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New Lathe Hendey 12x30 Serial 33173

Hartkem

Aluminum
Joined
Jun 6, 2019
Just picked up this lathe from a nice gentleman in southern Missouri. I looked it over before purchasing and it was not under power. The ways appear to have little wear as there isn’t anything noticeable near the headstock. I opened up the headstock and checked all the gear train and found no problems. I hauled it home and starting doing some research. Interestingly when I put the serial number in google a thread came up on here back from Jan 2014 where another member on here was considering purchasing it from down in Texas. Somehow it made its way up from Texas since then. I plan on taking it down and going through it. It is a 12 speed head but has a two speed motor so top speed is over 1000rpm. I’m hoping someone knows more about this lathe and how the 2 speeds on the motor are accomplished.
 
The 2 speed motor is simply switching between four pole and two pole.....and generally an older setup will have the contactors contained in the controll box for all the electrics.........note we are talking three phase,here.....I dont think a 2 sp motor will work thru a electronic inverter,or maybe its the electronics wont like it.Needles to say,you will be familiar with Hendeyman.....who no doubt was prominent on the earlier thread....I suggest you start by confirming,or otherwise ,if you have 3 phase power available.
 
Johnoder, the speed chart does show 1195 as the top speed. Is this not correct? I plan to use a rotary phase converter to power it. I’ve had a 12x36 Birmingham for the past decade. I bought it new because I didn’t know enough about lathes to judge condition. I’ve been happy with that lathe but wanted a nice American one. I am disappointed this lathe does not have a hardened bed. No -H behind the serial number. I hope I made the right decision, I don’t want to restore it only to find out I like the import better.
 
I am disappointed this lathe does not have a hardened bed. No -H behind the serial number.
Not all that big a deal. Take some measuring tools and a calculator to both lathes.

I suspect you'll find the Hendey has about two to four times as much surface area in sliding contact as your B'ham has, also more broadly spaced with lower "leverage" advantage to the forces imposed - hence waaaay lower wear rate, and lower reflection of such wear as does accumulate back into positional accuracy at the tool-tip.

You did say "..little wear"? Seriously overbuilt, and dearly beloved for it, Hendeys are.

:)

I hope I made the right decision, I don’t want to restore it only to find out I like the import better.

Doubtful, other than a need of higher top RPM.

Even so, someone else will have love for a decent Hendey, so low risk.
 
Anything is possible - but for early forties 12 speed that would have to be "unusual". When you get her going, see if you can stand to be around it at those speeds without hearing protection. An additional consideration is type of spindle bearings. At that time Hendey may have still been offering three different set ups - their plain bearings that had done such a fabulous job since a few years past 1900 - Timken precision class, and angular contact precision class ball bearings.

Hendey was kind enough to mark what set up was installed on the round machined housing just left of the chuck and your D type spindle nose. A for instance - if stamped TRB, you have the Timken roller bearings

Johnoder, the speed chart does show 1195 as the top speed. Is this not correct? I plan to use a rotary phase converter to power it. I’ve had a 12x36 Birmingham for the past decade. I bought it new because I didn’t know enough about lathes to judge condition. I’ve been happy with that lathe but wanted a nice American one. I am disappointed this lathe does not have a hardened bed. No -H behind the serial number. I hope I made the right decision, I don’t want to restore it only to find out I like the import better.
 
Hendey was kind enough to mark what set up was installed on the round machined housing just left of the chuck and your D type spindle nose. A for instance - if stamped TRB, you have the Timken roller bearings

I checked this area and there is BB marked in the casting.
 
I checked this area and there is BB marked in the casting.

Thanks! - first BB (angular contact precision ball bearing) equipped Hendey reported on this forum that I am aware of

If replacement is needed should be somewhat less dear than Class 0 Timkens (recent quotes over $900 each).

Such bearings from Fafnir carried a prefix such as 2MM to indicate both their precision class and contact angle

(glad thread got moved to Antique - hendeyman may comment now on serial 33173)
 
Johnoder, what does the DD mean? Are they the plain, medium or the high end bearings?

BB I suppose is what is meant. (I edited Post #12 to state exactly what it meant) All installations were high end - Hendey would have nothing else on the spindle - after all, it was a high end precision lathe and had been for many years. They just had enough SALES SNAP to offer different styles of high end bearings. They had to satisfy young business men who wanted the latest and old business men that swore by the old ways - that had made them well off - if not wealthy
 
Yes I meant BB. I guess my question is are these bearings good for high speed since my speed table shows 1195?
 
Yes I meant BB. I guess my question is are these bearings good for high speed since my speed table shows 1195?

Hendey made the right choice for the spindle speed. It will be interesting to learn if anything was done to the gear train and QC gearbox for this approximate doubling of normal 12 speed spindle speeds. The much upgraded 18 speed (in these respects) only went to 1000 - and was originally a bit over 600

Here is my old write up on their lead screw reverse system - starts at Post #17

Hendey lathe "emergency"!
 
Yes I meant BB. I guess my question is are these bearings good for high speed since my speed table shows 1195?

Precision ball bearings in that size range will be good for waaay more than 1195.
Probably five thousand RPM or better - so long as lube and heat are appropriately managed.

Mind - I don't suggest chasing over 2000-2500 RPM, even with a VFD or the like.

The QCB & such set a lower practical limit than the spindle bearings do.

Same again w/r human reaction time if threading OR power-feed surfacing!

:)
 
Hartkem,

Congratulations to your new old Hendey 12 speed. You will be amazed at the quality and precision of this machine. See that you've drawn the attention of people on this forum far more skilled than I am but just wanted to add that the "Operators Handbook" might be very useful when restoring. Can be ordered from Tony Griffiths, (lathes.co.uk.) Further, by searching this forum, you will find many threads dealing with various Hendey issues. On youtube you can find informative videos abt threading, Hendeystyle, apron rebuilding etc.
Too bad about the crack in the apron but I'm sure this can be fixed. By the way, isn't your clamping lever on the tailstock mounted upside down? It should pass under the hand wheel.
Good luck with your restoration.

Lars
 
Hartkem:

Hendey lathe No. 33173, a 12x30, 12 Speed, Geared Head model, was ordered on March 10, 1942 and scheduled for completion during the last
week of June 1942. Normal operating speed was 600RPM, but the customer ordered the two speed motor to have a 600RPM or 1200 RPM speed
range. It was one of six, 12 Speed lathes that were fitted with two speed motors. The motor specifications were Frame CS284, 3HP, 900RPM/
1800RPM, 208Volts, 60Cycles, 3Phase. The original owner was the Ford Instrument Company, no city or state was listed. There are still
some Patterns, Castings and Repair Parts left in inventory for this lathe. All of the original drawings are still in the files, so parts
can be made if required.

Hendeyman
 
Thanks Hendeyman,

Very interesting information. Under the serial number is a US with an an anchor. I was told this means US navy. Being that Ford instrumental co was a main supplier to them this makes sense.
 








 
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