cadillac lathe

[wooleybooger]

anybody have any info on a 14-40 cadillac lathe? ive searched and posted here,there and everywhere and can find almost no info anywhere. a friend bought one recently and while it looks like a solid machine, i cant find any info on it other than a manual on e-bay.

 

[alcosteam]

The Cadillac lathes were (maybe still are) imported machines sold thru Web machinery in California, basically they just screwed a Cadillac nameplate on the lathes. I have talked to Web Machinery about the lathes and for the earlier models they refered me to another place in California that is still tied to the maker in Taiwan and I talked to them acouple times. Over the years two different Taiwanese companies made the lathes and although I don't know the exact date of the change when you see one of each side by side it is obvious there are little differences.

I have two 14" Cadillac lathes that I got buying out a high school shop. One is a 1974 built machine and the other a 1980 built machine. I was originally told they were a copy of a Mori Seki lathe, they look similar but without seeing the internals of the Mori I can't confirm how mechanically similar the two are. Overall they are a rugged well built machine capable of machine shop or maintenance shop type duty. Lack of parts availability could be a problem should you not be capable of making them yourself.

tim

 

[crrmeyer]

What information are you looking for? Here are a few data sheets & info I posted a while back.


+1 on the Cadillac. Here are a few data sheets on the Cadillac 1422G lathe (aka YAM 1422G). Some of these have 2 speed motors (3/5 Hp). Low speed on the motor get the spindle speed down to 55 rpm. It has both Metric and Inch threading IF you have the spare gears (2-3 if memory serves).

Data sheets:

http://members.cox.net/kbdandms/cadillac-1422G-1.jpg
http://members.cox.net/kbdandms/cadillac-1422G-2.jpg
http://members.cox.net/kbdandms/cadillac-1422G-3.jpg

(you may need to click once or twice on the picture to make it full size, depending on your web browser).

 

[jfdufour]

Me I own a yam 14-40 and i'm looking for a manual and parts manual. I need the 3 spare gear for threading, They look to be metric gears of module 1,5.

 

[Portable Welder]

I just bought a Cadillac lathe, powered it up and the only way I can get it to turn on is to manually push in the button on the breaker, There is a little plastic switch to turn it on but it doesnt work even when I put the two wires together, Please note there are only 2 wires going to this switch, is there possibly another on off switch.

 

[kazlx]

I have one, it's a great lathe. What do you want to know?

 

[thermite]

I just bought a Cadillac lathe, powered it up and the only way I can get it to turn on is to manually push in the button on the breaker, There is a little plastic switch to turn it on but it doesnt work even when I put the two wires together, Please note there are only 2 wires going to this switch, is there possibly another on off switch.

I'd certainly start by looking for a E-Stop - or the PROVISION for one was there, but is no longer - that wanted attention.

Another possibility (trace the wiring) is that the last entity as had hands-on intentionally disabled it . Either to prevent it being monkeyed with, or just to make something needing repair lass easily detected OR able to damage stuff. Failed lube pumps and the like, (if any) as one example. Being shipped DRY of lubes is another.

If it is BRAND NEW, there should be a set up and provisioning step-by-step punch list in the manual, electrical power requirements through lubricants, etc.

Bill

 

[atomarc]

I just bought a Cadillac lathe, powered it up and the only way I can get it to turn on is to manually push in the button on the breaker, There is a little plastic switch to turn it on but it doesnt work even when I put the two wires together, Please note there are only 2 wires going to this switch, is there possibly another on off switch.

Some of your descriptions are a bit sketchy and some important info has been left out but here are some thoughts.To answer your question, yes, there could be another switch in series with one you describe. If the other switch, be it a foot brake switch or a cabinet door switch or some type of over-travel switch is not in a closed position, the lathe is being told not to start. I have made a whole bunch of assumptions based on the little info you have provided so this may not be pertinent at all.

Hope this get you pointed in the right direction.

Stuart

 

[Portable Welder]

Atomarc, You made a lot of good points, I looked for other switches, the foot brake does have a switch on it, I want to think there is something telling it not to start because there is zero power at the switch when I go to ground.

 

[thermite]

Atomarc, You made a lot of good points, I looked for other switches, the foot brake does have a switch on it, I want to think there is something telling it not to start because there is zero power at the switch when I go to ground.

Another ass u me mtion is that if you have the 'manual' at all, it is the notorious one with NO electrical diagram.

