Two Lathes

[Coomba]

I have a 4914, and I really wish I was able to get a 5900 series. Besides the bigger capacity the nice thing about the 5900 is the L-00 spindle nose. The 4900 has a 1-3/4-8 thread which is a bit of an oddball. It's hard to find pre-threaded backing plates for this size. Also, it looks like the 5900 in your images shows that it comes with a steady rest and the 4900 does not. A bonafide Clausing steady rest can go for several hundred dollars if you can even find one that matches your lathe. The 5900 doesn't have a 4 jaw but since you have a common spindle nose you can buy one that will mount directly to the lathe without having to machine a backplate.

All that being said if it were me, it's a no brainer, get the bigger lathe.

Yeah, thats the direction I'm headed,if the price is right, and I was woundering about the L-00 spindle. Also I will have a lathe to sell. Thanks

Rich

 

[toag]

The Achilles heal of the clausing is the varispeed. When the molgice goes... well you want to catch it before it does. other than that they are real nice lathes. I had a 5904, and it was a solid lathe, in a nice size range, though it is not engine lathe that can hog out the metal. L00 spindle is nice, tooling isnt crazy expensive, and the made a bazillion of them so parts are everywhere. I had trouble finding a follower rest. they must be made of gold, cause people hold onto them like crazy, i spent 2 years looking for one. Also if you can get the spindle sleeve grab it! They are also a bit rare, the spindle has an odd 4 1/2 morse taper, so unless you want to mount your dead center in a chuck (and lose center t center distance), you need it. they also made a 5c collet chuck, and that was nice to have too.

jer

 

[Coomba]

The Achilles heal of the clausing is the varispeed. When the molgice goes... well you want to catch it before it does. other than that they are real nice lathes. I had a 5904, and it was a solid lathe, in a nice size range, though it is not engine lathe that can hog out the metal. L00 spindle is nice, tooling isnt crazy expensive, and the made a bazillion of them so parts are everywhere. I had trouble finding a follower rest. they must be made of gold, cause people hold onto them like crazy, i spent 2 years looking for one. Also if you can get the spindle sleeve grab it! They are also a bit rare, the spindle has an odd 4 1/2 morse taper, so unless you want to mount your dead center in a chuck (and lose center t center distance), you need it. they also made a 5c collet chuck, and that was nice to have too.

jer[/QUOTE.

Thanks that's the type of info. I need. What's a molgice and how do I tell if it's going bad?

 

[toag]

The varispeed has an adjustable pulley that is hydraulically driven. the pulley parts ride on a molgice sleave. I'll make a few pics of this later today. over time this molgice can get beat up, I think it requires oiling monthly... can't remember. Anyways if the molgice goes, lots of things can seize up quickly. Best way to know this is if you hear an odd sound from the motor area, and even then... kinda hard to tell.
That said I never had an issue with my varispeed, and I truly loved my 5904 and was sad to sell it. the 5900 series and 6300 series are th perfect step up from 7-10" chicom/atlas/craftsman lathes. And they really don't take up a large amount of space, and they are a huge jump in capability. if the varispeed part worries anyone, the 5400 series used step pulleys, and I think it wouldn't be too difficult to turn the varispeed into step pulleys (that is what I would have done if mine went out)

 

[Coomba]

The varispeed has an adjustable pulley that is hydraulically driven. the pulley parts ride on a molgice sleave. I'll make a few pics of this later today. over time this molgice can get beat up, I think it requires oiling monthly... can't remember. Anyways if the molgice goes, lots of things can seize up quickly. Best way to know this is if you hear an odd sound from the motor area, and even then... kinda hard to tell.
That said I never had an issue with my varispeed, and I truly loved my 5904 and was sad to sell it. the 5900 series and 6300 series are th perfect step up from 7-10" chicom/atlas/craftsman lathes. And they really don't take up a large amount of space, and they are a huge jump in capability. if the varispeed part worries anyone, the 5400 series used step pulleys, and I think it wouldn't be too difficult to turn the varispeed into step pulleys (that is what I would have done if mine went out)

Thanks that's good info.