is). Is there an accurate, period switch that I can use instead of the current one?
5.- How far is is safe for a newbie to go digging into the lathe for cleaning? I don't want to damage it in any way through my incompetence.
6.- I ordered the book: How to Run a Lathe, by South Bend. I am not clear what revision it is. The vendor did not list that or the year it was printed. I would guess probably a 1950's version, but I could be wrong. Will this book provide me with sufficient information to competently dismantle it for a good cleaning?
7.- I ordered Spindle Oil and Ways Oil from a guy named Mick, on eBay. Do I need other kinds of lubricants for my lathe? Online I see all sorts of references to A, B, C oils and Teflon grease.
8.- The company who owned it modified the tailstock, by removing the wheel, and attaching a lever system that would allow the tailstock spindle to be moved forward and back with a single hand stroke. Where can I find an eploded view of the tailstock to identify missing parts and purchase them to restore the full function of the device? I like the stroke levers, but I don't want them to be there all the time. I will set them up in a toolbox and used them if I ever need them.
Enough questions. Sorry for droning on.
Andrei