Help with 10EE inspection prior to purchase (What to look for)

[cpd62]

I have a chance to get a Monarch 10EE for under $2000. I haven't gotten to see it in person yet. I'm looking for some guidance on what to look for on the machine to make sure I've inspected it properly.

I'd like a metal lathe for my home shop and am pretty well versed in woodworking machines but new to purchasing a metal lathe.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Christian

PS: I have a minimal amount of machine measuring tools (a small micrometer and 8in. caliper)
PPS: it comes with a 3 jaw chuck, drill chuck live center and a small tool holder 4 way or a rocker type

 

[PurpLev]

a mic and caliper won't be enough. you may want to get a dial indicator and a magnetic base at least to start with - these will come in handy constantly during machine work anyway.

you would want to check for:

1. ways condition - make sure they are unchipped and in good condition
2. spindle runout - with the magnetic base and dial indicator set at the headstock spindle. turn the spindle by hand and see what the TDI runout registers as.
3. motor and speeds - run lathe in all available speeds. let it run for a few seconds in each speed to see that it hums and everything sounds as it should (no rattling, no excessive vibrations) - check both forward and reverse speeds
4. quick change gears - make sure all quick change gears can be switched to and will drive the carriage accordingly (sometimes some gears get broken teeth or are hard to engage)
5. verify threading drive works -engage half nuts and see that carriage is driven back/forth
6. verify that power feed works for both lateral and cross cuts

if all above checks out - anything else is marginal and can be fixes/aligned/setup later on.

for under $2 - this is a steal!

 

[DMS]

Hopefully the current owner is familiar with the operation, cause getting the 10ee into threading mode is a bit tricky the first time (there are 3 levers/knobs to flip. and 2 have to be actuated in the right order). Sharon has good advice on all accounts here. I would also add that you should check the vintage of the machine, that should tell you a lot about the drive. The condition of the ways is sometimes a point of contention, but lets be honest, this is likely an older machine, and there are going to be some nicks and scratches. As long as they are not too big, it's not an issue. Take a look at the compound slide for signs of abuse; often times this part receives the most damage in a crash (the corner of mine is busted clean off). Inquire about the machines history. If it came out of a manufacturing scenario, it may have been "rode hard". If it was from a toolroom, well, it has probably been babied.

I also recommend reading this page, he has some good advice.
http://www.mermac.com/advicenew.html

Another thing I would suggest is to write down the questions you want to ask, it's easy to forget things in the excitement. Hopefully you can see it under power, and take a cut or two.

$2k for a 10ee is a great deal if the thing runs. Just keep in mind that these machines are VERY heavy, so plan the cost of moving it into your budget.

 

[cpd62]

Thanks so much for the advice so far. I neglected to mention it's a 1942 10ee.

Can taper attachments be found for these readily?
Also I assume manuals can be had easily as well.
Thanks,
Christian.

 

[DMS]

Manuals should be available (even if you have to purchase them from the mfg). I was lucky enough to get a printed manual with mine, which was useful, but you could get away without it. I believe there are electronic versions of the manual floating around as well.

1942 should be a motor/generator drivetrain. Take a look at the lathes.co.uk page for more info on the different drives

http://www.lathes.co.uk/monarch/page2.html

- - - Updated - - -

As far as taper attachments, I haven't actually looked. IIRC, they are not that common.

 

[Cal Haines]

I have a chance to get a Monarch 10EE for under $2000. I haven't gotten to see it in person yet. I'm looking for some guidance on what to look for on the machine to make sure I've inspected it properly.

I'd like a metal lathe for my home shop and am pretty well versed in woodworking machines but new to purchasing a metal lathe.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Christian

PS: I have a minimal amount of machine measuring tools (a small micrometer and 8in. caliper)
PPS: it comes with a 3 jaw chuck, drill chuck live center and a small tool holder 4 way or a rocker type

Hi Christian,

I don't have a lot of time right now, but I'll try to give you some quick guidance. Hopefully I can get back to you in more detail later.

It's very important to see this machine under power. I would not pay anywhere close to $2k for a 1942 10EE that I could not run unless it was absolutely pristine and you probably wouldn't be able to tell about that.

The original motor/generator (MG) drive on those machines is very robust and reliable. Typically the things that go wrong with them are quite minor, but can be challenging to find. Fortunately, I know that drive like the back of my hand and have helped lots of guys get them running. That said, if the drive isn't working or if someone had replaced it with something else, walk away from it at a $2k price. Not running, but good condition = $1500; Not running, well used = $1000.

If the drive has been replaced I would also steer away from it until you can get me more information.

The ways on a 10EE are hardened, so they can look very nice and the machine can still have a lot of wear in the saddle. The best way to check that is to use feeler gage between the saddle and the front flat way for the tailstock. You need to remove the wiper. 0.005" plus is good. If the saddle is down on the way the machine has a fair amount of wear.


I wouldn't get too upset about some wear, but adjust your price accordingly. A well worn 10EE is still capable of good work and a better machine than the average Southbend of similar size in nice condition.

If it's under power, take a 4" test cut on chunk of 1" stock. Measure the diameters along the bar. If the machine is in good condition you won't see more than about 0.0002" difference in your readings.

You can download a manual here:
http://bbssystem.com/viewtopic.php?t=1507

I'll try to get back to you later with some tips on how to run the machine through its paces. But please answer these two questions first:

1. Is it under power?
2. When do you plan to go look at it?

Cal

 

[cpd62]

Thanks Cal
the owner says it has power and can do all speeds up to 1200 rpm. He's not sure why it won't go higher. I plan to look at it if still available on July 26