# New to me vintage Taiwan lathe



## thebeebe5 (Jul 11, 2020)

Greetings all.  Yesterday I came home with a vintage "Vico" Vital Corporation lathe.  I've been using a ROMI 13-5 at my pal's engine machine shop almost every weekend for the past 6 years and I'm quite used to it.  This new to me Vico is quite different.  I can find no information on it but was told (on a site I definitely didn't belong) that it was a "standard bench top Taiwanese lathe".  No search results for JK-350, Vital etc. return information.  I have a manual for a Jet lathe that has similar controls, but it's still not quite the same.  There are knobs on mine that don't match what I see in that manual.  It's currently at my friend's shop while I clean it up and make a space for it in the garage.  I'm afraid I'm going to have hundreds of questions for you folks here in regard to running the lathe (do I really manually move the belt to different beltways for different speeds) cleaning (the gears are covered with heavy grease.  How do I get them cleaned/lubricated efficiently/effectively) and usage of the controls (cross feed doesn't seem to work; hope it's not serious).

This thing was surprisingly heavy.  I don't have measurements yet but can add them today.  I'm guessing it weighs 450-500 pounds.  The two of us could barely budge it.  Had to use an engine hoist to get it out of the truck once home.  I disassembled the chuck and cleaned out the chips/dried grease and reassembled it.  MUCH smoother now.  Probably everything needs a good cleaning.  It's been repainted _at least _twice before that I can tell.  Once yellow, now blue and may have been a grey underneath.

If anyone has or can direct me to a manual for lathes with similar controls I'd be grateful.  I'll add the info on the manual I do have and note the obvious differences.  I'll also add more detailed photos as I get them later today.

Would love to hear thoughts on this item and can't wait to start using my "own" lathe.


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## benmychree (Jul 11, 2020)

One easy answer; yes you do manually move the belt to change speeds.


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## thebeebe5 (Jul 11, 2020)

benmychree said:


> One easy answer; yes you do manually move the belt to change speeds.



Oh, my *God*, all that _work!!_  

Definitely used to flipping a lever on the other.


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## Aukai (Jul 11, 2020)

Is that the special lathe that will turn those cams into 3/4 race cams?


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## thebeebe5 (Jul 11, 2020)

Aukai said:


> Is that the special lathe that will turn those cams into 3/4 race cams?


That is SO funny.  Me and my buddy have had some good laughs about 3/4 race cams and the  “full f_#%*¥<# race cams” quote from the Boogie Nights Movie.


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## markba633csi (Jul 11, 2020)

Looks like an interesting variation on the Taiwan lathe theme, does it have a camlock spindle? 
If the bedways are good I would wager you could do some pretty accurate work on it- a variable speed motor would be a nice conversion
-Mark


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## Ulma Doctor (Jul 11, 2020)

i have a manual for a 1236 LAM lathe, also very similar.
if you email me i can share it with you.
ulmadoc@gmail.com
(the file is too large to attach here )


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## middle.road (Jul 12, 2020)

Manual OCR'd and reduced a bit.








						LAM 1236 Manual
					

Manual for LAM-1236. Optimized and OCR'd  Original scanned copy provided by @Ulma Doctor




					www.hobby-machinist.com


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## thebeebe5 (Jul 12, 2020)

markba633csi said:


> Looks like an interesting variation on the Taiwan lathe theme, does it have a camlock spindle?
> If the bedways are good I would wager you could do some pretty accurate work on it- a variable speed motor would be a nice conversion
> -Mark



Mark... I'm too new to know what a "camlock spindle" is.   I have additional pictures I'll add here in the next post.  The reason I bought it was because the ways looked well cared for.  There appears to have been some surface rust way up near the headstock, and I'm not sure it will really be a factor.  I can barely feel a little txture there, but no dips where the ways are worn.  A friend tried to sell me an old Atlas that had well worn ways, sot it was something I was looking to avoid.  The motor may have been replaced at one point.  The wiring looks amature to me.  I'll probably redo that at some point IF I can get the crossfeed working.

I.D. plate says DOM May 10, 1980 as far as I can tell.  It's not that old, but certainly seems well made.


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## thebeebe5 (Jul 12, 2020)

Ulma Doctor said:


> i have a manual for a 1236 LAM lathe, also very similar.
> if you email me i can share it with you.
> ulmadoc@gmail.com
> (the file is too large to attach here )


Thanks, Doc.  Looks like middle.road attached a copy.   I'll check it out.  Would love to find out it was a common lathe built under other names as well so I might have some parts availability.


