What's new
What's new

Which W&S do I want?

Fal Grunt

Titanium
Joined
Aug 5, 2010
Location
Medina OH
I know I want one in as nice of shape as I can find, with as much tooling as I can find. There in lies the problem. I can find several W&S's locally, completely stripped.

More than that I am struggling with what SIZE and MODEL I want. I do mostly small work, I have one potential job about 1/4" diameter about 6in long. I have another 1 1/4 about 3in long with threading. And another 5/8" diameter about 3/8 thick, knurling, bore, OD radius.

A #1 seems the obvious ticket.

I am regressing, I've never even seen a W&S running, if I could afford a Mazak QT, I'd be set, but even a used in nice shape is several magnitudes above my available funds.

I see all these comments about free and cheap W&S's, if you know of one that needs a good home, please let me know. Thanks!
 
Actually, any one with an A in the model number is a fire breathing brute that stops for nothing - 1A thru the huge 5A

These are all SADDLE TYPE

The much smaller and daintier #1 thru #5 are RAM TYPE

Be aware the smaller have no carriage proper - sometimes just a cut off slide
 
I think a 1A would be as BIG as I want, the book I have lists a 1A at approx 9500lbs? A 4A was close to 15000lbs?
 
I'm not a W&S expert, I'm sure there are experts here, but I have had one for a long time and even used it in production, and have looked at quite a few. Having said that, I'll offer my opinion -
I believe #1s and #2s have turrets and cross slides only. You would do most of your work with the turret and cut off with the cross slide, much like a Hardinge turret lathe. #3 #4 and #5s have full carriages that you can do conventional lathe turning work with. They could be equipped with chucks or collets, with or without bar feeds, and had many options available like leadscrew threading where you replaced the leadscrew to change the thread pitch being cut. Adding options like threading or taper to a machine today is challenging because so much of that has been scrapped so you pretty much need to find a machine already so equipped. Turret tooling is different size for each machine except that some #4s use the same turret tooling as #3s. Collets sizes are different also, except that some #3s had oversize spindles and used the same collets as #4s(I THINK- someone correct me on this). I've never seen a compound rest/feed on a W&S, don't know if there ever was one. #1A through #5As are beasts with large bores and saddles with cross feed under the turret, still used some places for large work.

I'd suggest a #3 for your described work sizes, maybe a #4, unless you want a smaller machine to use like a hand screw machine. I used the #3 for parts up to 7.5" OD, that just cleared the cross slide.
 
Well Mud, you may not be an expert, but you know what you're talking about. I used to have #3's for making my product. Easiest to find attachments and accessories for and super dependable and easy to run......all day long.........forever!
 
Ray! How ya been! Way over due for a visit. I'll have to come pick your brain about your #3.

John, I'll have to double check (just loaned my only W&S book) but I obviously was looking at the wrong thing! I think the book I have is much newer, mid 60's or even early 70's as they listed several tape and automatic machines.

Mud, excellent post! Thank you. It' sounds like, as with most machines, I need to find one setup as I need it. A #3 is much more common and available from my short search.

I'm hoping I can find someone with a well equipped machine that needs it gone 😄
 
Really really OLD! That '85' stamped means the year of 1785. Not really, but you want to look at the No.3 M1200 or newer. Two lever top. It'll have a high/low range and a 3/5hp motor. A lever for almost instant reverse. This one was a line shaft drive originally. It has a 4 speed Drive-All on top. No reverse??
 
A friend of mine has two #3's and a #5 he is looking to sell. They are all very well tooled, collets, 3 jaw, bar feeder, turret tooling ect., everything that came with them new. They are in very good/excellent condition, very low hours. They are also all some of the last models produced so they have all the bells and whistles. Pm me for details.
 

Attachments

  • DSCN1431.jpg
    DSCN1431.jpg
    93.9 KB · Views: 189
  • DSCN1540.jpg
    DSCN1540.jpg
    93 KB · Views: 254
  • DSCN1427 (1).jpg
    DSCN1427 (1).jpg
    97.7 KB · Views: 195
  • DSCN1527.jpg
    DSCN1527.jpg
    91.7 KB · Views: 268
  • DSCN1543.jpg
    DSCN1543.jpg
    95.5 KB · Views: 253
But if one had a big heavy job A SW, Gishholt, an Oliver the like could be priceless.
Sure a big CNC would be better but a lot more bucks.

One big shop out west is adding CNC and stepping motors the the old girls and making a killing.
 
Fal Grunt, sir
I'm a fan of the #3 m-1200.. Mine is a 1941 creation date with a second serial # supposedly noting a W&S rebuild around 1960 or so.. I got it for a little wheeling and dealing ( 1000 22 mag rds ) As far as I can tell the 1-1/2 turret tooling seems to be the most common and the easiest to come by.. Power usage is not great (5/2.5 hp dual speed motor ). Spindle speeds may be slow for some tastes but I find them more than adequate for what I do ( I use all hss ). Be patience and one will come your way.. HGR has a few pretty reasonable at the moment and gahr/small tools is just down the street.
Hope this helps
Stay safe
Calvin
Ps the pictures are of my machine and some parts I made on it last week..
 

Attachments

  • DSCF3946 (Large).jpg
    DSCF3946 (Large).jpg
    89.3 KB · Views: 209
  • DSCF3830 (Large).jpg
    DSCF3830 (Large).jpg
    90.9 KB · Views: 264
Love it, that's what I want.

Can you thread?

Spindle nose? Looks like a camlock?

I'm a regular at small tools, I'll pick Bill's brain next I'm there.

I'm about done dealing with HGR. The last two years have been more and more lies and bullshit and I'm about sick of it. I might run up and see what they have, but I'd rather buy one from a shop with tooling.
 
Derek,

Tried to PM you, but I'm apparently not smart enough on this new board on my phone.

I'll try to PM you tonight.
 








 
Back
Top