# Machining lathe bed ways on SB heavy 10



## skelso (May 24, 2013)

I hope this is the correct place to post this, hate to screw up on my first post here (second counting the intro)...

I'm shopping around for my first lathe. I have a small budget so I've taken some of the advice posted on the forum and elsewhere about buying used. My company gets huge discounts from FedEx freight so buying and shipping across country isn't an issue. However buying a lathe off pictures alone does scare me a bit, especially when some of the machines I'm looking at are 50+ years old...

My major concern is buying one of these lathes on-line, getting it here , and finding out it's so worn I have to get the ways machined before I can start using it. My time and labor doesn't concern me much, it's the cost of the actual machining that is an unknown. Can anyone give me a ball park cost to have them machined? 

Thanks!


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## Richard King (May 24, 2013)

Costs vary depending on the bed lengh where and who'd doing it.  Give this company a call and ask them.  You will need to know the bed length and say it'sworn approx .015" near the chuck. http://www.commercegrinding.com/
They're in Dallas and one of the best in the country.  You may find a company with a planner as they can hold new mach spec normally of .0002" per foot.  Commerce can hold .00005" /12"   There is a post on here someplace where a guy took his bed to  *Schmede in Tullahoma TN
but you will have to look it up.*


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## Bob1947 (May 24, 2013)

I can't reply to your question but I have asked just that question of a couple machinists locally in the past and heard they'd had something similar done locally for $1-2K depending on many details and with variable outcomes.  

I've bought no old machines sight unseen and can't imagine doing it.  Even then, all the vintage machines I've bought had many hidden defects or problems I didn't detect, or hadn't known to look for, until I discovered them in use.  Buying (and accumulating) old machines is much more like marriage than anything else: sort of a particular way of life with lots of surprises and drama, both happy and sad.

You may get something from reading this old piece written by a venerable machine dealer and sage some years ago.  I personally identify with the klunker and think of myself as one.

Try hard to find something locally e.g. with newspaper or craigslist ads.  Go look at everything.  You'll discovery you are "networking" and will find things that aren't advertised.  You'll meet lots of good-natured people and break into an informal local community of machinists and hobbyists, which is where the better opportunities are.


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## itsme_Bernie (May 24, 2013)

I am curious abut how much this is as well.  I can check a place 10 minutes from me as well, but that is nowhere near you in Texas!  Hah

Bernie


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## stevecmo (May 24, 2013)

skelso,

First, I don't know that I could bring myself to buy a machine site unseen, unless it was from a known, reputable source.  Don't be afraid to spend some time to drive to see some machines.  Also, there are members here from all over the country that I'm sure would be willing to go take a look at a machine for you if it's close to them.  Just make a post and you'll get responses.  We're a friendly bunch.  )

Second, since this is your first lathe I'm assuming you're doing this as a hobby.  I would think it's pretty rare for the ways of a lathe to be so bad that it's unusable in a hobby situation.  After you look at a few, you'll be able to tell pretty quickly whether it's junk or not.  Any used machinery is going to have some wear.  Most of us just learn to compensate for it, knowing it's there.  It make take a little longer - as in sneaking up on a dimension - but it gets the job done.  

I think you're worrying about something you shouldn't.  If you're looking at fifty year old lathes and the ways need to be machined, that lathe probably has more problems and you'll have way more money in it than it's worth.

Just my two cents - hope it helps.

Steve


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## skelso (May 24, 2013)

Thanks for the replies it really helps me wrap my head around it. Here's some answers to some of the questions that y'all have brought up which will hopefully help understand my position.

1) The machines I am looking at are mostly through used equipment dealers. They have been good about sending me pictures of just about anything I want to see but it's hard to determine how flat the bed is from a picture. So it's not 100% sight unseen as I use the pics to look for signs of obvious abuse or misuse. Then I have to rely on the salesperson for the rest (and I work with enough salepeople to know not to trust any of them... )

2) While I have some knowledge of how to run the equipment, I've never been involved in setup, etc. So the prospect of rebuilding an old machine seems like a good project for me so I can learn it inside and out.

3) This is for occasional hobby use, that's why I don't want to sink a lot into it. However, my hobbies include some gunsmithing so I need it to hold tight tolerances. 

4) I have access to machines at a friend's place (who taught me the gunsmithing work I do) but he is a 3 hour drive from me and more often than not when I make the trip down for a weekend I find myself spending the first day or so working on projects for him around the house. I've decided to buy my own machine so I can tinker after work during the week and make the occasional trip to his place just to visit and help out. 

Thanks again! 



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## itsme_Bernie (May 24, 2013)

It is nice to have a friend like that, but you really change things when you can work at home.

I think the general consensus is that "dings" in the ways don't matter much, just wear.  This may be one way to find a lathe that will be more affordable, but still work well for you.  

First- I would think if you sound reasonable and realistic, you MIGHT be able to get straight answers from SOME dealers if you ask a question like:

"Are the ways warn out or just dinged up?  I don't care about dings, but don't want much wear by the chuck"

Unless you are doing outside work on long barrels, I wonder how much you need perfect ways?  We all want them, but maybe some experts out here can tell us who really needs them?  Is that a weird question? 


Bernie


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## skelso (May 24, 2013)

itsme_Bernie said:


> It is nice to have a friend like that, but you really change things when you can work at home.
> 
> I think the general consensus is that "dings" in the ways don't matter much, just wear.  This may be one way to find a lathe that will be more affordable, but still work well for you.
> 
> ...



Understand  what you mean completely. Most of the dealers I have spoken to so far have given answers such as "7 out of 10", "some scratches but none that will catch you fingernail", etc... So I feel pretty good about it, just a bit anxious for the first go round... 

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## Richard King (May 24, 2013)

skelso said:


> Thanks for the replies it really helps me wrap my head around it. Here's some answers to some of the questions that y'all have brought up which will hopefully help understand my position.
> 
> 1) The machines I am looking at are mostly through used equipment dealers. They have been good about sending me pictures of just about anything I want to see but it's hard to determine how flat the bed is from a picture. So it's not 100% sight unseen as I use the pics to look for signs of obvious abuse or misuse. Then I have to rely on the salesperson for the rest (and I work with enough salepeople to know not to trust any of them... )
> 
> ...




Make sure the dealers gives you a 30 day return privilege policy that all reputable used machine dealers supply.   Some even offer an insurance poilcy .  Some used machine dealers are worse then used car dealers.  You may want to call some machine shops in  that area and ask the owner if he knows that company and if they sell good machines or junk.


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