Stuart’s big dumb lathe

[Stuart Samuel]

In the fine tradition of dragging home things that only barely fit through my front door…

(~400lb oak stump I rolled home, lives at work now)


I’ve been on the lookout for something a bit heavier than my Myford for a while now. I’m limited, though, by a 35” wide front door, and a front room that’s 7’ x 14’. Saw a couple really gorgeous Okumas and Mazaks, but all too big.

Until…



Slightly heavier than my Super 7.
Say, 10x.

A forum member I’d been chatting with offered his trailer and towing, plus rigging experience and supplies, and I could hardly say no. We met at the seller’s house last Saturday, and a neighbour loaded the lathe with a skid steer.


The lathe was substantially heavier than anticipated (the seller initially suggested it was around a ton), so we had a very leisurely drive back to my place. Another forum member volunteered the loan of a gantry, so we picked that up on the way.


A successful hunt!

By the time we had it off the trailer it was after 5, so we called it a day. I spent Sunday loafing around, apart from tarping it, and shuffled the lathe over Monday after work, to get it under an overhanging roof.

By this afternoon I was done with looking at it through the front window, so I left work around 2, and got cracking.



A fair bit of work getting it in, my neighbour let me take his adjacent door (black thing in the photo) off, which gave me a little more swing.


It’s in, though!

 

[Stuart Samuel]

Now the bad. When the skid steer lifted it, it started pissing oil everywhere under the headstock, so I need to figure out what’s going on there.

It came with almost no tooling, so I’m on the hunt for a four jaw chuck (D1-6), a quick change tool post, a tailstock chuck and live centre… etc. etc.

No followers, either. :/

Ways are in very good condition, though, and spindle bore is a bit over 2”.

 

[Stuart Samuel]

Also, getting this inside prompted my first Vevor (cheap chinese junk?) purchase, a toe jack. This would have been awful without that, almost every side had a wall in the way, making a prybar extremely limited. So, if anyone needs to borrow a toe jack (2.5 ton rating, now tested to say 1.5 ton), give me a shout.

 

[Stuart Samuel]

(Lastly (?), if anyone's concerned, please note that's a non-alcoholic beer on the tailstock. I opened a real beer after I was done, not before. I think with the cast stands this thing is much less tippy than some other lathes, but I'd still feel pretty stupid if I tipped it, and took out a wall, or me, in the process)

 

[Darren]

I'm somewhat disappointed in the non alcoholic beer, but the fact that you have a lathe in your front room makes up for it. I ran into an old girlfriend from 25 years ago the other day and she asked me if i still had motorcycles in my living room and drag slicks for a coffee table.

Awesome lathe!

 

[Tom Kitta]

Now the bad. When the skid steer lifted it, it started pissing oil everywhere under the headstock, so I need to figure out what’s going on there.

It came with almost no tooling, so I’m on the hunt for a four jaw chuck (D1-6), a quick change tool post, a tailstock chuck and live centre… etc. etc.

No followers, either. :/

Ways are in very good condition, though, and spindle bore is a bit over 2”.

If you were in Calgary I would have most of what you seek.

 

[DavidR8]

Holy crap. You seriously have a 1 ton lathe in your living room?

 

[Dan Dubeau]

That's cool. Congrats on the uneventful move. I hope to step up to a similar sized lathe from my Myford someday also.

 

[Stuart Samuel]

Holy crap. You seriously have a 1 ton lathe in your living room?

Uh… more like 1.75-1.8.

Also, not quite my living room, although the Myford is currently in the kitchen.

I live in a commercial building. (The unit next door is a glass blowing shop, I keep pointing out glass lathes for sale, haven’t convinced him so far)

It’s not an ideal shop space, as the interior (brick and cinder block) walls break things up awkwardly. But it does have concrete floors, and 3 phase power.

I’ll attach the photos the landlord used for the listing when I moved in here (9 years ago), just to makes some sense of it.


Exterior, with my unit circled.
Lathe is in the front room, which is 7’ deep x 14’ wide.


Through a doorway to the right of the tailstock (hah), kitchen, stairs on the left up to living/bedroom. Far right, a hallway with bathroom on the left, and…


Another shop space, 12’ x 14’. I’ve torn out the little closet thing on the right, and torn down the drywall on the left wall, exposing the brick. Glass block window facing the tracks, closest train line is ~20’.

 

[Proxule]

Very nice unit and move, Not to nit pick but your chain fall is missing its latch and or does not have one from the get go, I have seen such units - mostly in ancient sawmills. Refrain from pulling on it sideways or jiggling your load as it can and or will slide out. I like your captn morgan stance, You will only do that once near heavy equipment. Up until that moment the rigging rails.
I have been apart of and witnessed both situations.

This is no way criticism or poking, just some thing I wanted to throw out there for whom ever !

 

[wmetfab]

Hey.

Some people put their Harley's in the living room.. as noted above.

Plenty of room on the mezzanine for a nice milling machine

 

[Susquatch]

I like your captn morgan stance

In person @Stuart Samuel looks more like a Captain Flash than Captain Morgan. Fiesty looking fellow who looks like he always moves at supersonic speeds! Certainly no pirate.

 

[Tomc938]

Nice lathe, nice move and nice layout.

Saves going up and down stairs to a shop. Or maybe even getting off the couch depending on how you set up the rest of the room.

 

[Stuart Samuel]

Biggest downside to the place (other than wishing I could mash those two workrooms into one) is the lack of doors. Anything smelly or dusty goes everywhere, especially up. Fish is a barbecue only thing, for example, and I can definitely smell the oil from the lathe.

 

[Susquatch]

Biggest downside to the place (other than wishing I could mash those two workrooms into one) is the lack of doors. Anything smelly or dusty goes everywhere, especially up. Fish is a barbecue only thing, for example, and I can definitely smell the oil from the lathe.

Lathe oil is both an aphrodisiac and a sleeping aide.

 

[thestelster]

Ahhh, the sweet aroma of mineral oil and grease! Nectar and ambrosia of the machining gods.

 

[YotaBota]

Ahhh, the sweet aroma of mineral oil and grease!

Add a couple of copper roses and you're set for the ultimate romantic evening. LOL

 

[jcdammeyer]

Ahhh, the sweet aroma of mineral oil and grease! Nectar and ambrosia of the machining gods.

Years ago I gave friends a quick shop tour. Her comment was how the smell in her shop reminded me of her dad's shop. A good memory.

 

[Susquatch]

Add a couple of copper roses and you're set for the ultimate romantic evening. LOL

Man, you have no idea how insightful that comment is...... @Stuart Samuel showcased some of tbe metal flower stuff he has done at the Ontario meetup. The guy is an amazing artist! He could prolly do a whole bouquet of 42 flowers for that place of his!

 

[CWret]

at the Ontario meetup. The guy is an amazing artist! He could prolly do a whole bouquet

Totally agree- at the meetup shop tour - we watched him explain how he made flower peddles for a unique light fixture.
Very impressive.