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Lodge and Shipley Powerturn

jermfab

Cast Iron
Joined
Jul 25, 2013
Location
atlanta, ga
I’ve been lusting after a BIG American machine for a while now. I’m in Atlanta... machine tools of any stripe are rare down here in the south and proper, “big-boy” machines rarely come up.

So I’ve been scouring eBay and waiting for a machine worth pulling the trigger on. I first saw this machine yesterday. I made a lowball offer to get things rolling, the seller came back to me and accepted my counter to his offer.

Pictures in the listing are neither great, nor plentiful, but here are the best three:
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I haven’t seen the machine in person, I’m fully aware how risky that is, but for the price I negotiated, coupled with eBay and PayPal’s buyer protections I’m pretty sure I won’t get stuck with scrap iron.

The machine does have a rebuilders placard:
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Best guess is that rebuild was a coat of paint that seems to still be holding on fairly well. If anyone here has any knowledge of Hoffacker I’d be interested to know about them. There’s a post on PM about a grinder, but I haven’t found much else.

In any case, my excitement is stronger than my trepidation, as long as it gets to me in one piece I don’t foresee too many issues from the pictures. And if it sucks, I’ll send it back.

Pros:
1740-rpm spindle speed
Taper-attachment
DRO already mounted

Cons:
Only a 3-jaw and nothing in the way of any other tooling.

I’ll be in the market for a 4-jaw chuck, once I’m certain of what the spindle mount is and a handful of 3MT to 5MT adapter sleeves.

Hopefully I didn’t let emotion open my wallet, in any case, if anyone here feels the need to burst my bubble, or spots something I’ve missed, do it quickly. I haven’t even started on logistics and it should be no problem at all to get my money back now.



Be safe and stay healthy




Jeremy
 
In its predecessor Model X days, the 1740 came with 15 HP. This would have been on the 14, 16 and 20 standard

I'll guess D1-6" spindle nose - and if not that it will be L1

Overall, one of the best
 
it looks to be in decent shape based on little that can be seen. If it does what you want it to and it was a price you are happy with then you've done well.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
Sellers estimate is 12k. I’m pretty sure it’s at least 10k. No matter what, it isn’t going in a pickup bed and I’m not gonna be using a pallet-jack to move it around as I can easily my my Clausing 1300.

Unfortunately the seller misrepresented the lathes location. It was listed in Norcross, GA. an Atlanta suburb and appears to actually be in LaGrange, GA... significantly farther. Thankfully the seller was open about his mistake and I have an open and shut case with eBay for a refund. I’m gonna have to do some thinking about whether I’m gonna keep looking or take this bird in hand.

This lathe in proximity and configuration are as close to ideal as I’m likely to get. Lack of tooling, the farther distance and the missing 260-rpm are the biggest drawbacks and none are that serious. The speed difference is negligible on a machine of this size and either spindle-nose configuration can be had with relative ease. A steady rest or two may prove harder, but I’m sure they can be had. The BXA tool post and holders and MT3 centers and drill chucks I have may look tiny in this beast, but I can make it all work for now.

I’m waiting to see how the seller wants to proceed. The added distance and time being money and all means my options are limited. I hope to keep this thread alive with happy pictures of me sharing all the “new-to-me” machine stuff.

Please keep your fingers crossed for me.




Be safe and stay healthy





Jeremy
 
Some on PM say truck cranes dont exist in US.....nevertheless,even 6 ton can be moved by a bigger truck mounted crane........I just moved a Landis grinder that weighed 6+ ton,and got an overkill crane (Palfinger 32 ton metre) to move it ,and he lifted the grinder just like it was nothing....and a radial drill too ....If the situation was slightly different the truck companies normal 18 ton metre cranes could easily have moved it,at a somewhat lower hourly rate.....Ive found distance doesnt add greatly to the cost,slinging for the lift and tying down on the truck take just as long....In my case ,I got a fixed quote of $550 for the move,which wasnt too bad spread over two machines....(if only the grinder hadnt spewed oil all over the truck!)
 
These L&S lathes are an example of the best ever made in the USA and they are rare to find. Do not hesitate in acquiring this machine, no matter where it is. They will never be worth less.
 
Yes, the putting on and taking off the truck are the money, the mileage not so much.

I would continue with the purchase.
 
I put in a call for quotes from a couple equipment movers, one happens to be based in LaGrange. I’ve got access to a truck that’ll haul the load and a trailer that’s worthy, but I’ll have to rent a lift to unload. I’ve got a few low friends in high places at the local equipment rental yards. I should have enough information to make a final call by the end of the day today.



