- Joined
- Dec 6, 2012
- Messages
- 2,677
This summer I scored a Pratt Whitney 12x30 tool room lathe. She enjoys a 440volt 3phase 7.5hp two speed motor. Thus, she doesn't have a place in most home shops, and was to weary for a commercial shop. While the hardened bed and saddle are in good condition the top of the saddle, cross slide and compound have all seen much better days with alot of wear and galling (differences of up to .005).
I lapped the top side of the cross slide and then scaped the bottom "straight down" using HSS and an Anderson. She is coplaner to .0005 (not a typo) using my humble instruments. I've got more work to do on distribution. But she is coming along. I'll likely choose to use a Sandvick on the top of the saddle. And will use a shop made way gage to work the tails of the saddle. Yes, the rest of the machine will also need help. One part at a time. Meanwhile the electrical works and the spindle is good.
Yes, using the Biax would be easier and faster. However, I'm not in this for profit and I enjoy the skritch of the hand scraper with some blues or bluegrass music in the background, hi-spot blue on my nose (my nose always itches as soon as the blue is opened), and a cold cup of coffee out of harms way.
I sometimes wonder if we deter would-be machinists and rebuilders because we unintentionally market a high price of admission for getting started (VFDs, DROs, CNCs, etc.). I believe there is nothing wrong with an old Logan/Atlas/SouthBend/etc. And I believe it's critical that we teach our kids, grandkids and (with permission) our neighbors kids that it is possible to have fun and affordably, safely, effectively fix things. I've got nothing against those who can afford the cool shop toys. They've just seldom been in my budget. Yes, I now have a well used Biax and a low speed diamond carbide lapper.
I have never pretended to have all the answers on anything. That includes scraping. Many, many decades ago when I graduated from paramedic school the programs medical director gave the opening remarks at our graduation ceremony. She was very proud of what we had learned. Then she shocked us by telling us that 1/2 of what we were taught was wrong..... only no one yet knew which half. Since then I've maintained that anyone pretending to have a definitive answer on anything was deceived or deceiving.
I'm not here to pick any fights, or correct other peoples perception of history.
My only goal is to encourage those who have a dream and limited finances that they can do great work, have fun and be safe while teaching our kids a strong work ethic and that they (the kids) have value.
Daryl
MN
I lapped the top side of the cross slide and then scaped the bottom "straight down" using HSS and an Anderson. She is coplaner to .0005 (not a typo) using my humble instruments. I've got more work to do on distribution. But she is coming along. I'll likely choose to use a Sandvick on the top of the saddle. And will use a shop made way gage to work the tails of the saddle. Yes, the rest of the machine will also need help. One part at a time. Meanwhile the electrical works and the spindle is good.
Yes, using the Biax would be easier and faster. However, I'm not in this for profit and I enjoy the skritch of the hand scraper with some blues or bluegrass music in the background, hi-spot blue on my nose (my nose always itches as soon as the blue is opened), and a cold cup of coffee out of harms way.
I sometimes wonder if we deter would-be machinists and rebuilders because we unintentionally market a high price of admission for getting started (VFDs, DROs, CNCs, etc.). I believe there is nothing wrong with an old Logan/Atlas/SouthBend/etc. And I believe it's critical that we teach our kids, grandkids and (with permission) our neighbors kids that it is possible to have fun and affordably, safely, effectively fix things. I've got nothing against those who can afford the cool shop toys. They've just seldom been in my budget. Yes, I now have a well used Biax and a low speed diamond carbide lapper.
I have never pretended to have all the answers on anything. That includes scraping. Many, many decades ago when I graduated from paramedic school the programs medical director gave the opening remarks at our graduation ceremony. She was very proud of what we had learned. Then she shocked us by telling us that 1/2 of what we were taught was wrong..... only no one yet knew which half. Since then I've maintained that anyone pretending to have a definitive answer on anything was deceived or deceiving.
I'm not here to pick any fights, or correct other peoples perception of history.
My only goal is to encourage those who have a dream and limited finances that they can do great work, have fun and be safe while teaching our kids a strong work ethic and that they (the kids) have value.
Daryl
MN
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