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New to me Hendey Lathe

Mau5trap91

Plastic
Joined
Jan 18, 2019
New to PM so first off hi everyone.
Just traded a furnace install for a 1920ish 16x8 Hendey conehead lathe, was in the market for a new project and the guy had it buried in car parts so I figured it was worth asking if he would part with it.
It has an under powered 3/4 horse on a 3 speed tractor transmission, the mount won’t let you switch speeds due to location, and it needs some tlc but it spins free.
I found a few numbers on it in various locations but can’t find anything stamped in the ways.
Going to get it oiled up and swap out the motor and I figured this may be a good place just to document the project.
Attempting to upload pictures




 
New Hendey lathe

First off I’m new to PM so hi everybody.
Second attempt at this post, not sure what happened the first time.

I just recently installed a furnace for a guy and took a Hendy 16x8 conehead lathe as partial payment as he just had it sitting in a barn half covered in car parts and figured he may part with it. It seems like a pretty good deal as it came with a steady rest, tapper attachment, 3 chucks, the plate, and plenty of tooling.
The 3/4 ho motor that runs it goes through a 3 speed transmition and due to where it is mounted is only usable with the slowest belt speed. It spins SLOW. I’m new to lathes of this age and have seen a few threads on max rpm but was just curious if there was a “go to” motor rpm/hp that would match the intended line shaft speed as best as possible. I’ll have to rework the transmission and mounting as the 3 speeds are so close together they may as well be 1.
I’ll try to post a few pictures, I just unloaded it in the snow so I haven’t been able to get too many yet. Found a few numbers in various locations but no serial on the ways as I’ve read there should be.







 
Well after getting everything inside and in place I realized the slow spindle speed was due to hendeyitus. I’ve started to disassemble the spindle and have some shim stock arriving today. The diagram I found here has a “ring E” that you back out as you remove the spindle. I have not removed the set screw from the ring because it got late but Ill go back to it today. Is the spindle supposed to slide out freely or is it going to take so coercion? Sorry for the double post originally i got carried away.

P.s. if the pictures are sized wrong please let me know. I use my phone and not a monitor so it appears correct to me. I’ll be posting pictures of the whole spindle removal and shim process when I finish it up.
 
The 3192 tag that's screwed on is military I.D. tag or a company I.D.
I have seen many machines tagged with similar tags.
I could be wrong.

Your pictures are huge on my note 9 phone.
Pictures of the whole lathe inside the building would be nice.
It looks complete.
 
Thanks for the info. It came with a lot, and as far as I can tell the taper attachment is all functional. Learning curve on operating it I’m sure. I’ll adjust picture size and post a few more with actual lighting.
 
Thanks for the info. It came with a lot, and as far as I can tell the taper attachment is all functional. Learning curve on operating it I’m sure. I’ll adjust picture size and post a few more with actual lighting.

The Hendy experts will arrive soon. You are on the right forum to get some history and advice on your lathe. Hendys are known to be well built. Spindle bearings always need attention. It's part of the learning curve.
 
Where was this at. I knew of one in a barn and was talking to the guy and he just kinda disappeared. Was just north of Manchester down by Ohio river.
 
Still giant I’m sorry, I’ll photoshop the next set
Spindle ready to remove but it’s realy in there.









It’s not we’re it goes exactly had to move it out into the mess to work on it. “Shop” is a 5’ move after I get it all running smooth.
 
Well I'd say the other one is still in its barn or a buddy suddenly took an interest in it and got it. Great pictures by the way.
 
Thanks trying to upload a few more but sizing is an issue with mobile upload. I’ll get on my pc at some point and post a few. Spindle is stuck and I’m afraid to beat on it in case I missed removing something. I’m going to wait and see if someone who knows more than I do chimes in before I break a piece of history.
 
Is the spindle supposed to slide out freely or is it going to take so coercion?

VERY SNUG fit in face gear (the largest gear). If it "slides out" it is too loose

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Other thumbnail is their how-to
 

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When you say it "spins slow", it depends on how slow. Old lathes didn't top out at over 450or 500 rpm. And on a conversion with a transmission mounted above it usually the belt drive to the cone pulley is limited to one position. You change speeds with the transmission and back gears.
 
Thanks John, it’s definitely snug. I tried a hammer and block of wood on the rear of the spindle but it wasn’t happening. If the tightest spot is the large gear then maybe I’ll let that soak in penitrator over night and try a soft hammer tomorrow. I was realy concerned about taking a real swing at it so I kind just gave it a few hard taps today.
 
Tom, the top speed I was able to get with the transmition in high gear was around 50rpm. The back gears were engaged but if I tried to run directly to the spindle it just locked up completely and spun the belt or stalled the motor. I’m still learning how the back gear system affects the spindle but I’m hopeing that the low speeds are due to the drag on the bearing and the undersized motor. I just downloaded the south bend how to run a lathe so maybe tomorrow I’ll be able to get caught up a bit. I deal with variable speed dc motors and vfds at work so this is a nice change of pace.
 
Thanks John, it’s definitely snug. I tried a hammer and block of wood on the rear of the spindle but it wasn’t happening. If the tightest spot is the large gear then maybe I’ll let that soak in penitrator over night and try a soft hammer tomorrow. I was realy concerned about taking a real swing at it so I kind just gave it a few hard taps today.

Probably pulling would be nicer to pieces. All thread thru spindle and pull towards tailstock. Big tube to fit over spindle flange and brace against head stock casting. Don't neglect the fact the ring nut E still has to back off every time spindle moves

I'll bet you know the brass dust cap has to unscrew off the front. These can be horribly beat up from past adventures
 
The dust cap had the spaner holes beat into ovals but over all better than expected. There’s a lot of punch marks on pretty much everything, i bet the previous owner just “Tightened” everything to try to fix the problem, there were punch marks on the casting in front of the face gear and it’s not even a moving part. Think maybe if I come along from the tailstock I’d get some movement, or would that be to hard on the bed?

By the way glad I found this forum or I’d be completely lost and would have probably just assumed it was a loss.
 
The dust cap had a the spaner holes beat into ovals but over all better than expected. There’s a lot of punch marks on pretty much everything, i bet the previous owner just “Tightened” everything to try to fix the problem, there were punch marks on the casting in front of the face gear and it’s not even a moving part. Think maybe if I come along from the tailstock I’d get some movement, or would that be to hard on the bed?

Its normal for TS to try to push "other way":D
 
I guess I could just as easily attach to the cross brace between ways and pull. But true I guess the tail stick is pretty much designed for that type of force. I’m probably babying this 2500lb machine more than I have to but it lasted this long in good shape and I don’t want to be the idiot that breaks it after 100 years.

Also is it fairly normal to have a machine with no serial? Wartime maybe and the just skipped it for production sake?
 
If you look hard enough at the TS end between the ways you will find the elusive serial number. Getting the spindle out of the bull gear is easily done if you follow what John said above. Use a pipe that will go over the spindle to the headstock housing chuck end. Run a larger all thread through the spindle and tighten it up. Keep pressure on it an a few blows with a dead blow hammer on the far end and it will move. Remember to loosen the rings as it moves!!! Doing it this way will ensure a straight pull. Trying to use the cross members in the bed to pull will not let you pull straight.
 








 
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