Be safe and stay healthy




Jeremy
 
I put in a call for quotes from a couple equipment movers, one happens to be based in LaGrange. I’ve got access to a truck that’ll haul the load and a trailer that’s worthy, but I’ll have to rent a lift to unload. I’ve got a few low friends in high places at the local equipment rental yards. I should have enough information to make a final call by the end of the day today.



Be safe and stay healthy




Jeremy

I was thikning the original hauling was going to be, that you would hire a rigger with a crane truck, go get it, and bring it back.

My neighbor had a local cement precast neighbor bring his crane truck, and it handled the 26,000 lb Horizontal borer with ease.
The trucks I am talking about are not a huge affair, they sit behind the cab, and
there is plenty of room on the flatbed portion for your lathe.
 
I have a CVA built Powerturn (which, coincidentally needs a new home). It is a 21" x 102 between centers and the actual weight is 9300#.
 
The 20" x 78" L & S Model X lathe I had weighed in right at 8,000 lbs. That looks like another 2 feet in length longer than mine, I say the weight is around 8500-9000 lbs. We used a local roll back wrecker service to drag it out of my garage and load it onto a split deck trailer for it's journey west.
If that Miller syncroweld welder is for sale, see if he will pitch it in to sweeten up the deal!
 
The pictures suck, but I’m pretty sure that’s an Aerowave, not a Synchrowave. I’ve already got a Synchrowave 250, so I’m not in the market and would only take an Aerowave if they gave it to me. Even then I’d expect to hate myself WHEN it stopped working. I’ve never run one, but several credible sources have told me the Aerowaves were better than the latest Dynasty’s, but were a little too ahead of their time... doubtful many of them work anymore and whatever parts are left can make their own price.




Be safe and stay healthy





Jeremy
 
I owned and run a model 1610 for close to 25 years!
Back in the mid 80s gear head lathes were hard to get and cost considerably more in dollars that were worth more, anyway I made good money with the machine.
I was warned about a few items with the powerturn, by more then one machine tool dealers I knew back then,
The clutch can be a problem, if it was not kept adjusted, and the plates get cooked.
That subject can include Axelson, because they use the same clutch. Maybe someone knows about replacement or rebuild, evidently it was a problem some decades ago, my clutch was good, I kept it adjusted.
The clutch should engage, go to neutral "the spindle will stop on its own" or the lever can be pushed past neutral into the brake position. Those actions should be smooth.
The shipper clutch on the L&S has two parts, the other side is used as a brake. It is a single unit.

The machine I had top speed was 2000 rpms, the machine made a terrible racket in those higher speeds, where the American Pacemaker was much better.
The machine was happier at rpms below 800, that worked out fine for what I used it for.
I spent 4000 to replace some gears to see if that would help, it did not.
I checked on the cost of the replaceable ways 54" center distance model, it was
$22000 for both V ways back in the 1980s!

I think they are great machines, in my opinion both American and Monarch were better in many ways, but the powerturn is a heavy pattern machine that will move more metal then most other models of the time,
I found it hard to do smaller parts on, if the part size was 2" or smaller, I would use a smaller lathe.
The 4 jaw chucks that came with the Powerturns were at one time were heavy Cushman solid steel, not drilled out from the back.
I sold my powerturn several years ago, and wanted to find one of those Cushman chucks in 12", got lucky and found one for about $250 shipped from hgr, a little dirty and rusty, but it cleaned up good.
Good luck on the machine!
 
She’s coming home!:

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The machine is dusty, but looks in great shape. I’ve got my work ahead of me...




Be safe and stay healthy



Jeremy
 
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The DRO was serviced in 2017 according to the stamp on it. Scales look in good condition.
Carriage ways are in great shape, tail stock ways have some nicks and dings and what I imagine is the factory flaking starts to disappear about halfway down the bed. Hardened steel ways don’t show any wear. All the gears in the head stock seemed to engage, same for the quick change. Taper attachment is totally complete. It definitely doesn’t seem like this machine is in BAD shape. It’s been used, doesn’t seem to have been abused though.






Be safe and stay healthy




Jeremy.
 
Monarch Machine Tool was building L&S Powerturns when they sold the Sidney, Ohio company to Monarch Lathe LP. They can supply parts and manual for this machine.

John
 
I think they "Monarch" may still rebuild them.
The machine will probably be fine, the ways can show wear, and the machine still. turn true enough.
The machine, is heavy built, hard to break things, and that is good, parts if available, are very expensive.
 








 
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