Thread: Couple of Dumb Questions

Hello crew; I hope everyone is having a good weekend.

I have a couple of dumb questions; sorry for using the forum like this

First is what is the LARGEST lathe SB ever made and sold commercially? As far as I can tell,
it's the "Turnado", and I assume gear driven? Or did they make an even larger lathe with
a hollow spindle for oilfield tools? Just wondering.

----------------------

Second, why are metal chip pans so difficult to find?
I am sure that somewhere across this great nation, there is a shop with a shear and bending brake
just rusting away, never being used. I mean, how difficult is it to make a 9" x 32" x1" sheet metal pan
for 9" lathes? Okay, you are right in saying that there would have to be several different lengths for
shorter lathe beds. But so what?

Having an entrepreneurial spirit myself, you would think some enterprising person could crank these out pretty quickly.
I recall making simple sheet metal pans in 8th grade metal shop and there was nothing to it. I'd bet a dollar to
a donut that if I tried to have one made here locally, they would want 300 bucks just because its a one-off and
custom. No one can afford that kind of gouging.

But again, a shear and brake just laying dormant? I'd rather be cranking out something that is needed rather
than sitting in front of a TV watching reruns of Am Pickers. There is no way that I can afford a shear and brake just for single use,
nor do I have room for them. Or are we all just too cheap to make it semi-profitable? I see lots of plastic-printed gears
and indicator holders being offered on that auction site, but never a simple chip pan. Or is it because a ¾" plywood board with wooden sides
would suffice, and cost zero bucks to make?! Probably the latter. (But then again, not everyone has a table saw either).

And before you ask, no I'm not (yet) interested in funding such a venture myself.
If I owned an unused shear and brake, then I might. So, just asking America I suppose.

Just saying.

PMc

Guessing off the top of my head. I want to say lathes prior to 1970-ish, 24" swing, which was a belt driven 16" on spacer blocks.

They had some gear driven types, late 70's, 80's maybe ? But not a USA, South Bend design I believe. Re-branded Korean or other manufactor. I'm not entirely sure where the Turnado fits into that though, haven't researched it enough and Vintage Machinery seems to be down atm.

A little off your topic, I'd be highly interested in a South Bend 1307 should one surface. A re-branded Sidney lathe I believe, meant to compete with Monarch's 10ee.

I know not much in sheet metal fab and such. But jmdriller41 of the South Bend 14.5" thread bought a brake he's piecing together. Posted in Antique section:
Chicago Brake 1948

He's in Lake Charles LA vicinity. . . Not all that far from the Houston area, should you want to network .

Whats your budget?

Drip Pans & Drain Pans, Spill Containment | Killarney Metals

Drip Pans, Galvi Pans, Unit Pans, Drain Pans - AC, Heaters, Washers

Originally Posted by Kevin T

Whats your budget?

Drip Pans & Drain Pans, Spill Containment | Killarney Metals

Drip Pans, Galvi Pans, Unit Pans, Drain Pans - AC, Heaters, Washers

Thanks Kevin....those are certainly nice pans, but really nothing in the small dimensions
needed. I even put in the 9x32x1 dimensions (build a pan) and it came back at 350 bucks.
Too rich for my blood!

I would prefer to find something in the 75-100 dollar max. Could prob sell them all day long
to 9" owners. Or maybe not!
(I'm often accused of living in the 1980's cost of things!).

I'm thinking more of a one-man shop as opposed to a big company with a big payroll.
Not exactly the kind of item that someone is going to make a killing at. But I would
still bet there is a demand.

PMc

Maybe some place like this : Half-Long Display Pan | Chicago Metallic - A Bundy Baking Solution Jim

Originally Posted by mcload

Thanks Kevin....those are certainly nice pans, but really nothing in the small dimensions
needed. I even put in the 9x32x1 dimensions (build a pan) and it came back at 350 bucks.
Too rich for my blood!

I would prefer to find something in the 75-100 dollar max. Could prob sell them all day long
to 9" owners. Or maybe not!
(I'm often accused of living in the 1980's cost of things!).

I'm thinking more of a one-man shop as opposed to a big company with a big payroll.
Not exactly the kind of item that someone is going to make a killing at. But I would
still bet there is a demand.

PMc

Sounds like a business opportunity for you.
You have identified a need and have the skills from you middle school shop class.
Go for it.

CarlBoyd

Thanks jmm03; that's a good option.
I've requested a quote for one; we will see how its priced.

PMc

I'll be using a Auto Trend 25x47" drip pan I found in someone's trash while walking my dog. There are plenty of similar options on Amazon for not much money
https://www.amazon.com/Carrand-AT20-.../dp/B0002KNV9K

I'll probably also use a smaller cookie sheet that my wife is about to throw out for just under the headstock end so I can lift it out to empty it.

Originally Posted by mcload

First is what is the LARGEST lathe SB ever made and sold commercially? As far as I can tell,
it's the "Turnado", and I assume gear driven? Or did they make an even larger lathe with
a hollow spindle for oilfield tools? Just wondering.

The Turnado is a baby compared to the 1928 No.3 Brake lathe, it would swing a 42-1/4 inch wheel and tire.
They made Turnados up to 32 inch swings.

