Okuma Lathe in Vulcan

[Everett]

If I had a shop that wasn't an unfinished disaster and a bit of hobby money to spend this would be following me home. It's exactly the size of machine I would like at some point.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-other-business-industrial/calgary/okuma-ls-lathe/1573551261

Looks like it could use a cleaning up but doesn't look horribly abused in the pictures. Would need closer inspection though.

 

[YYCHM]

$3,000, 6 ft bed 22” swing. Everything works. 3 phase. Comes with a 10 hp phase converter so can be run off single phase

 

[cuslog]

Could be a good buy for someone with a big enough shop ( not me).
Some day, I'd like to have an Okuma, Mori Seki etc.
I did business in Japan for over 25 years, became an admirer of the people and the stuff they make , machine tools no exception.

 

[Tom Kitta]

A bit smaller but newer lathe sold recently at auction for just $2000.

And there are pp out there on Kajiji wanting 10,000 for their lathe ... LOL!

22 swing is a lot. Way too big for a hobbyist. I do not even like a 16" I have - its BIG. I think 16" is practical limit for hobby use. anything bigger is getting a bit long in the tooth. Even that 19" in Calgary for 2k was already in the too big for home shop but I guess "maybe" it could be adopted.

I would not mind through upgrading my 16" for another 16" that is more heavy duty and shorter bed. Like a short bed 16".

Main problem going over 16" is that there is almost zero stuff hobbyist could use one for. a 16" with gap removed is like 24". That is HUGE. Working on long shafts is very rare. I almost never work on anything longer then 20" and I cannot recall 40".

On the other hand over 16 has a LOT of drawbacks. Changing chucks on a 16 is already a pain and you are well of with a crane. Imagine 400lbs 4 jaw change - its an *operation* to make that change. Imagine taking an hour for chuck change alone! Not to mention speed limits. Also if something goes wrong with your lathe fixing it is an "adventure" everything is *crane* based. Buying parts is ether difficult or implies huge expense. Trying to use lathe to its full potential - i.e. say turning something 16" (for say 19" lathe) would mean getting commercial order and purchasing steel worth far more then your lathe. Not to mention rather heavy duty crane.

About 90% of my lathe work is now on the small 10x20 lathe (high speed heavy duty) that has actual swing like almost 12". 16 is just used for making back plates or rare odd large part. I just do not work with too much stuff that is either hard or impossible to "hand lift".

Above is not so much true for bigger milling machines or a shaper - you would have to go to like 50 taper machines or boring mills to say too big for home shop.

 

[Dabbler]

That is a great price for an Okuma! they are nice lathes - I amost bought one before the LeBlond became available... It looks heavily used, but I've seen far worse... The phase converter is worth 700-1000 bucks by itself...

 

[cuslog]

[QUOTE="Tom Kitta,

Changing chucks on a 16 is already a pain and you are well of with a crane. Imagine 400lbs 4 jaw change - its an *operation* to make that change. Imagine taking an hour for chuck change alone! Not to mention speed limits. [/QUOTE]

Yes, I have a 16 X 40 but thankfully it has 8" - 3 jaw and 10" 4 jaw. The 3 jaw isn't too bad but the 10" 4 jaw - I need to take a deep breathe and brace my back muscles before I pick that sucker up off the floor! I just turned 70, don't know how much longer I'll be able to do that !

 

[Dabbler]

I'm still able to lift my 12" 3J and my 13.5" 4J, but to futureproof, I am starting to work on a traveling crane for when (soon) they get too heavy...

 

[Chicken lights]

I'm still able to lift my 12" 3J and my 13.5" 4J, but to futureproof, I am starting to work on a traveling crane for when (soon) they get too heavy...

Not meant to be offensive- it’s tough watching older guys struggle with things that were once easy for them

My day will come too, eventually

 

[cuslog]

Reminds me of something I heard somebody else say regarding going up on a roof: "when I fall off, I don't bounce like I used to".

 

[Beez12]

Price reduced to 1500, I wish I had the space!

 

[RobinHood]

No Longer Available - Okuma ls lathe $2,000.00

 

[Beez12]

Ad was re listed
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-other-busin...p_ios&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ios_social

 

[Dabbler]

For a guy with the room, this would be an excellent lathe.