# The things people do to their machines that will make you cringe



## John Conroy (Dec 3, 2017)

I saw this beautiful Colchester lathe today on Kijiji. Who would put a logging chain and boomer across the ways to hold a machine onto a trailer. Make me want to cry.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-tool-other/...pe/1317459235?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true



I think this one is from the same guy. Check out the straps around the feed and lead screws. Looks like it might be a decent machine if the shaft are not bent by the straps.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-tool-other/...he/1317460152?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true


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## Bofobo (Dec 3, 2017)

I too seen these and cringed ... couple hundred bucks a piece now im thinkin


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## DPittman (Dec 3, 2017)

Ha ha I was thinking the same things!  And I always figure if one sin like that was committed, then there was likely a whole lot more horrible things done in its life that may not be instantly apparent. 

Don


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## Alexander (Dec 3, 2017)

A few of those Colchester lathes sold at auction in Calgary this week. The same machine sold for about $5000 and a tiny colchester was just over $3000


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## kylemp (Dec 3, 2017)

Those 2 machines were on kijiji (and this guy bought them) a few weeks ago. I don't remember what they were going for initially but I don't think he jacked the price up too bad. Unfortunately that he's accidentally destroying them..


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## John Conroy (Dec 3, 2017)

I'd buy that Colchester in an instant if it wasn't wrecked. $2800 is a great price but it's not worth driving to medicine hat after seeing that.


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## kylemp (Dec 3, 2017)

I think it was up for 2500 or even 2000 on the previous ad, just about bought it for extra parts honestly.
Since I am just going through the Colchester lathe I bought and finding out what the cost is to fix parts in it I would recommend that anyone buying one makes damn sure it functions correctly or you could end up with a pile of scrap in the end.
I kinda lucked out and managed to get mine fixed for a decent price but if I had to buy anything from colchester or even the parts dealers I would probably have scrapped it.


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## CalgaryPT (Dec 3, 2017)

I liked thread--well the topic at least. Not what's being done to beautiful old machines.


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## PeterT (Dec 3, 2017)

The pics of straps is fortunate, indicating proceed with purchase caution. Even if it 'only' bent the lowermost hex rod (which is the power on/off/forward/reverse) that is relatively easy replacement. But depending on how the straps were placed & threaded, the associated Gronk force is also imparted to the apron which is attached. If the straps were ever directly or even indirectly around the upper lead screw & power feed bars, I would bet its a heavy basket of trouble. It could easily bow tension to the lead screw, power feed rod & impart force to all the close tolerances associated parts behind the apron, like worm gear mechanism or half-nut mechanism if lever happened to be closed.  If that picture wasn't taken & you just walked up to the lathe, how would you ever know what it was subjected to behind the scenes? I guess the moral with used is run the lathe & operate the feeds unless you are a gambler type & like this sort of challenge. 

The Modern 14x40 (my dream machine) has dedicated holes through the body for inserting lifting rods. That keeps straps & chains off the delicate, expensive parts.


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## PeterT (Dec 3, 2017)

OMG. Risks not only gouging the ways with the chain rubbing, but ratcheting down under tension to secure it to the flatbed cant be great for what was once a precision ground, level surface. Hope he took the smooth highway & not the shortcut bumpy donkey trail


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## CalgaryPT (Dec 3, 2017)

Interesting enough a lot of manufacturers fail to label or document lift points on their equipment. It's part of a newer ISO standard I've heard, but it still amazes me that they take the time to build equipment and engineer proper lift points, then fail to document them. Case in point: on my ironworker there is a clear lift point (green arrow). But it isn't documented. And on some equipment I've seen lift points that require you to first secure the point (as it could be one that moves) prior to lifting and then to remove bolts prior to operating. My manual didn't state any of this, so I called Edwards prior to lifting. At first they said, "Of course it's the lift point...no, wait, you're right...it doesn't say that in the manual. You might have to remove some bolts before operating...we'll get back to you."

P.S. The ironworker does have forklift slots (non-standard for a pallet jack). But I don't have a forklift. This machine was my Waterloo moment that started me on my latest build: a gantry crane.


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## PeterT (Dec 3, 2017)

What are you saying, the manuals aren't crystal clear? LOL. I've read of horror stories where guys get the lathe strapped & shortly after lifting or moving discover C/G is off by a bit. The heavier headstock slides down, or wants to rotate, lathe starts to slip... Yikes. I guess if you know what you're doing this is common sense, but I certainly cant say this is my forte. When I was at Modern last summer there was a 14x40 'rollover' & it was going to be in intensive care w/o parts from FarawayLand by the looks of it.


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## John Conroy (Dec 3, 2017)

Yeah that's clear as mud


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## Dabbler (Dec 4, 2017)

Even using their instructions you can severely damage the lathe!  My dad was a professional rigger - he told me horror stories about hoisting lathes by the bed, such as breaking in half, etc!  (He never dropped a load or damaged a machine in 50+ years)


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## CalgaryPT (Dec 6, 2017)

Instructions, manuals, SOP's make me laugh. When I was young I worked as a technical writer for a few years. I remember attending a writer's course where the instructor showed us a copy of (I think) of a 1922 Model T Owner's manual. I probably have the date or model incorrect, but what I recall was the SOP for filling the gas tank:

1) Remove the gas tank cap
2) Insert petrol hose into tank
3) ....
4)...
.....
8) Note: Before completing the previous 7 steps extinguish all smoking materials.

I always thought this was the worst example I'd ever heard of for an SOP, but when I got older and started lifting heavy things I realized that as bad as burns are, being crushed to death was pretty horrific as well. If you're lucky you escape with just equipment damage.

Maybe if this forum gets bigger we can negotiate a rigger's course. I'd pay for that. I watched a guy from Modern finesse my sander in with a crane once and thought...damn..he knows what he's doing! (unlike me)

Riggers are like insurance policies. You only appreciate them after the fact.


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## Janger (Dec 9, 2017)

[QUOTE="
The Modern 14x40 (my dream machine) has dedicated holes through the body for inserting lifting rods. That keeps straps & chains off the delicate, expensive parts.[/QUOTE]

Hiring a crane truck is a really good idea too.


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