# My new toy



## Tony Wells (Jul 4, 2013)

Well, went and got my new toy today. Got the Sony DRO box off for now.









	

		
			
		

		
	
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## genec (Jul 4, 2013)

how neat. do the lights dim in the neighborhood when you turn it on.  :rofl:
I hope you record its setup and refurbishment if any.


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## Ray C (Jul 4, 2013)

Mighty NICE!   That's going to keep you busy!


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## pineyfolks (Jul 4, 2013)

VERY NICE!!!   How many hamsters does it take to run something that size? :lmao:


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## Tony Wells (Jul 4, 2013)

Oh, it's only a 10hp. I like the 3 1/4" spindle hole. And the rapid travel. And the #5mt tailstock. I did not get a steady rest with it, so will be building one. Got a nice 4 jaw with it though. Overall, I believe it's in good shape. It's a 1994 model, but it has been sitting where I got it for 10 or 12 years, so it shouldn't have too many hours on it. The ways show a little flash rust, but a little oil rubdown should clean them up. 

One thing I don't remember from one I bought new for a shop I helped set up is the indexing marks on the spindle collar. There is a pointer, but I don't recall any locking device. I'll hunt it down as I clean it up and evaluate whether it needs any serious repairs. I really don't think so though.


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## Old Iron (Jul 4, 2013)

Looks like a nice Lathe you'll enjoy using it.

Paul


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## Ray C (Jul 4, 2013)

How in the world can someone let a 1994 production lathe get in that kind of shape?  Sad -but possibly good for you in terms of dollars exchanged.

Looking forward to seeing more about this one.  I love big lathes like that!

Do you have power to plug it in or will you derate the motor?


Ray


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## Tony Wells (Jul 4, 2013)

I have plenty of power for this. It is the #3 lathe in the shop. I have a 17 x 60, an 18 x 54, and now this 18 x 60. And a few other machines, but 3 phase in the shop, so no problem.

Oh, and I forgot the weight. I looked it up (no manual yet, on the hunt) and found one listed at ~5600 lbs. So it's all there.


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## 8ntsane (Jul 5, 2013)

Nice Score Tony
I see you like the heavy weight lathes :+1:
Its nice to have a lathe with a large through hole too.
@ 10 HP, that puppy ought to throw some chips for you :biggrin:

Congrats on the new machine :thumbzup:


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## Tony Wells (Jul 5, 2013)

Thanks Paul. Yep, I've spent a few hours on a machine identical to this one and you're right, it will toss chips......lots of hot chips. I do favor the heavier machines, even though most of my work these days is on small hole tools, or some call them slim hole tools. Just seem to get better results with bigger bearings and heavier iron, and faster too.


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## eightball (Jul 5, 2013)

Nice looking machine. Does it have a taper attachment?  Hope so. I'm waiting for them to upgrade our old monarch cw at work. I will have the winning bid on that one if they auction it off. Cut my teeth on that jewel 28 years ago.


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## TOOLMASTER (Jul 5, 2013)

Someone tried giving me a monster like that years ago...it would have been nice but jeeez it was huge


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## David (Jul 5, 2013)

Glad to see you got it home safe and sound Tony!  

David


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## Ray C (Jul 5, 2013)

Right before purchasing my current lathe, I had a shot at 15x54 Sheldon that was in near perfect condition with the exception of a missing the motor as the PO needed it for something else.  It was a little over 3000lbs.  While looking at the possibility of finding a lower HP motor, someone else spotted it and jumped on it.  I was disappointed but, it was all for the better as I only have single phase available and moving 1.5 tons in my shop would have required moving all my other machines...  Still though, I'd like to have a big old machine like that.


Ray



TOOLMASTER said:


> Someone tried giving me a monster like that years ago...it would have been nice but jeeez it was huge


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## Bill Gruby (Jul 5, 2013)

Before retirement in 95 we had two of those at GM. They are sweethearts once you get used to them. They are a little noisy as I recall but nothing that can't be overcome.

 "Billy G"


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## tripletap3 (Jul 5, 2013)

Wow! I look forward to see it up and running.


