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Is This Lathe Worth Buying And Fixing?
- Thread starter Sam Made
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2013
- Messages
- 5,083
Looks like a pretty basic machine, but a good one. No quick change gear box. Other than being dirty I can't see any major flaws, but one would have to take a good look at wear on the ways, carriage, spindle, etc.. Does it come with any tooling, additional chucks, face plate, steady rest, change gears for threading, etc. all of these things will affect the value. Motor could be good, but have a bad switch or some other minor issue, and motors are fairly easy to come by. What is the asking price? Welcome to the forum by the way. Mike
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2014
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- 8,850
Hi Sam,
Welcome to the group.
Mike nailed it with:
Even if it has some wear, it doesn't mean the machine is junk. I learned so much from my first (undersized, worn-out, chattery) lathe that even knowing what I now know, I would buy it over again.
Much depends on the things you want to do and the limits of precision you want to achieve.
You also do not mention price (and "extras" as Mike mentions).
So any more info you can provide would help give a better answer.
-brino
Welcome to the group.
Mike nailed it with:
That's the number one sign of wear. I think the best "on site", no-tools type of test is to slightly tighten the carriage lock with the carriage nearest the head-stock and try to wheel the carriage along the bed. Since most wear occurs near the headstock, you can get an idea of the wear with a few quick tests and without a dial indicator.
Even if it has some wear, it doesn't mean the machine is junk. I learned so much from my first (undersized, worn-out, chattery) lathe that even knowing what I now know, I would buy it over again.
Much depends on the things you want to do and the limits of precision you want to achieve.
You also do not mention price (and "extras" as Mike mentions).
So any more info you can provide would help give a better answer.
-brino
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2016
- Messages
- 843
Good advice from "brino". One little thing I would add is that considering how dirty that lathe looks, I would clean and lubricate the ways before moving the carriage or the tailstock.
Ted
Pic says it's a 9B-17, which is a quick change machine. But none shown installed. Maybe lots of work to get it up and running. $500 isn't a bad price, even as a plain change machine. But looks like you would be buying someone else's project. Eyes open bro.
M
Mister Ed
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Are the change gears there?
Sam:
There are plenty of parts for the small Logan machines on e-bay and Craigslist. Finding a small motor for cheap should be easy.
Aside from checking the bed as brino mentioned, you may want to see if the chuck will come off to check the end of the spindle (or at least look thru the center to make sure it wasn't drilled into), check for excessive wear in the cross feed and compound screws and the tailstock ram. The half nuts can be expensive - so check if the carriage has much play with the half nut engaged. Maybe try to gently rock the carriage back and forth with the hand wheel to check for excessive travel (maybe someone else has a better suggestion on how to check).
Having a dead motor really makes it hard to check the spindle, back gear, change gears, and carriage travel - so this one is a risky purchase.
All these parts can be located/purchased, but if more than a few are badly worn it could turn into a lot of time and more than a few hundred more dollars chasing parts. Not trying to discourage you, just check it out as good as you can before handing over the cash.
Good luck.
TomKro
There are plenty of parts for the small Logan machines on e-bay and Craigslist. Finding a small motor for cheap should be easy.
Aside from checking the bed as brino mentioned, you may want to see if the chuck will come off to check the end of the spindle (or at least look thru the center to make sure it wasn't drilled into), check for excessive wear in the cross feed and compound screws and the tailstock ram. The half nuts can be expensive - so check if the carriage has much play with the half nut engaged. Maybe try to gently rock the carriage back and forth with the hand wheel to check for excessive travel (maybe someone else has a better suggestion on how to check).
Having a dead motor really makes it hard to check the spindle, back gear, change gears, and carriage travel - so this one is a risky purchase.
All these parts can be located/purchased, but if more than a few are badly worn it could turn into a lot of time and more than a few hundred more dollars chasing parts. Not trying to discourage you, just check it out as good as you can before handing over the cash.
Good luck.
TomKro