panabax
Aluminum
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2015
- Location
- Dallas, Texas USA
I went to look at a vaguely described South Bend lathe yesterday. I suspected it was a heavy 10 from the description, but the condition was a total question mark. I have been really wanting a heavy 10, but they basically NEVER show up locally, or so it seems.
When I got there, I found a well maintained 1959 3 1/2' toolroom heavy 10 with hard ways, taper attachment, collet drawbar and collets and an assortment of chucks and tooling. It looked like a mess in all the ways that don't matter and looked like a jewel in all the ways that do. It was the seller's father-in-laws lathe. He recently passed and the machine tools had to go.
The lathe was stuck inside a cargo trailer so I was not able to run it first, but I told him I was interested. Then, he asked me if I might be interested in his father-in-law's drill press. I really didn't need another drill press, but I decided to climb to the front of the trailer to see it. It was a Rockwell 21-100 vertical mill. Oh my God, I had never seen one before. It was a little uglier than the Heavy 10, but still a thing of beauty, if you know what I mean.
Last but not least, he had a 16" Apex disc sander he needed to get rid of.
They are now all three in my garage.
I have a Rong Fu 31 mill/drill I have had for 15 years that I really wanted to replace. I have been jonesing for a Bridgeport, but I just don't have room. They come up for sale around here regularly just to mock me. However, I have never actually seen the Rockwell mill in person, much less seen one for sale around here. I feel like I struck gold.
The heavy 10 will replace the 9A I just finished restoring and making a custom horizontal drive for. Oh well, I don't have room for two lathes. Ironically, the Heavy 10 will take up less floor space than my 4' 9A does.
Here are a couple of pictures. Unfortunately, the belt tensioning lever was busted during the move into the trailer (before I got to it). I have the other piece to it. I'm thinking about tig welding it back together. I think I can get away with it. Thoughts?
Likewise, they busted off one of the Y axis handles on the mill as well. No worries, that side of the table is getting a stepper motor anyway (and a ballscrew).
Now I have to go back and read more about the Heavy 10s. I can't wait to run it.
Baxter
When I got there, I found a well maintained 1959 3 1/2' toolroom heavy 10 with hard ways, taper attachment, collet drawbar and collets and an assortment of chucks and tooling. It looked like a mess in all the ways that don't matter and looked like a jewel in all the ways that do. It was the seller's father-in-laws lathe. He recently passed and the machine tools had to go.
The lathe was stuck inside a cargo trailer so I was not able to run it first, but I told him I was interested. Then, he asked me if I might be interested in his father-in-law's drill press. I really didn't need another drill press, but I decided to climb to the front of the trailer to see it. It was a Rockwell 21-100 vertical mill. Oh my God, I had never seen one before. It was a little uglier than the Heavy 10, but still a thing of beauty, if you know what I mean.
Last but not least, he had a 16" Apex disc sander he needed to get rid of.
They are now all three in my garage.
I have a Rong Fu 31 mill/drill I have had for 15 years that I really wanted to replace. I have been jonesing for a Bridgeport, but I just don't have room. They come up for sale around here regularly just to mock me. However, I have never actually seen the Rockwell mill in person, much less seen one for sale around here. I feel like I struck gold.
The heavy 10 will replace the 9A I just finished restoring and making a custom horizontal drive for. Oh well, I don't have room for two lathes. Ironically, the Heavy 10 will take up less floor space than my 4' 9A does.
Here are a couple of pictures. Unfortunately, the belt tensioning lever was busted during the move into the trailer (before I got to it). I have the other piece to it. I'm thinking about tig welding it back together. I think I can get away with it. Thoughts?
Likewise, they busted off one of the Y axis handles on the mill as well. No worries, that side of the table is getting a stepper motor anyway (and a ballscrew).
Now I have to go back and read more about the Heavy 10s. I can't wait to run it.
Baxter