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Lodge and Shipley Powerturn Questions

Ja_cain

Cast Iron
Joined
Feb 9, 2012
Location
USA, Virginia
Looking at a L&S Powerturn with 30" between centers 16.5" swing. Doesn't have taper attachment and has L1 spindle, but I think it has 2k top speed. I feel like this would be an awesome toolroom type of lathe (pretty much given up on a 10ee), but really wanted something with a camlock spindle. I'm sure L&S's of that vintage/model are super rare with camlock. A little bit of advice/insight would be great and much appreciated! Basically just looking for you guys to give me the nudge I need to buy this bad boy. Lol!Screenshot_20201031-163205.jpgScreenshot_20201031-163231.jpgScreenshot_20201031-163311.jpgScreenshot_20201031-163347.jpg

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What is your dislike for L style spindle noses? Look at the condition of the lathe and make your decision. Don't worry about the spindle nose. A hydraulic tracer can be more valuable than a taper attachment if you need one.
 
Looking at a L&S Powerturn with 30" between centers 16.5" swing. Doesn't have taper attachment and has L1 spindle, but I think it has 2k top speed. I feel like this would be an awesome toolroom type of lathe (pretty much given up on a 10ee), but really wanted something with a camlock spindle. I'm sure L&S's of that vintage/model are super rare with camlock. A little bit of advice/insight would be great and much appreciated! Basically just looking for you guys to give me the nudge I need to buy this bad boy. Lol!View attachment 303375View attachment 303376View attachment 303377View attachment 303378

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If it is in good condition and you have the proper spanner, an L1 is faster to swap than a D1... once you get above 3 studs. Maybe even at only three?

Either are MUCH handier than "A" family for swapping workholders.

Backplates and chucks and such are still in the market.

But an L&S with only 30" c-to-c???

Will that be enough gain over a 10EE for you?

Or should you look for more typical L&S with greater long-axis work-envelope?

That massive HS doesn't get any longer, but yah can surely do more "stuff" if there is at least 4 feet 'tween centers even with a drill-chuck in the TS.
 
Powerturns are relatively common with camlock in my experience. The previous Model X are hard to find with anything other than L spindles. I own/owned both types of spindles, doesn’t really matter unless you already have the tooling. Otherwise, if you can’t find native chucks etc, just buy plain back chucks and adapter plates.
 
Thanks for all the replies! I haven't had to do large diameter turning that requires a work envelope larger than that, so it would definitely be a pretty good fit for our operation. We work with a lot of stainless steel and recently had some high pressure vessels made by a machine shop out of hastalloy and monel (3"x3"). I don't have a machine ridged enough to feel comfortable working with the nickel alloys, but this should fit the ticket. Lol! Would easily pay for itself with a job like that. I also have a K&T 3K plain horizontal that I'm doing a little bit of repair/resto on and I feel like this lathe would complement it well. Always felt a nice Monarch/L&S/American would be the logical next step. Not to mention it would take up less space if I decide to move it to my home shop. Can always find a lathe (Axelson) with a bigger work envelope later if needed and have the space. Thanks for everyone that weighed in! I really appreciate it.

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I own one and I'm prejudiced. These are one of the best manual machines ever made.

Too true by half!

In a world of MANY "Grand Old" manual lathes?

Lodge and Shipley simply did everything "well-enough".

And NOTHING AT ALL "badly".

Several generations of skilled hands have been pleased to just get on 'em and do the rest, deliver the goods, pay the bills, minimal drama....

Solid partnership. Worked well. Lasted a long time. Still can.
 
You have a shop with a real use for this lathe? Less than $.50/lb, you can't buy much for less than $.50/lb. What are you waiting for?
 
The old old "by line" or "slogan" was real simple....

Good Lathes Only

And then they did it. First time. Every time. All the time.

Folks didn't "marry" a Lodge & Shipley, go queer over it, tell tall tales about them leaping over tall buildings in a single bound to sub-micron accuracy, nor keep one as a mistress.

They simply took all that for granted, went and made a decent LIVING off that predictability.

Respect. Earned.

What's not to like about that?
 
I must agree with Thermite, 30" between centers is pretty limiting, but if it suits your needs, you'll not find a much better machine. Right up there with Monarchs, Pacemakers, Sidneys and such. Yhe short length is probably keeping the price down and reason it's still available.
 
I must agree with Thermite, 30" between centers is pretty limiting, but if it suits your needs, you'll not find a much better machine. Right up there with Monarchs, Pacemakers, Sidneys and such. Yhe short length is probably keeping the price down and reason it's still available.
Up to this point, I haven't had a need for any real work envelope. This is going to be a sweet machine to thread on though. Do you guys think this is ridged enough to do trepanning oring grooves in hastalloy x or monel? Lol! ;)

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In my shop I have all sizes of lathes up to 40 inch and 270 centers, I would guess over 50% of the work is done on the 16x36 monarch, Nice to have the bigger machines, but the most money has been made on the shorter lathes...there are running all the time...Phil
 
Some thoughts on my visit today. Do more testing and less talking! Lol! This is definitely my fault as I have the gift for the gab. Make sure you fully understand how to operate the machine that you are looking at. All of the feeds, speed selections. Engagement of thread cutting lead and or turning lead. Last of all, make sure you can take some test cuts with it! In the future this will be a requirement of I'm going to dedicate the time to look at something. Don't assume the seller fully understand how to operate the machine. If this had been a 10ee, the story would have been different.

This lathe looked pretty good on the outside, but it was lacking any sort of tool holder that we could use to turn some metal. I actually brought some 1+" 300 and 400 series SS round stock. Could test that as the qctp had the incorrect t nut. The belts were so loose that it was very difficult to get the lathe up to speed. Also, the optical dial thingy for helping you to move the speed levers into the correct position would not budge. Feed engagement handles on the apron for the longitudinal and cross feed would work and there wasn't a holding detent or whatever. No noticable fluid in the head stock. Apron fluid looked ok, but not sure what the normal color is supposed to be. Lathe did not have the micrometer ball stop whatever for the cross slide. This is important to me and probably only came in the tool maker model, but I'm no expert. Everything (carriage/tailstock/compound/cross slide) moved smoothly and the bed ways looked good. Didn't happen to note the backlash. I'm sure it was acceptable. Now I'm sure someone that was familiar with this lathe probably could have handled all of these issues, but I don't have time for another project as this lathe needs to hit the ground running when it gets to the shop. This is by no means a knock to the seller as he had a lot on his plate moving things out of the building to another place since he sold the house and shop. I'm sure he could could easily sell it if he fixed all of the potentially minor problems and could demonstrate it could remove metal. Nothing like a short video of chips flying.

Despite all of that, it was a real pleasure to meet and talk to Dan. I need to get out more and mingle with guys that have been doing this for a while. It's motivational and insightful. Not to mention, it's good experience for checking equipment out and making sure I do my homework, ask all the right questions on the front end and come prepared.

I would love to meet up with someone in the central VA area that has a Lodge & Shipley Powerturn, American or Monarch just so I can familiarize myself with their operation, differences, nuances, etc. If there is anyone out there that has any of these great lathes please PM me as I would love to meet you. Thanks to everyone that weighed in on this thread. I really appreciate it!

Justin

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This right here. I'm an hour away and if the lathe was 54+" machine it would have been in my shop weeks ago.
You should go check it out. Maybe you will have the time/insight to get it working correctly. Even if it's to help a fellow machinest get it sold.

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