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## thebeebe5 (Jul 12, 2020)

Here are additional images.  I'm not yet sure what the "Clover leaf" aluminum knob is on the top right of the head stock yet, but then I haven't delved into the manuals generously provided.  I'll get to it today.   I did actually get to use it yesterday to finish a piece of an ashtray I was making.  It worked fine, but I really want to fingure out the cross feed for facing purposes for sure.  The knob that I believe engages the cross feed moves, and if I swing it left and then down the crank for the cross feed locks, but nothing moves when the lathe is running.


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## Ulma Doctor (Jul 12, 2020)

(unless i'm mistaken) the clover leaf appears to be how you would disengage the spindle from the back gear

the lever on the gearbox front will change the feed screw in use.
one swing will operate the lower rod, the other swing will drive the large threaded screw
the small slotted driveshaft, located low on the apron , is the crossfeed driveshaft- if that is turning you can use the cross feed
the small controls located mid apron will give longitudinal and traversing drive, in finer ratios than the treading gear selection.
if the larger threaded screw is turning, you won't be able to use it for cross feeding, merely longitudinal travel for threading operations


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## thebeebe5 (Jul 12, 2020)

Ulma Doctor said:


> (unless i'm mistaken) the clover leaf appears to be how you would disengage the spindle from the back gear
> *I'll check it out.*
> 
> the lever on the gearbox front will change the feed screw in use.
> ...


Also, the manual middle.road sent won't open because "I don't have permission"...


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## Aukai (Jul 12, 2020)

It was blank when I opened it this morning, the link opened but no text.


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## Ulma Doctor (Jul 12, 2020)

You need to click download


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## markba633csi (Jul 12, 2020)

Hi Jim: Camlock is one of the methods of attachment used to fasten the chuck onto the spindle nose.  Yours looked at first like it might be, but I think it's actually the more conventional threaded type.  You may have trouble removing the chuck- if so, ask for advice here so you don't break anything.
Cross feed mechanisms are sometimes a weak point on import lathes- It may be a broken gear, keyway, or shaft.  Disassembly of the carriage is often required.
You're right about the wiring, it does look amatureish (like my spelling) I don't see any protective grommets on the drum switch wiring
You were smart in picking that machine over the worn Atlas, I would have also
-Mark


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## thebeebe5 (Jul 12, 2020)

markba633csi said:


> Hi Jim: Camlock is one of the methods of attachment used to fasten the chuck onto the spindle nose.  Yours looked at first like it might be, but I think it's actually the more conventional threaded type.  You may have trouble removing the chuck- if so, ask for advice here so you don't break anything.
> Cross feed mechanisms are sometimes a weak point on import lathes- It may be a broken gear, keyway, or shaft.  Disassembly of the carriage is often required.
> You're right about the wiring, it does look amatureish (like my spelling) I don't see any protective grommets on the drum switch wiring
> You were smart in picking that machine over the worn Atlas, I would have also
> -Mark


Thanks, Mark. Mine is definitely threaded. I followed the instructions in the jet 1024 manual that was included to unscrew it. Then I disassembled it, cleaned it, greased it and reinstalled it. It works beautifully now.
I am thinking the cross feed doesn’t work simply because I don’t know what I’m doing. It seems like, based on the doctors description, that I need to use the high/low lever to select either the high, threaded drive or the low drive underneath it that has the keyway the length of the drive. I will switch it to the L position and see if the crossfeed works tomorrow. I am thinking the CrossFit doesn’t work simply because I don’t know what I’m doing. It seems like, based on the doctors description, that I need to use the high/low lever to select either the high, threaded drive or the low drive underneath it that has the keyway the length of the drive. I will switch it to the L position and see if the crossfeed works tomorrow.


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## thebeebe5 (Jul 14, 2020)

Cross feed works just fine, although it moves very slowly.  I had to switch the “H/L” lever to select it.  Interestingly in the H position the lower, keyed bar rotates, and in the L position the upper threaded bar rotates.  I’da guessed they stood for High and Low, but maybe that’s just me. 
I’ll get a spot cleared in the garage and bring it him over the weekend.  Of course I just sold my engine hoist two weeks ago to help pay for the lathe and now I need it.... :-(


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