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Disaster - toppled new to me 13”...

Craig1017

Plastic
Joined
Mar 29, 2019
Drove from ID to Sacramento, picked it up, unloaded it safely with the cherry picker. Lifted it a last time to sit it on 4 HF “car mover” Dolly’s so I could push it into the shop. One of the damned dollies folded/collapsed and the lathe toppled onto its face...

Broke all the handwheels, the belt tension lever, all the screws holding the QC gear box to the bed. Both quick change levers are in at least 4 pieces. Gear train cover is broken. I’m beside myself. Not sure if it’s worth chasing down replacement parts given their individual costs.

I do have another 13, but it’s the older single tumbler and small bore headstock type. The newer, now crashed/broken lathe, was to be my originals upgrade/replacement as it had a double tumbler with a 2-1/4” threaded spindle. It came with a taper attachment (luckily I had removed it) several chucks that will not fit my older lathe.

Is it possible to swap headstocks? The designs seem significantly different from one another. I’m absolutely pissed at myself, harbor freight, and pretty much anyone within earshot when it happened this afternoon!
 
I might have some spare parts that could be of use to you. I also have a 13, but it's a single tumbler gear box. 1 3/8" spindle bore. Model CL8145B. If you managed to mangle your lead screw or either feed screw, i'll make you some replacements provided you cover shipping fees.
 
Can't say whether it's theoretically possible, check dimensions/locations of belts/drive pulleys and gears compared to.small spindle headsfock to see there are any differences. Likely someone here has the answer...

If all are in identical locations, it would be a matter of scraping the large bore headstock to the older bed. All headstocks were individually hand-scraped into alignment with the bed at the factory, and a "swap" would likely be misaligned without it being done.

I almost felt similar pain just a couple weeks ago when moving an 11 x 56 Sheldon into the shop on a couple of cheap HF furniture dollys. 2,000 lbs capacity ea my ass... one of the wheels collapsed. Was able recover without damage or further incident but lesson learned.
 
Can't say whether it's theoretically possible, check dimensions/locations of belts/drive pulleys and gears compared to.small spindle headsfock to see there are any differences. Likely someone here has the answer...

If all are in identical locations, it would be a matter of scraping the large bore headstock to the older bed. All headstocks were individually hand-scraped into alignment with the bed at the factory, and a "swap" would likely be misaligned without it being done.

I almost felt similar pain just a couple weeks ago when moving an 11 x 56 Sheldon into the shop on a couple of cheap HF furniture dollys. 2,000 lbs capacity ea my ass... one of the wheels collapsed. Was able recover without damage or further incident but lesson learned.

All you idiots that shop hf get what you deserve. The lathe sure did not deserve to be owned and moved by a knucklehead even if it was only a SB. And you guys will keep shopping at hf because it's "cheap". What did it cost you??? You will still shop there because it's cheap and "some of the stuff they sell is good" As long as idiots buy there they will never improve, they will always sell junk.
 
I did that swap...Some realignment between headstock and bed was necessary and the tailstock doesn't line up perfectly. But it did bolt right on.

IIRC, the cast iron cover covering the back end of the spindle needed the spindle clearance hole enlarged. It's been 25 years, so don't remember exactly what was required, but suffice it to say that it's possible, and not that hard or I wouldn't have been able to do it.
 
Depending on the variables at play it might be worth turning in on your H.O. insurance. Sorry to hear that happened. I’d guess you’d be better off selling what’s left and finding a new one. I’ve rented forklifts when a seller didn’t have a one. $250 is probably less than all the new handles.

I’m just glad you didn’t get hurt. A lathe can be replaced.
 
Very sorry to hear. I almost dropped my 16 inch getting off the trailer - my wife is still rolling her eyes over that one. I dropped my Reid hydraulic surface grinder on its back getting it off the truck. Folks on this board told me to junk it but the Reid service engineer convinced me to fix it - glad I did. My buddy has a grinder for flywheels (professional racer) - looks like a small blanchard grinder. Dropped it getting it off the truck. Unfortunately it happens.

I would take a step back, determine exactly all the damage and then hunt for parts. If you can find the parts then go for it. I saw a GB case on ebay, but I don't know if it will fit a 13 inch.
 
Thanks Moonbeam machine - your empathy is resounding. The dollies were supposedly rated 1500# ea for a total of 6000#. The Lathe might weigh 1500 total - should have been fine. As far as I know, Kurt vise doesn’t make car dollies - not sure there is a USA manufacturer.
 
You could braze parts together that aren't precision surfaces or shattered. I had to fix a broken mounting surface on my threading dial for my heavy 10. Parts can be repainted to hide the brazed joints.

Sorry for the problems.
 
Thanks Moonbeam machine - your empathy is resounding. The dollies were supposedly rated 1500# ea for a total of 6000#. The Lathe might weigh 1500 total - should have been fine. As far as I know, Kurt vise doesn’t make car dollies - not sure there is a USA manufacturer.

I believe it's 1600#. A substantial fraction of it is on the headstock end, though. Sorry to hear about your mishap. I'm about to move one of those out, and a larger lathe in. Both will be skidded with wood (no wheels), dragged up or down a ramp on the skids, and lifted vertically from above using slings through bed webbing where there's room. Not the only way, and perhaps not the best way, but something to think about.
 
You could braze parts together that aren't precision surfaces or shattered. I had to fix a broken mounting surface on my threading dial for my heavy 10. Parts can be repainted to hide the brazed joints.

Sorry for the problems.

yep, you have to look pretty close at one of my lathes to tell that somebody brazed all the handles back on 40? yrs ago.
 
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The carnage ...

Looks like crossfeed and compound handwheels, I think I can make the compound bolt. Maybe buy a 4” hand wheel and machine it to fit the cross feed.

Both handles for the quick change gear box. The handle for the belt tension - I think this one can be brazed, or maybe tig welded w Si-Bronze. I think the slotted alignment tab on the underside of the gearbox can be pounded out. And somehow the gib for the compound broke.

A few screws to reattach the gearbox. Definitely still salvagible, but I’ll have to chase a few parts.

I’m still baffled that the dollies failed - the bolts are made out of some very porous casted type material, that is what failed, and the whole thing toppled to the right when pushing it into the shop.
 
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The carnage ...

Looks like crossfeed and compound handwheels, I think I can make the compound bolt. Maybe buy a 4” hand wheel and machine it to fit the cross feed.

Both handles for the quick change gear box. The handle for the belt tension - I think this one can be brazed, or maybe tig welded w Si-Bronze. I think the slotted alignment tab on the underside of the gearbox can be pounded out. And somehow the gib for the compound broke.

A few screws to reattach the gearbox. Definitely still salvagible, but I’ll have to chase a few parts.

I’m still baffled that the dollies failed - the bolts are made out of some very porous casted type material, that is what failed, and the whole thing toppled to the right when pushing it into the shop.

3 pieces of 1" round bar about 3' long and a floor jack under the leg cross brace with the legs only 1" off the floor and it never would have happened.
 
Man Craig , sorry for yer loss!!!!!!!
"experience is something ya don't have till the day after ya need it "
animal
 








 
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