Heavier Toolroom Lathes: Monarch vs Lodge & Shipley vs American vs ...

[rpseguin]

Heavier Toolroom Lathes: Monarch vs Lodge & Shipley vs American vs ...

Maybe there needs to be a thread on daughters working American lathes;

Absolutely let’s have a kids thread!!
Great picture!
I love the coveralls!

The education of my kids is the primary reason/excuse/cover story for my cast iron addiction! :-)

 

[texasgeartrain]

Maybe there needs to be a thread on daughters working American lathes;

She thinks everyone's ability to hold tolerance kind of sucks. She eagerly awaits the day where her standard sarcastic line is: "Do I need to get my daughter in here to do it ?"

 

[EmGo]

She thinks everyone's ability to hold tolerance kind of sucks.

Of course. With a t-shirt like that, we already know she's especially talented

p.s. Don't even try to pretend that's houston or galveston !

 

[TheOldCar]

I'm gleaning from this thread as I too am ready for a bigger lathe.

I was considering this Pacemaker, since one of my Monarchs came from these guys and the transaction turned out excellent. I got the Monarch for MUCH lower than they were asking. Last week I asked them for more pictures of this Pacemaker and got some, but it now shows lots of flash rust from being tarped outside. Too risky for me without seeing it in person, anyway.

Here's the link: 18" x 60" American Pacemaker 1860 Engine Lathe Taper Attachment Heavy Duty | eBay

Not to hijack, but I was also looking at an Andrychow Tug 40 they have available. Wimpy enough motor that my RPC can handle, 18" swing (25" with gap), both inch & metric threading and a spindle that all my "big" chucks will fit (D1-6).

From what I've read here on PM searches, they get good reviews. I imagine the Tug 40 would feel a bit less tough than my Series 60? My 60 is only 15.5" swing over bed, and only 30" between centers.

ALSO: I'm not a salesman for the machinery dealer selling the Pacemaker!

 

[texasgeartrain]

Of course. With a t-shirt like that, we already know she's especially talented

p.s. Don't even try to pretend that's houston or galveston !

Its right in between those two cities actually !

Bay Area Youth Symphony

Brutal news though. They shut from the covid non-sense, and have not recovered. They're dissolving the organization. Auditions have already completed for 2021-2022 at other like symphonies in the area. . . So she'll have been out of it for about 2 1/2 years before getting a shot again. Damn shame, she excels in the orchestra too. Its just a real nice community thing where I worry less . Hopefully someone puts something together though, quite a bit of kids in it.

 

[texasgeartrain]

I'm gleaning from this thread as I too am ready for a bigger lathe.

I was considering this Pacemaker, since one of my Monarchs came from these guys and the transaction turned out excellent.

Here's the link: 18" x 60" American Pacemaker 1860 Engine Lathe Taper Attachment Heavy Duty | eBay


ALSO: I'm not a salesman for the machinery dealer selling the Pacemaker!

That lathe has been for sale by them for a year at least I'm thinking. Don't know that means anything, was guessing the price put some folks off. When I was shopping for a bigger lathe last summer I remember that listing.

 

[EmGo]

Brutal news though. They shut from the covid non-sense, and have not recovered. They're dissolving the organization.

Why ? that's stupid. There must be a lot of other members in the same situation, maybe you can put something together.

 

[TheOldCar]

That lathe has been for sale by them for a year at least I'm thinking. Don't know that means anything, was guessing the price put some folks off. When I was shopping for a bigger lathe last summer I remember that listing.

I was tempted to offer $3500 but the updated pictures scared me away!

 

[EmGo]

I was tempted to offer $3500 but the updated pictures scared me away!

The serial number looks totally wrong - too many digits, and doesn't end correctly. But possibly, they dropped the last digit and the dash so it should be 35247-5x. That would say it's a fifties machine which would mean flame hardened ways. 1500 is fast for that era and size, too. But they don't show you the cast-in size, so if they are just measuring the swing it's a 16 x 54.

The Tug-40 sounds like it'd be more versatile for you ...

 

[Greg Menke]

She thinks everyone's ability to hold tolerance kind of sucks. She eagerly awaits the day where her standard sarcastic line is: "Do I need to get my daughter in here to do it ?"

View attachment 324448

Dad you cut it twice and its still too small!