Try looking for ones like this instead:

Industrial Machine tool Manuals, Schematics, Broch: Cadillac CM1400, Precision Lathe, Operating Instructions Manual

Fair chance that even one not for the exact-same MODEL, may have similar philosophy and nomenclature as to control wiring.

'Usually' a small team of but a few people do whole generations of the electricals on any given machine-tool builder's product line, and they tend to stick to what has worked for them and use it again.

Bill

 

[atomarc]

Atomarc, You made a lot of good points, I looked for other switches, the foot brake does have a switch on it, I want to think there is something telling it not to start because there is zero power at the switch when I go to ground.

There are many variations on how these things are powered..VFD, line 3 phase, single phase or maybe a rotary phase converter..or even a static phase converter and some of that could be the reason you have no control voltage. If you have some type of control transformer, the secondary should have a little fuse nearby..if so make sure it's not blown. The primary of that control transformer must have line voltage to both connections...no manufactured leg if using a RPC.

Look for some switch that may be open. The 'breaker' you mentioned is probably the magnetic contactor that starts the lathe..right? It should have a reset located onboard to reset the overload if it has been tripped. That would result in no power (circuit) to the buttons. More info is needed to proceed with anymore goose chases.

Stuart

 

[CalG]

YAM made great hardware regardless of label it was sold under.

Ditch the original switch gear and fit a VFD. You will be miles and smiles ahead! Stop fighting 40 year old "Cheap" switches. !!

 

[thermite]

YAM made great hardware regardless of label it was sold under.

Ditch the original switch gear and fit a VFD. You will be miles and smiles ahead! Stop fighting 40 year old "Cheap" switches. !!

LOL! "Standard Cop Out Number One" a VFD is getting to be.

Got any coupons for FREE ones big enuf?



OP hasn't said, but could be he has 'native' 3-Phase arredy and needs but ten minutes with meter, Mark One Eyeball, and proper diagram, a dollar's worth of fuse, a five-buck e-Stop switch, or a free splice or jumper wire.

If it ain't BADLY broke... (and it AIN'T badly broke if manual hold-in runs it at ALL..).

Fix the 'cheap' s**t now, worry about VFD's (AKA "more money"), faster horses, older whiskey, and younger women later.


Bill

 

[crrmeyer]

This is probably obvious, but the up/down lever on the right side of the apron has a switch that turn on the lathe for forward or reverse (center position is off). But on the one I have used, you need to pull the lever to the left (if memory serves) WHILE you move it up or down to turn the lathe on. If you do not, it does not turn on. Probably a safety to prevent the lathe from turning if the lever is just bumped.

Attached is the electrical diagram of the 14" model for reference.

 

[spiningwheels]

Why did the people in the far east brand a lathe with the name cadillac ?
did they think that they woud sell more with tht name instead of a name like ho chi ming ?
far east is great, for the food and for massage girls.

 

[thermite]

Why did the people in the far east brand a lathe with the name cadillac ?
did they think that they woud sell more with tht name instead of a name like ho chi ming ?

Seemed to have worked for American companies who named, for example, automobiles after a city (Oakland), changed it to the name of an Indian chieftain, (Pontiac) ANOTHER town had adopted... named three other cars after Spanish or French explorers, (DeSoto, LaSalle, and Cadillac), another after a dead President (Lincoln) or even a ROCK on a New England beach (Plymouth).

Why should an Asian be any more logical than an American on such things?

I think they have a right wicked sense of humour when they name a mill-drill "Rong Fu" or "FokYuen".

Usually appropriate as well...

 

[J-Head]

My least favorite machine tool names are Osama and Kerry.

 

[Portable Welder]

I'm running the lathe off a 40 Hp rotary phase converter, do you think it might not be big enough, I will have to check the lever on the right side of the machine
.

 

[crrmeyer]

I'm running the lathe off a 40 Hp rotary phase converter, do you think it might not be big enough, I will have to check the lever on the right side of the machine
.

I am not sure which size Cadillac lathe you are using, but the smaller ones had 5 hp or 3/5Hp dual speed motors. So a rotary phase converter of 10Hp or more should be fine. Please let us know how it turns out.

 

[atomarc]

I'm running the lathe off a 40 Hp rotary phase converter, do you think it might not be big enough, I will have to check the lever on the right side of the machine
.

While I'm not sure on this, I believe you need to make sure that the two line legs of your control transformer don't include the 'manufactured' or generated third leg from your RPC. Have you checked to see if you have voltage at the secondary of your control transformer?

Stuart