10EE owner - Need your recommendations...

Dear All,

I think I need to start this thread with a picture of my girlfriend:



She has been my one and only for about 3 years now. Before the 10EE was a Grizzly lathe so you have an idea of how much I love my 10EE. My 10EE is pretty special. She's a 1968 with original modular drive. She went down a few times but everytime I was able to revive her with some simple maintenance and repairs. Pretty amazing that she is 50 years old this year and all original.

However, I'm considering purchasing another lathe. Besides the obviously size limitations with the 10EE (mostly length), I have a hard time drilling with it. The modular drive is cool and fancy but sometimes I wish it has good old gears and could let me drill a 1" drill bit through material at below 100rpm. The modular drive has limitations. It's not happy below 300rpm and I frequently struggle with it. In fact, anything larger than a 5/8" drill bit becomes quite troublesome.

The only thing I miss on the Grizzly was how it would happily hold 72rpm all day long. Although the entire machine was rattling and making funny sounds, I made a big hole.

Having been spoiled by the 10EE, I'm scared to get another lathe and be disappointed. I looked around locally and found the following interesting lathes:

1. Okuma LS
2. Monarch 610
3. Mori Seiki MS

They are all asking around the same price of $10k. It's scary how much the price of these machines have gone up. Anyways, could you all point me the right direction and if I'm making a good decision with these machines? If not, I'm completely open to your suggestions.

Thank you all so much for your infinite wisdoms.

Howi

I am surprised your modular is unhappy at 300 RPM. It should be very happy at that speed in back-gear. I can slip the belts on mine (not that I like to). It sounds like you need to run the module tuneup procedure. I agree the trying to hold 300 RPM when out of back-gear and driving a decent-size drill is a tough proposition.

Howi I can't help with your lathe choice but I would like to see a few more pictures of your lathe if you get a chance.

Hal

rklopp said:

I am surprised your modular is unhappy at 300 RPM. It should be very happy at that speed in back-gear. I can slip the belts on mine (not that I like to). It sounds like you need to run the module tuneup procedure. I agree the trying to hold 300 RPM when out of back-gear and driving a decent-size drill is a tough proposition.

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O
M
G



I DIDN'T KNOW THERE'S SUCH THING!!! I quickly ran to my lathe and found the lever. Opened the manual and sure enough!! It's a 5:1 gear reduction!!!

I will try today and report back.

I've been struggling with this for 3 years!!!

O
M
G

The revelation!!!!

220swift said:

Howi I can't help with your lathe choice but I would like to see a few more pictures of your lathe if you get a chance.

Hal

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Ya sure, I'll PM you.

My consulting fee is $100 per letter in the answer![emoji3][emoji2]


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Honestly, that was really dumb. I struggled with it for 3 years.

I can't wait to try it out this afternoon. I'm prepared to be mind blown by the torque!

Now, for a larger size, which of the 3 lathes would you recommend?

1. Okuma LS
2. Monarch 610
3. Mori Seiki MS

thermite said:

All of them, of course. "condition, condition, condition".. and mayhap "workholding, tooling, power needs.."

Make it easier. Add some silly trash to the list of those Grand-Olds so we can at least rage on something NASTY!

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You are totally right. I will need to inspect them in person for sure.

If both were equally well cared for, which one of these would you pick?

Monarch - Engine Lathe | 16" x 12" | Industrial Assets Machinery

Mori Seiki - Engine Lathe | 17" x 33" | Industrial Assets Machinery

thermite said:

The one-oh-two-inch bed Monarch, hands-down, no contest, (she'll clear better than 18" over the ways..) and go pick it up before someone ELSE does, PLEASE!

The Mori is actually a tad over-rated, and any cloudy day you want a brand-new one or any age older, you can just go and buy a South Korean Hwacheon, its license-built (or so it began life) clone.

Sound enough basic "engine" lathes, but the Monarch?

F***g legend, and it EARNED that "the hard way".

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Love the vote of confidence! Thank you!

Are steady rests hard to find for the Monarch 610? It doesn't seem to come with any accessories. The 102" is useless without a steady rest!

rklopp said:

My consulting fee is $100 per letter in the answer![emoji3][emoji2]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I would happily pay for your service!!! It's like having a new machine without spending money!!!

thermite said:

... I've done LOTS of work at 6-foot and 8-foot w/o a steady. L....

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That sounds so dangerous LOL...

thermite said:

Phhht! Ordinary shift, tens of thousands of ordinary guys, that era.

OSHA had seen us standing back of the faceplate/chuck on the catwalks of a 72" 1890's Niles Tool Works horizontal boring lathe, gauge the swing, reach out, lay-hand on a repurposed compound rest as it rotated by and dial-in another half-thou on the radius, single-point turning a 100-ton crane bearing mount ring?

Inspector wudda gone into cardiac arrest, died of shock fore' they could put pen to paper on a citation!