 

[4GSR]

Or dad, "it's two tenths too small!!! WTF!!!"

I have a five year old granddaughter that loves to come out in the shop and twist and turn the knobs and handwheels on my 14" lathe and mill and she's interested! Also have a 11 year old nephew who I let him do some whittling on the lathe for a few minutes recently, to get an idea what it's all about.

 

[EmGo]

Or dad, "it's two tenths too small!!! WTF!!!"

That's because everything's a little smaller in Texas

 

[TheOldCar]

The Tug-40 sounds like it'd be more versatile for you ...

I think you're right. That and maybe the old Mazak or a Mori?

 

[EmGo]

maybe the old Mazak or a Mori?

We had a pretty new 17" genuine Mori at Websterville. I didn't like it at all, my friend loved the thing and disliked the Monarchs. So gotta test it out in person, I guess. Different strokes and all that.

 

[Garwood]

We had a pretty new 17" genuine Mori at Websterville. I didn't like it at all, my friend loved the thing and disliked the Monarchs. So gotta test it out in person, I guess. Different strokes and all that.

Same deal here. When I was starting out I looked at a bunch of Mori and Mori clones. They look pretty, but they are very lightweight/fragile. I have seen more Mori manual lathes with wadded up headstocks than all other machines combined. Pre-DMG Mori made top notch CNC stuff. Their manual stuff was nothing great IMO.

Those Mazak Hercules things are low end machines. They don't belong on your list if you are looking for something good.

Some people are under the impression Mazak is an upper end machine. I think those people have limited exposure.

 

[rpseguin]

Same deal here. When I was starting out I looked at a bunch of Mori and Mori clones. They look pretty, but they are very lightweight/fragile. I have seen more Mori manual lathes with wadded up headstocks than all other machines combined. Pre-DMG Mori made top notch CNC stuff. Their manual stuff was nothing great IMO.

Could you please elaborate on what you mean by wadded up headstocks?
Gears/headstock problems? Bearings?

Those Mazak Hercules things are low end machines. They don't belong on your list if you are looking for something good.

Some people are under the impression Mazak is an upper end machine. I think those people have limited exposure.

Thanks for your response!

I certainly don't have lots of experience, so it is good to hear from people who have lots more than me.

I know a shop locally that has a bunch of Mazak/Yamazaki manual machines and I asked them what they liked about them. His answer was that they were cheap, as they had bought them from a place that was closing down. My question was more along the lines of features in running them and usability.

I've never run a Mazak/Yamazaki.

 

[Cole2534]

I still have a 24x126 2XC L&S for sale.

 

[rpseguin]

I still have a 24x126 2XC L&S for sale.

If I had space…

Anybody selling a Tardis?

 

[Garwood]

Could you please elaborate on what you mean by wadded up headstocks?
Gears/headstock problems? Bearings?

Most I looked at had broken gears and bent shafts. The innards are not very substantial. I specifically remember one genuine Mori about 20x80 sized that I was considering buying because it was $1000 loaded. Something wasn't right in the headstock. There was a rhythm/thumping. The seller let me open it up to see how bad it was. One of the more substantial shafts had splines on it with about a 1/2 spline twist over a few inches. The parts cost to repair was more than buying a nice working machine.

As far as import asian machines go that I have seen The Mazaks are turds. The Mori's and clones are decent, but lightweight. They are like a Leblond regal. The Takisawa TSL-800/1000 lathes are about the same build as the Mori's, but better proportioned for a small machine and don't demand the "Mori premium" people like to apply to the Mori manual lathes.

I have never seen an Okuma manual lathe in person, but I have wanted to check one out. They look like they could be a heavier weight go-getter, but boy are they a rare bird.

If you want the best of the best heavy manual lathes I think you are firmly stuck in the offerings from the best American builders of the 1950's and 60's.

If you really wanted to simplify it as far as possible, the one defining feature would be toolsteel insert ways. If they don't have that, they aren't at the top.

 

[thermite]

If I had space…

Anybody selling a Tardis?

Wellll... "sort of...."

Looking for a Place in the Sun? How About an Abandoned Spanish Village - The New York Times

Italy has them, too. And "not only".

All the smart folks moved to the shiddies.

Then f****d them up.

Go figure we still call them "smart?"

??