Steve

Originally Posted by swells

The Turnado is a baby compared to the 1928 No.3 Brake lathe, it would swing a 42-1/4 inch wheel and tire.
They made Turnados up to 32 inch swings.

Steve

Something like this? I was thinking of something more massive, but I guess mass may not necessarily be an issue.
Thanks Steve.



I was probably thinking more along these types of monsters.

Originally Posted by mcload

Second, why are metal chip pans so difficult to find?

They are so hard to find because of the wide variety of sizes needed. I made my chip pan with some galvanized sheeting I got at Home Depot. A pair of sheet metal shears did the cutting (I believe that the sheeting is 28ga). A couple of 1x4 pine boards set the edges to be bent and a dead blow hammer did the bending. I have some galvanized wire that I used for the "wired edge". I spot welded the edges, which was the only non-manual tooling that I used.

So, stop whining and start building what you need! And, by making it yourself, you'll get exactly what you want.

You can see the back part of my tray in this photo.

Originally Posted by SLK001

They are so hard to find because of the wide variety of sizes needed. I made my chip pan with some galvanized sheeting I got at Home Depot. A pair of sheet metal shears did the cutting (I believe that the sheeting is 28ga). A couple of 1x4 pine boards set the edges to be bent and a dead blow hammer did the bending. I have some galvanized wire that I used for the "wired edge". I spot welded the edges, which was the only non-manual tooling that I used.
So, stop whining and start building what you need! And, by making it yourself, you'll get exactly what you want.

No whining here, dude...read the thread.
But you're right that a custom DIY will be the only way to get what I want.
Everybody on their own!
Impressive tray you made.

PMc

Some of those baking pans looks really sharp in thick aluminum but the trouble is that you need to splice two together to get your size. I wonder if there are any tricks to joining two thin edges together, like some nice thin walled "H" extrusion.

Originally Posted by mcload

I was probably thinking more along these types of monsters.

Not South Bend, but a few months back I was searching for info in a Monarch catalog for a different lathe. Came across Monarch's Missile Master Lathes, Series 170. Started a thread on it here:
Missile Master Lathes: Series 170

In the catalog, a caption over one pic says: "Machining a typical missile assembly. . ." Just out of curiosity, how do you guys handle your typical missile assembly ? Using HSS or carbide ?

Soon to be locked because of a dumb title

You could use sendcutsend, Then all you need is the brake...

Check out a restaurant supply store for a baking pan.
I picked one up at a store in San Antonio. It fits inside the chip pan on my 13.

Dear PM Forum members and administrators:

I just want to apologize for posting this thread with such a very poorly conceived title and content. In hindsight, I should have known better and I now regret it. This forum is not a casual message board nor group e-mail, and I meant no disrespect, public or otherwise. All I can offer is that my enthusiasm got the better of me, and I simply unintentionally forgot forum formality, rules, and decorum. I also apologize if I have offended any PM member by my thoughtless and excessive posting and personal messages.

So in the future I will refrain from starting or replying to anymore forum threads, and will simply enjoy at arms-length like so many others. It was a great run, and I thank you all for the tips, answers and insights that your experience brings to this great forum. (If a moderator would delete this thread, I would appreciate it. It does not belong in the list of proper threads).

Regrets,
PMc

Originally Posted by mcload

Dear PM Forum members and administrators:

I just want to apologize. . .

You are not Canadian. Quit apologizing.

As a Texan you are honor bound to only apologize under two circumstances. One, if you need to fire twice to hit one target, thereby wasting critical ammo. And two, burning fat steaks on a bar-b-que, for which anyone should hang their head in vile shame.

You want to know embarrassing titles ? Anyone remember this gem:
O/T Attempted repair of a frozen Aloris Too lpost

Yea I had to eat too lpost for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Yea, good times, lol.

How about starting a real deep thread and attempting "bold" on title only to have to look at that forever (open thread to see title):
Hammond Machinery Builders, Tool Grinder Model CB-77

Oh Oh ! I got one ! Let's take a peak at the fella who complained on this title. We don't need to even look hard ! From 03-18-21 ! ! :
OT Sad day at moonlight machine

The selling of a car explained as the loss of an old friend. Closed by Milicron:
OT Sad day at moonlight machine

There's a lot of big brains that hang out up in the General section, but also some folks that tend to have a combative reply verse talking a bit more civil. Not just just a PM problem, societal I think. Also think we can do better.

CBlair is the moderator of the machine reconditioning section. Seen him post a few times in thinking about what we say, and good stuff. Just a short recent example:
Aligning the ways on a totally worn out Monoset TC Grinder

Members can never change titles once you hit the post button. And members can only edit any post for like 24 hours. A moderator of his section can edit titles and posts though. Example here's an edit from the Cincinnati Heavy Iron section. Original post was 2006:
This Just In. . .McLoad Destroys Forum !

Sometimes its hard to keep up with it all, so some mods don't edit much. Also its hard to read every thread. And again a mod can only edit threads in his particular section, not the entire forum. The South Bend mod has been absent a while, which doesn't help.

To honor your abstinence in posting, I suggest we post in this thread every day or so until you return.