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Looking for a new 22x60 engine lathe for our toolroom...what brands to look at?

I

IQRaceworks

Aluminum
Joined
Jun 18, 2010
Location
MISSOURI
I'm in the process of trying to find a new (or nice used) engine lathe for our tool and die department. Something like a 20x60 gap bed would be perfect. Being able to pull the gap out and swing a 30" part would really come in handy every now and then.

What are some good new and used brands to check out? The "Cadillac" 22x60 lathes look nice, but I think they are just Chinese imported lathes that Webb slaps their name on. Most of the new lathes I've seen are like that. I was also looking at a new 20x60 DALIAN lathe....but it looks like a light duty import also.

Are the JET lathes any good?

Any suggestions?

Thanks
 
Metric and/or inch?

What materials are cut?

What cutting tools?

Which tool holding system?

What voltages?

What are you used to?

Spindle bore needed/wanted?

Are you hoping to use existing chucks etc? Which system?

Tailstock? Turret?
 
Toolmex - Manual Lathes - Toolmex Corporation

The closest thing to old American iron currently made. They made 18, 20, and 22 inch lathes also, I think you can get one imported on special order, used ones are available on the used market at good prices, because few people realize what they are. I've had an 18X80 since '79, it's had a hard life and still does ±.0002 work.
 
Kingston HD22x60 , or HL if you can go 80" bed and I think those are a bit more $ than the HD. Either way, both are really nice machines, great reviews, specs are great and probably the best you'll find at a good price for the higher quality you are getting.

FORGET dalian, Jet, and all that other crap, and yes that includes victor, sharp, and others that are new. Some of those were decent until a few years ago, but no longer are worth the $ they want for them. Don't believe me, go see the finish in their ways and fit of the parts, oh and the plate that used to say Taiwan but now says china.

Good luck affording a the Fat lathes sold by Toolmex, nice yes, but you could get 2 Whacheons HL-530(23") for that price.
 
In that size range, if used is OK, consider TOS. Not that by itself it's a reason t buy a lathe, but these have the nicest feed engage I've ever seen. Single lever for both directions of both axes -- lever go left, carriage go left; lever go right, carriage go right; lever go up, crossfeed go in; lever go down, crossfeed go out. Sweet.

I agree 20" swing with 30" in the gap is a helluva toolroom lathe. I'm looking for a toolroom lathe also (can't afford new though), and I figure 15-17" is about the tipping point to leave toolroom territory. If you find something used that's not quite 20" swing, let me know :cheers: .

Regards.

Finegrain
 
S_W_Bausch said:
Metric and/or inch?

What materials are cut? Inch

What cutting tools? Index-able Carbide Tooling

Which tool holding system? We are currenlty using a Dorian quick Change type setup

What voltages? 460v

What are you used to? see below

Spindle bore needed/wanted? 3" or better would be nice

Are you hoping to use existing chucks etc? Which system? No

Tailstock? Turret?
Click to expand...


We currently have two lathes in our toolroom. A Clausing 6913 and a JET 1860. The Clausing 6913 had the variable drive system take a dump on it, like most of them out there....and parts are not available any more. The JET works well for our needs, but I would like to replace the Clausing with something better and newer.
 
If you are in no hurry, I'd wait it out till a pristine used but late model LeBlond Makino, Hwacheon, Lion, TOS or Nardini pops up in that size range. Only thing about Nardini is that even though they are still in business, no one in the USA is dealing with them anymore, so parts would be problematic in the future. (unless you speak Portugese and have relatives in Brazil)
 
Most important, What's the budget? And the list Bausch posted. Better make a bullet point list of requirement and features. A 22" lathe coveres a wide range from a $9000 bare bones import to a $100,000 barely used top of the line fully equipped Monarch

Secondarily what are the local prejudices? There are a number of good import lathes that due to prejudices will never measure up becaue of the negative atmosphere.

Also, do you need heavy roughing capacity with 20 HP spinde drives and D1-11 spindles? I think the last of the heavy duty roughing lathes (Monarch) failed to survive the 80's and most pooped ou in the 70's Lodge & Shipley, American, Axelson).

