I need a second ( and a third, and a fourth... ) opinion

[JCarducci]

I'm just new to this forum so please forgive me if this post is out of place. I wanted to post to a general topic thread but didn't really find one.

I'll preface by saying I know that no one can really advise me properly sight unseen with what I'm about to ask.

I've been offered a vintage Bridgeport and Le Blond 19" lathe for ~$3500 and the seller is willing to transport it to my garage. The machines
are a bit dirty and the ways are stained but I don't see a lot of rust, pitting, gouges or real visible damage. They're both set up for 3 phase
power ( except the table of the Bridgeport ) but to my knowledge they're not wired up at present.

The Le Blond is likely WW II vintage; perhaps a "round head" type with the "light" threading gearbox? The headstock doesn't have 'Le Blond'
cast into it that I can see but just ' 19" ' on the upper right portion of the head stock casting. The Le Blond name is on edge of the gear change
plate of the threading gearbox. I will freely confess that I don't know much about these machines but I'm really excited about the prospect. I'm guess based on what I've read that the machine will weigh in excess of 3,000 pounds. That poses the last problem- once it's put in my two car garage it won't be moving anywhere for years tying up one car space for as long as it's there....

I'm wondering what sort of problems both the mill and especially the lathe could have. I know parts are hard to find and expensive when you do
find them.

The lathe has both 4 and 3 jaw chucks, there's an enormous rotary table that I could never even lift and apparently a lot of misc tooling for both
machines. I'm not clear if the Le Blond has a collet closer and taper attachment.

The draw is strong to buy these things but 1) it will be years before I could get to work with them( I'm 3+ years away from retirement ) 2) I want to build a proper shop building to house all my machines and that is years off also.

I'll throw myself at the mercy of the knowledge base here- how crazy is this? How crazy am I? Should I seek help?

I should add I have 4 lathes an Atlas 6" that was my father's( he bought it new); a Harbor Freight mini 7" x10 ( I bought new); a Grizzly 9"x18 ( I bought new in 1990) and my late father's 12"x 36 "Morgon" Taiwanese he bough second hand. I also have a import drill - mill and my fathers Jet bench mill.

I really just wanted the Bridgeport but now that the lathe came up as well I just can't stand it!

My main hobby work os building military models in 1:10 scale. See my website( http://tanks.linite.com ). I can't say I have a use for the gigantic Lathe but it's so cool...

Help,
Jerry

 

[DMS]

Do you know the much about the history of the particular machines? Problems I think are mostly going to be related to drivetrain and ways. For machines that old, there is bound to be some wear, but you want to avoid excessive wear and breakage. The price seems decent, especially since transportation is included. If not for that, it would not be worth the price IMO. Larger lathes tend to go cheaper than smaller lathes from what I have seen, and used Bridgeports tend to go for between $1500 and $2500 depending on age and condition.

If you are just interested in the BPT, you could always try to re-sell the lathe. It does seem like if you are just going to be storing them for a couple years, you may want to pass on this. There will be other deals in 3 years, and you will have a better idea what your wants/needs are then. For example, you may decide to move, or you may decide you want to get into CNC, or you want a smaller machine because you want to start fixing up old cars, and need more space in the shop. 3 years is a long time.

 

[Old Iron]

As you can see I like older machines mostly because they offer more than the newer ones. Where can you get a mill now that comes with power feeds on all axes.

I have a 13" Le blond and it is a great machine when I got it it had been stored in a open building lots of rust and things were froze up. But it all freed up and the rust came off fairly easy.

The parts for a Le blond can be found on Eba at a decent price if you look and are not in a hurry.

I got a steady rest for mine for around 100.00 which is a really good price for one, Especially if it is the right one.

Now I don't know about the 17" but on my 13" I have to give the spindle bearings a little oil so they don't start up dry. Other than that I've not had any trouble out of mine.

Paul

 

[rafe]

Big lathes are better than small ones even for small work,at least I think so. Put them in your garage yes, but make sure they are wired up and assessable, I mean what else are you going to do with the space, park a car?....what a waste of good machine space!! You might just as well put a good old drill press in there too. I bought a place with a detached two car garage ...ha I don't even know why I called it that ...My truck has never been in there ...I kept my tractor in there when there was room , but tractors belong outside anyhow. Had to relagate the Harley to the well house this past week ....it was impossible to get it in and out easily ..So I rebuilt (I'm rebuilding) the well house ...Easy in and out and secure....12x12
I actually have a pretty decent shop now messy but I like working with or on the machines as well as any project that might come along ....no mill yet....But it will no doubt materialize like the others have. I say get it, those other lathes you have might still get used a little,,,,,I use my little atlas's once in a blue moon ....but They will have to go when I find the mill

 

[JCarducci]

I thought I'd follow up with photos. These don't show all the tooling, follower and steady rest, mills, reamers rotary table, coolant pumps, taper attachment...

I can't stand it. I'm buying it all and worrying later.....

It's too late to save me...

Jerry

 

[genec]

It looks as if the hook was already set before you asked for the second opinion, I think you will enjoy both of them, have fun

 

[pipehack]

I can't add much or anything for that matter. 3 years or so till you retire? Just rub it in. I'm 44 and have almost 20 in my local as a plumber. I have at least 20 to go. Great deals on the machines and awesome website. Please keep us posted if you buy them. You build some really cool stuff. This website is great. All the folks are really helpful. I recently bought a Cman/Atlas 6" lathe and make more chips than actual parts.

 

[DAN_IN_MN]

Welcome to the forum!

I took a brief look at your website! WoW! Casting parts, just to name one of the things I saw! WoW! You do some nice work already and adding a mill is just going to step things up!

I've always wanted a remote control tank!

I see a lathe in one of your pics. What other machines do you have?

I think you should buy them! OH, you already did! LoL! :rofl:

You'll have to keep us informed on what you find with them for condition and such! How long have they gone without being used?

 

[JCarducci]

I can't add much or anything for that matter. 3 years or so till you retire? Just rub it in. I'm 44 and have almost 20 in my local as a plumber. I have at least 20 to go. Great deals on the machines and awesome website. Please keep us posted if you buy them. You build some really cool stuff. This website is great. All the folks are really helpful. I recently bought a Cman/Atlas 6" lathe and make more chips than actual parts.

Ah yes, 3 years 8 months and 9 days......

I've worked at the same company as a software engineer for 41 years and brother let me tell you-
I do not envy young folks coming up today. The IT world they inherit is nothing like the one in which
I started. Not even close. Most large companies today not only watch your every move, literally your
every keystroke but they barely trust you to use the john on company time....

Nope, in 3 years, 8 months and 9 days it's all behind me.... if not sooner.

jerry

 

[JCarducci]

Early Christmas! was (Re: I need a second ( and a third, and a fourth... ) opinion)



Well I finally did it; they're in my garage. There was more tooling, cutters, reamers, drills( REALLY large drills ), chucks,
a rotary table, indexing fixture that the fellows had to more it all in with pallets. I had no idea there was so much
that came with these machines. Plus there's a huge drill press- type machine that will be coming later of a type and vintage unknown to me.

I still have no real idea what I'm going to do with it all. All I do know is I was constitutionally incapable of passing it up....
so I change my original plea from second and third opinions needed to a request for an intervention!

Jerry