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Wanted: Metal Lathe

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member
Dabbler has moved equipment that would have impressed the Egyptians! LOL
Don't place straps around your carriage or power feed/threading bars or allow them to inadvertently slip & contact those components if using supporting planks under the bed. You do not want those bars distorted or bent in the process.
 

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Dabbler

ersatz engineer
It can be easily carried. It is an engine hoist, but they make them a little taller now so mow places sell them as a 'shop crane'...
 

Everett

Super User
Awesome, glad you finally got one! Will be cool to see how (once you have it set up) you tweak it, mod it, and fabricate more tooling for it as we all do that to a certain extent but everyone has a different way of doing it. Congratulations!
 

TheLocalDrunk

Active Member
Dabbler has moved equipment that would have impressed the Egyptians! LOL
Don't place straps around your carriage or power feed/threading bars or allow them to inadvertently slip & contact those components if using supporting planks under the bed. You do not want those bars distorted or bent in the process.
Thanks
Yes, I saw in the manual how to properly lift it with straps and used that method to move it into my warehouse. I am planning on removing the screws altogether prior to it being moved into my basement so that will not be a worry. (Screw, Saddle and Apron)
 

Tom O

Ultra Member
I’ll put up some pics of what my son and I used to get our lathe, mill, and shaper downstairs it was easy and worked great.
 

TheLocalDrunk

Active Member
Appreciated
I just stripped it down to just the headstock, gearbox and bed....... and Im not going to lie..... Im scared to move this.... I really dont want to move it:)
 

Tom Kitta

Ultra Member
As long as your stairs are decent it should be not that bad going down. I mean by now its probably no more than just 500lbs that is with very low center of gravity.

Just make sure it doesn't go down too fast ;)
 

Bofobo

M,Mizera(BOFOBO)
I have a post of this manuver being completed somewhere on here, i lowered mine witha couple straps and a couple 2x4s, stair grade very steep, i had a spotter but he claims i didnt want to let it down! he had to pull it down the stairs out of my hands i was so afeared of dripping it. Had to strip it down as well, but i would have drained fluid first if i had to do it again,
 

PeterT

Ultra Member
Premium Member

TheLocalDrunk

Active Member
Good point about the oil pre-drain

John.C had a good tip on that front. Sometimes the drain plug location on machines can be a messy PITA. Alternatively if you can access the lid, use one of these to draw the oil out. Have a looksee at the gears while you are in there & consider adding a magnet to hold any metallic fines.
https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/metal-suction-gun/A-p4270073e
https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/3-pc-magnetic-discs/A-p8713422e

I know this is a touchy subject as everyone has an opinion on this and they all think their idea is the best.... but.... which oil would I use in the headstock, gearbox and apron? and where can I get it in Calgary at a reasonable qty?/Price?
 

YYCHM

(Craig)
Premium Member
I have a post of this manuver being completed somewhere on here, i lowered mine witha couple straps and a couple 2x4s, stair grade very steep, i had a spotter but he claims i didnt want to let it down! he had to pull it down the stairs out of my hands i was so afeared of dripping it. Had to strip it down as well, but i would have drained fluid first if i had to do it again,

Can you post a link to that thread please. I'm pining to upgrade but the trip down the stairs has me hesitant.

I came close to pulling the pin on a lathe/mill combo until my wife decided she didn't want to be stuck figuring out how to get it out of the house once I'm gone. I guess she is planning to live longer than me. How's that for planning ahead LOL.
 

TheLocalDrunk

Active Member

TheLocalDrunk

Active Member

Tom Kitta

Ultra Member
32 in the headstock and 68 in the gearbox in the cross slide.

You can get 5gal at princess for around $50.

So the lower the number the more easily it flows especially when its cold (i.e. viscosity). Imagine you put in 68 or 90 in the headstock and tried to start that sucker at full speed when it was say 3 deg in the shop.

On the other hand maybe you don't want it to flow to quickly - maybe you want it to stick more to slow moving parts?

The oil in my old 13x24 lathe original from China was a bit thicker than 32 and it could not start in about 3deg at 720 rpm - motor would blow a breaker.

Also energy losses with 32 are less than with 68.

So the rule of thumb is 32 in the fast moving headstock and 68 for slower moving gears. Obviously manufacturer can say different.

I may move to 22 for my surface grinder in the winter - its hydraulic.
 

Dabbler

ersatz engineer
Sorry, Tom, the guys that import my lathe and most others like it are now saying to use AW32 in the apron gear box as well. They find the settlement of the metallic particles takes too long in the higher visocities, and increases wear on the gears. They also frown on using way oil in the apron for much the same reason.
 

TheLocalDrunk

Active Member
ok, so 32 everywhere :) and I have seen that the headstock takes about 7L. Anyone know roughly how much is needed in the gearbox and apron?
And Thanks Tom, I didnt think about PrincessAuto for the oil. Their AW32 in a 5Gal pail is going for 39.99 right now.
 

Tom Kitta

Ultra Member
There is almost no wear on the apron gears as long as it has some oil. The suggestion is probably to save costs.

Manual as well as most posters stick with 32/ 68 combo through they acknowledge that 46 is OK as well and even 68 in both and some manuals call for heavier stuff than 68 in the apron.

For example:
http://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/viewtopic.php?t=91205
https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/oil-for-a-lathe-headstock-apron.19532/

Finally Grizzly - one of the largest importers of Asian lathes says they recommend 32/68 combo. See https://cdn0.grizzly.com/manuals/g4003_m.pdf

In case you like larger lathes made for Grizzly - https://cdn0.grizzly.com/manuals/g0749_m.pdf same oil for apron - 68.

Only King recommends 32 in apron - http://www.kingcanada.com/catalog/products/manual/KC-1236ML manual-eng.pdf

BB recommends 100 oil (!) in apron https://www.busybeetools.com/products/metal-lathe-12in-x28in-with-digital-readout-cx701.html
 
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