# The World's Largest Lathe Is For Sale



## WRMorrison (Apr 16, 2015)

http://www.industrytap.com/worlds-largest-lathe-sale/14280

I wonder if I can convince the wife to let me add on to the garage....

-WRM


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## w9jbc (Apr 16, 2015)

"My that's a big one"


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## Billh50 (Apr 16, 2015)

That's a lot bigger than the largest one I have seen in person. The largest one I have seen in person only had a 30" swing with a 18' bed. Had a seat mounted on the saddle for the operator to sit on and ride along. And I thought that was impressive back then.


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## higgite (Apr 16, 2015)

Dadgummit! My shop ceiling is too low! Otherwise, I'd be all over it.

Tom


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## pdentrem (Apr 16, 2015)

Should of been titled "one of the largest". My bungalow is too small!


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## hdskip (Apr 16, 2015)

There are 2 in Virginia that are huge. Both are approaching 100' between centers. One is at the shipyard and another slightly smaller at a company named Alstom south of Richmond. Alstom repairs steam generators from power plants. It is an impressive sight to see these machines operating. Chips are very large.


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## pdentrem (Apr 16, 2015)

At the Norfolk Shipyards there is a big one there for the prop shafts. It was shown on an episode of Worlds Toughest Fixes, I think? Or maybe on a show on the National Geo channel.


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## hdskip (Apr 16, 2015)

The one at Norfolk was in the History Channel show titled City of Steel about building a Nimitz class carrier. The Ronald Reagan I think.


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## RJSakowski (Apr 16, 2015)

That is a big one.  It shows that we pretty well only limited by our imaginations.  My question would be "where do you buy the stock for it and how do you ship it?"  I don't think that UPS will tackle it.

I go on an annual Spring fish trip with a number of guys who worked for Allis Chalmers.   Some years ago, one of the brought in a company yearbook from the fifties which showed some of their big machines.  As I recall, there was a lathe of similar size to the post in it.  I'll be seeing the guys soon and will see if the book is still around and if I can get a photo.


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## dirty tools (Apr 16, 2015)

can you imagine  grinding tool bits for it?


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## w9jbc (Apr 16, 2015)

there had to be some big stuff around to make the barrels for the 16" guns on the old battle ships too


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## pdentrem (Apr 16, 2015)

hdskip said:


> The one at Norfolk was in the History Channel show titled City of Steel about building a Nimitz class carrier. The Ronald Reagan I think.



That was it! Thanks
Pierre


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## brav65 (Apr 16, 2015)

Very cool!  I wonder what sort of accuracy the machine is capable of?  Something that size would also be affected by temperature as well I would assume.


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## 4GSR (Apr 16, 2015)

Back when I was just house broken, dad moved the family to Houston in 1965.  The company dad went to work for built drlling tools for the oilfield industry.
One of the key pieces of machinery that was used for drilling deep holes in drill collars was called a trepanner.  These drilling machines were converted from old gun barrel boring lathes used back in WWII.  They had several over the years that were  over 120 foot long.  Some of the machine tool manufactures of these old machines were primary Niles, LeBlond, Mesta.  There were a couple other, names don't come to mind at the moment.  I remember seeing a few of these later in the years and they still had property tags attached some saying "Property of Watervilt Arsenal".


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## aliva (Apr 17, 2015)

Will they deliver?


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## mcostello (Apr 17, 2015)

I spent 9 months at the Edgar Thompson steel mill around 1970. Would work there again in a heart beat. Was shown a small room up several small flights of steps. Inside was just a chair and a small access window looking at a piece of steel turning around. Could not see the top or bottom of the piece, just see only about 4' of material going around. Asked the boss who was showing this to Me, What is this? He said it was a lathe turning a 40' 6" Dia. piece of steel down to 40'. Seems the piece ordered was to big to go through a railroad tunnel. Missed it by 6" and the train had to back up 15 miles and bring it back. They knew I was interested in machinery back then, was just only cars then. Would just love to have that chance now as I think I know a bit more and would really enjoy it now.


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## Smithdoor (Apr 17, 2015)

That will work well in my shop

Dave


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## Uglydog (Apr 17, 2015)

spindle speed 60 to 2400 rpm
Imagine the size of the bearings!

Daryl
MN


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## Smithdoor (Apr 17, 2015)

Just think of cost buying the shaft to turn in the lathe

Dave


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## Mark in Indiana (Apr 18, 2015)

Too bad it wouldn't fit in my cargo van.


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