"Toolroom" refers more to the range of included features and attachments than special precision. A toolroom lathe will have steady and follow rests, 3 and 4 jaw, set of collets and the closer, taper attachment, coolant pump, a DRO, face plate, dead centers. Once upon a time you could add to that a relieving attachment, a range of change gears to supplement the quick change, tracer, geared cross-slide to cariage feeds, center drive to the index train for cutting long leads, millng attachment, hex turret to supplement/replace the tailstock, and a dozen more marvels including a CNC capablity.

So how plain or fancy or you wnat to get?

Anyway, you asked for likely brands. There are many but it would be better to narrow it down by means of budget and features. Budget almost determines brand.
 
Finegrain said:
$200 VFD fixes that problem.

Regards

Mike
Click to expand...

Yes, I actually looked at that first. When it's all said and done, it's about $1000 to set it up on a VFD. BUT...there are some other issues in the gearbox, and Clausing pretty much told me that they don't support that lathe anymore, and if I wanted parts....I needed to make them.
 
Forrest Addy said:
Most important, What's the budget? And the list Bausch posted. Better make a bullet point list of requirement and features. A 22" lathe coveres a wide range from a $9000 bare bones import to a $100,000 barely used top of the line fully equipped Monarch

Secondarily what are the local prejudices? There are a number of good import lathes that due to prejudices will never measure up becaue of the negative atmosphere.

Also, do you need heavy roughing capacity with 20 HP spinde drives and D1-11 spindles? I think the last of the heavy duty roughing lathes (Monarch) failed to survive the 80's and most pooped ou in the 70's Lodge & Shipley, American, Axelson).

"Toolroom" refers more to the range of included features and attachments than special precision. A toolroom lathe will have steady and follow rests, 3 and 4 jaw, set of collets and the closer, taper attachment, coolant pump, a DRO, face plate, dead centers. Once upon a time you could add to that a relieving attachment, a range of change gears to supplement the quick change, tracer, geared cross-slide to cariage feeds, center drive to the index train for cutting long leads, millng attachment, hex turret to supplement/replace the tailstock, and a dozen more marvels including a CNC capablity.

So how plain or fancy or you wnat to get?

Anyway, you asked for likely brands. There are many but it would be better to narrow it down by means of budget and features. Budget almost determines brand.
Click to expand...

I'd like to keep it under $15,000 if possible. Our tool and die shop will mainly use the lathe for making small machine parts, turning shafts, making hubs, making small bushings,.....basically just shop support and making parts for machines that we can't buy parts for anymore. Some of the shafts we get into around around 3" OD, and around 48" long. 3 and 4 jaw chucks would be great, but we also have those for our JET lathe. I want a digital readout, but that's about as fancy as I want to get. You have to keep in mind that we have been using that 1960's model Clausing for the last 10 years and it's done just about everything we need to do...for the most part.

I'm not opposed to looking at the Chinese imports....I just don't know what is a good machine, and which ones I need to stay away from. If you ask the people that sell them....theirs in the best and all others are the worst (typical salesman talk).

Thanks again for the info guys....
 
IQRaceworks said:
I'd like to keep it under $15,000 if possible. Our tool and die shop will mainly use the lathe for making small machine parts, turning shafts, making hubs, making small bushings,.....basically just shop support and making parts for machines that we can't buy parts for anymore. Some of the shafts we get into around around 3" OD, and around 48" long. 3 and 4 jaw chucks would be great, but we also have those for our JET lathe. I want a digital readout, but that's about as fancy as I want to get. You have to keep in mind that we have been using that 1960's model Clausing for the last 10 years and it's done just about everything we need to do...for the most part.

I'm not opposed to looking at the Chinese imports....I just don't know what is a good machine, and which ones I need to stay away from. If you ask the people that sell them....theirs in the best and all others are the worst (typical salesman talk).

Thanks again for the info guys....
Click to expand...
You're not going to get anything listed so far for less than $15K. I've been taking quotes on smaller machines, 17" x 40'' size and they're all around the $21-25K for the basics unless you're talking Chinese.
 
There are several factories that make that size of lathe in China. Two that I know are Dalian (DMTG) and Yangzhou (sold under different names), neither are Monarch quality but they work
and should be easily available new for less than 15K. Nice thing is you can get them with 105mm spindle bore.
Bob
 
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