Time was, skillset number ONE was simply "situational awareness" amongst all the heat, noise, and filth.

Can't make parts if you can't FIRST survive THEN ALSO concentrate and stay focused on what matters.

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For a guy who struggled turning low speed with his 10EE for THREE years without knowing the existence of the back gear lever, I'd say it's a good thing I wasn't born in that time.

I just did a test run, did a quick pilot hole and then drove a 3/4" drill bit through mild steel, and the machine held the speed fine!! Thank you all!!!

And yes, I will make time go to check out that Monarch 610!

Is that Monarch 610 at Wheeler Machinery? That looks like a nice machine, carefully inspect it, they are known to do Krylon overhauls. Two things that detract from that lathe, no lead screw reverse on the carriage and, no rapids. My series 62 2013-102 doesn't have lead screw reverse it is a pain when you are used to it. I do have rapids and the same goes for them. I use the rapids to position the tools even in close range. In fact, both my 13EE and 2013 have rapid, honestly they are one of the best features of bigger lathes.

My own preference leans towards the Okuma, the LS and LK are great lathes. I ran an LS long ago, it was a sweet machine.

Steve

thermite said:

CAVEAT:. BIG CAVEAT, too!

A 10EE's weakest link.. ANYWHERE.. is that tiny #2 MT and tiny TS quill and its REALLY tiny anti-rotation key. Fab yerself an anti-torque rod at the very least!

You want to do serious DRILLING on a 10EE? You fabs a carriage-mount for yer drill.

One may also use a salvaged angle-plate to hang the vertical for the holder 40 paces, right flank, rear, underbrace across aft carriage "wings", aside the TS altogether for the duration. NOW you have a bit more daylight and traverse in-hand.

TG-100 recommended, BTW, not long-assed "Jacobs" or worse-yet Albrecht-pattern. Next best ER or a Llambrich "Hybrid" chuck if upchuck on a lathe you must. I have drill presses for holes and "starter" clearance for BORING BARS for the lathes. And the mills. Under-appreciated time-saver hero a decent drill press can be.

The second weakest point being the poor bandy legged short, squat, muscle-bound, heavy-hams girl has near-zero long-axis "daylight" to spare for long chucks and longer-yet drills to begin with.

Now a Monarch 60, 61, 610? That lot WILL do holes, chuck length no longer a factor, 8-foot bed.

I'd still use the carriage. Fast positioning. Power feed in the cut. Rapid chip clear.
Waaay larger drill torque limits.

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The 10EE definitely has its limitations and I've come to learn about them over the past couple of years. That's why I'm considering getting a larger lathe. However, now that I learned about the back gear, maybe the new purchase can wait.

Steve in SoCal said:

Is that Monarch 610 at Wheeler Machinery? That looks like a nice machine, carefully inspect it, they are known to do Krylon overhauls. Two things that detract from that lathe, no lead screw reverse on the carriage and, no rapids. My series 62 2013-102 doesn't have lead screw reverse it is a pain when you are used to it. I do have rapids and the same goes for them. I use the rapids to position the tools even in close range. In fact, both my 13EE and 2013 have rapid, honestly they are one of the best features of bigger lathes.

My own preference leans towards the Okuma, the LS and LK are great lathes. I ran an LS long ago, it was a sweet machine.

Steve

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Hi Steve, nice to meet you. I'm located in Pomona and Wheeler is my neighbor. The Monarch isn't at Wheeler but the Okuma is. I like the Okuma very much but it has problems with its apron and the feed isn't working properly.

I've shopped around over the years and in the end I still come back to Wheeler. The "Krylon overhaul" applies to all used machinery sellers. I've experienced some bad dealings with other sellers, and I find Wheeler to have more integrity and pride, and are more honorable than most. They may not have the hottest inventory nor lowest prices, but I find a lot of value in being able to deal with sellers who holds themselves accountable for the transactions.

Thank you also for the notes on the Monarch. I didn't even know that manual lathes had rapids and had to look it up on Youtube. They make sense on long lathes.

I welcome you to come by our little lab some time and we can geek out in person.

My post above was not a dig at Wheeler, more of a heads up on shiny machines in general. Long bed lathes are nice when you need them; for many shops, space is an issue. I bought my long bed lathe to support oil seed presses, rarely do I use the last four feet. If floor space is not an issue having the capability is great.

Steve

rklopp said:

I am surprised your modular is unhappy at 300 RPM. It should be very happy at that speed in back-gear. I can slip the belts on mine (not that I like to). It sounds like you need to run the module tuneup procedure. I agree the trying to hold 300 RPM when out of back-gear and driving a decent-size drill is a tough proposition.

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rklopp - I need to update this thread. Since your golden words, I've been happily married ever since. My 10EE has been a dream and it spends more time in lower gear than not. It chews through steel with a 1" bit and no pilot holes!

I can't thank you enough! REALLY!

You saved me like $10k!!!