Help where to find spinning lathe

I'm looking for a good beginner spinning lathe. I'm in Colorado USA. I used one*back in college (8years ago) to make a few bowls. Any guidance on what I*Should get and where. I'm thinking I would like one That could do up to an 8-10inch*disc. In college I was using 6inch copper disc out of 18 gauge sheet.

For the project I would like to do I would like to be able to do copper, aluminum, silver, and maybe bronze.

Fishingchap said:

I'm looking for a good beginner spinning lathe. I'm in Colorado USA. I used one*back in college (8years ago) to make a few bowls. Any guidance on what I*Should get and where. I'm thinking I would like one That could do up to an 8-10inch*disc. In college I was using 6inch copper disc out of 18 gauge sheet.

For the project I would like to do I would like to be able to do copper, aluminum, silver, and maybe bronze.

Click to expand...

I know a silversmith that spins, and he spun me a set of sterling sake cups a few years ago.

He has 2 lathes, one was converted to a motor, but was originally run by line shaft. The other is a tad newer, but may have had a motor on it originally.

Both of his lathes are Pryibils. They were made around the turn of the 1900s in NY. The lathe is only one piece of the puzzle, you need useful tooling to make it really useful, but you can make much of it yourself given some patience and time.

They pop up on ebay from time to time, but asking price is always pretty high. Here's one that is listed at the moment in PA.

3" Pryibil metal spinning lathe with 31 tools | eBay

The asking price is typically between $5k-$10k. I've watched some sit for months. I don't think people will pay that for them.

Other people convert a normal lathe and build up the tool post. The tool post is the biggest issue, as it need to be solid because the burnishing tools used for shaping need a very solid post because they free float like woodworking lathe tool posts work.

One thing I would consider if I was wanting to spin would be to remove the compound entirely and replace it with a solid mounting tool post. You would get more rigidity by eliminating the compound.

Here's the website to my friend that spins. If you look under his studio page you'll see some pics of the Pryibil he uses. I believe he got the lathe from his mentor, Porter Blanchard, when he died. Silversmithing is a dying art, in the traditional sense, and not a lot of spinning going on, but Randy does do it and I have, err...my wife has a pair of sake cups to prove it.

Randy Stromsoe

As the Randy Stromsoe studio pictures suggest, hammers and stakes are a more traditional means of forming sheet metal than spinning. I took a class at the local art school in 1974 and had no trouble making bowls from copper, brass and German silver. This method is called raising.

I saw a TV woodworker show a few years ago that demonstrated spinning aluminum sheet on a modern (good quality) variable speed wood lathe. Whether you need an antique spinning lathe or just a Powermatic 45 or equivalent wood lathe is a matter of the type of work planned.

Larry

Greetings,

I worked on a pair of Prybil spinning lathes in college. Basically, they were just (A) old, and (B) really beefy wood lathes.
Worked on the headstock bearings on one of them. Babbit, with a ball-bearing thrust washer at the far end. The babbit had wallowed out, shockingly.
They're not *exactly* wood lathes, but you can, and I have, spun on modern wood lathes. Our ball bearings are a whole lot better than what was available 100 years ago. The biggest difference is the toolpost, but with a modern wood lathe, all you really need to do is add the pin-holding top bar to a standard toolrest clamp. The other tweak that the Prybils have is that the tailstock has a pretty quick thread, so the tailstock 'snaps' in faster than a modern wood lathe's would. (if the chuck were chucked by a woodchuck...)
If you use a modern machine, and eat the bearings, you can just replace them. Even several replacements is still probably going to be cheaper than scrounging a century old Prybil, and getting it running.
The big thing to remember is that lard is your friend.
(and I'd very much like to have had an infinitely variable speed lathe back when I was spinning silver.)

FWIW,
Brian

For 5K to 10K, I'd buy a real metalworkinng lathe, and make the accessories needed for spinning. You will also need to make various spinning mandrils.

My metal spinning experience is scant so I may be over-simplifying. I've made any number of flingers, labyrinth baffles, and shallow bowl shapes but never did any serious work like the bell of a brass instrument for example.

Wood lathes abound while factory made spinning lathes are pretty scarce.

I would think most any beefy pro grade wood lathe (Oliver comes to mind) could be converted for metal spinning in lighter gages. However spinning requires largish "prying forces" (for lack of a better term). I think the usual wood lathe banjo and tool rest will do the job in light soft copper but heaver gages and stouter materials mandate stiffer stronger arrangements. I would think there will have to be some serious mods to the tool support.

Here's a guy who offers mods. I haven't looked; maybe he offers a kit.
'
http://www.jamesriser.com/MyLathesSm/ForSpinning.html

An engine lathe is stiff and strong. I've done any number of small spinning projects on an engine lathes, which incidentally makes spinning forms a simple operation. Make the form and spin the work the next step. All the limited metal spinning has been gained on a metal lathe.

So, in the absence of a metal spinning lathe dropping from heaven I''d suggest a wood lathe with mods or metal lathe with form-making abilities but with some awjkwardnesses.

I've done a lot of metal spinning and have owned many lathes and still have my 2 favorites: By George and Pacific, both ball bearing The George is the best. I just noticed that Century Machinery here in LA has a 27" George but no price - probably expensive.

Should be able to weld one up pretty quickly, use the bearing hub from
a modern front wheel drive car, check rock auto.

Take a look at the general layout of the <spit> 3-in-1 machines.

Buy a used one for cheap, turf the so-called milling head under the bench and use the 'lathe' for your spinning.

Gets you a tall center height, a moveable carriage, and a tailstock, all in one inexpensive package.

Cheers
Trev

I have a Karle Spin Shop lathe for sale. It will handle a 12" disc. Also, I wrote up how to make a decent spinning lathe from a 3 in 1 machine for Home Shop Machinist mag. It is now reprinted in one of their silver books.
Jim

Most people don't realize how much thrust force the bearings need to withstand even with light hobby spinning. Of course we all know about the force from the tool forming the metal but most don't think about the clamping force from your tailstock. Your part must be clamped tight to your mandrel - in most cases.

I have a small By-George machine rusting away on my scrap pile. Missing the tailstock, legs and motor. It does have the banjo and the tool rest with the pin holes. It has a solid spindle with perhaps, a 1.5"-8 nose like a 9" South Bend.

I didn't know George ever made a small lathe, his spindle was usually 2 1/4-6.

There are currently two spinning lathes on craigslist in Indiana >>> Metal spinning lathe - tools - by owner - sale. They seem rather overpriced to me, but I must admit I know nothing about spinning lathes.

Mike

Mikel Levy said:

There are currently two spinning lathes on craigslist in Indiana >>> Metal spinning lathe - tools - by owner - sale. They seem rather overpriced to me, but I must admit I know nothing about spinning lathes.

Mike

Click to expand...

$1800 is a fair/good price

When pricing a spinning lathe, it is wise to look at what comes with it. I spin 100% on metal spinning chucks - anything from brass to steel (depending on the quantity of items to be spun). My 26" Haag spinning lathe came with a cross slide that plugs into the banjo when in use. This allows turning the spinning chuck on the very lathe that will use it. I also shape steel chucks freehand with special tools. Doing so speeds up the whole manufacturing process. This lathe has a disc centering device and a dedicated trimming device. Scissor tools are another expensive option beyond the usual drag tools. Be sure to ask about the "extras" if any. Do not count on extras, though as often a spinner will just be selling off an extra lathe.
Jim