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## dickr (Jul 5, 2013)

The "Mighty Turn" is a good machine. Even the smaller ones were built solid. Heck now you'll be able to make your jeweler/watch lathe on that one !
Congratulations on your addition.
dickr


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## TOOLMASTER (Jul 5, 2013)

well it's smaller than this one,,lol



http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/bfs/3916152166.html


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## Tony Wells (Jul 5, 2013)

Thanks, dickr. I have run one almost identical, except for between centers distance, a good bit. I kind of like them. I need to find a taper attachment for it. Then I would move out one of the other lathes. I only have one with a TA, and I have to have it. I've emailed Mighty USA about it, and we'll see what they tell me.


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## drs23 (Jul 5, 2013)

genec said:


> how neat. do the lights dim in the neighborhood when you turn it on.  :rofl:
> *I hope you record its setup and refurbishment if any.*



So, is a refurb in store?


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## Tony Wells (Jul 5, 2013)

Kind of depends. I've only listened to it run years ago when the PO bought it. I hooked it up for him, listened to the motor, but that's it. I'll start by giving it a good scrubbing and see what I find. A few test cuts, trying all the speeds, etc., after a preliminary check of all systems and an oil change will determine what it needs. I don't need a zero tolerance machine at this time, so I can put up with a few flaws. I have a nice, accurate 17 x 60, so this one may be my roughout machine. As I said....as usual, it depends.


Toolmaster, that's my kind of lathe. I no longer have need of anything that large, but always enjoyed seeing the horsepower of a big lathe in a deep cut.


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## GaryK (Jul 5, 2013)

Excellent score! That big bore will be very nice!

I'd like to come by and see it once you get it up and running.

Gary


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## Tony Wells (Jul 5, 2013)

Sure thing, Gary. I'll give you a holler.

I've been driving thru Lindale a 2-3 times a week now for a month. Maybe I can slip by your place for a cup of coffee sometime. I run thru on 69, all the way up to Quitman. Building a new ETMC facility there. Just about to wrap it up. A couple more weeks, I imagine, before all the bigwigs are happy with all the details.


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## itsme_Bernie (Jul 5, 2013)

Maybe you could shoot a video of something turning on one of your big machines?  I can't say I've ever seen 10 HP turning!!  

Bernie


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## Tony Wells (Jul 5, 2013)

Might could make that happen. Seems I have some 8 or 10" bar around here somewhere that I could peel some off of. I have done some experiments with a remote webcam on some time-lapse shots of a construction project that turned out OK, and I believe I can do continuous with it as well. I'll play around with it a little. Just be warned, I'm no videographer, so be gentle. It's on a 30 foot USB extension, and is mountable on a tripod, so I might be able to capture a bit of video for you. I'll certainly try.

If I can't find any material handy, I'll get a job at some point where I can bury a 600 series insert in there and make some chips that you don't bouncing off your safety glasses.

10 HP isn't that much, really, in the industrial world. I think the largest I have run was 100 HP. Several in the 50-75 range, and many 20-25 range. Usually, on the larger lathes, there is a lot of material to remove, and time is money, and HP is time.....and away we go! One shop I worked in had the gravy job of roughing out mandrels and driveshafts for mud motors. These were anywhere from 12"OD forged hollows about 6 feet long to 4" x 4 feet. All 41xx heat treated to mid to upper 30's Rc, and once in a while a low 40 would come in. There is a good bit of disparity between the largest and the smallest size on these parts, so there was quite a few pounds of material to rip off. We had lathes running 24 x 6 on them, and we had pretty steady jobs of shoveling out the chips into 5 gallon buckets and dumping them in the chip hopper outside the shop. Months of this we did at a time. All we had to do was follow a r/o drawing that left 0.1000 everywhere, in -X- and -Z- for the CNC lathes to finish. That way the CNC's weren't wasted doing roughout work. This was back during one of the oilfield "boom days" periods. But that HP made lots of money, and it was really hard to scrap one, unless you really couldn't hit the +/- 0.050 everywhere. But those chips were hot, broken small, and a 5 gallon bucket was tough to carry alone. Had to have two just to not wreck your back from the imbalance.


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## TOOLMASTER (Jul 6, 2013)

With the price of materials now it cost to much to make anything for fun now that big:yikes:


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## Tony Wells (Jul 6, 2013)

I probably wouldn't buy a piece that size just to demonstrate a cut, but once in a while I do get a job where I turn a piece that large. I have a piece of tubing on hand now that is (if memory serves) 12"OD 1 1/2" wall about 14" long. Originally to be one piece. Customer furnished material. They rejected a part and thought it scrap, so sent another piece to remake the part. I was able to salvage the original part, and they never asked for the replacement material to be returned. I guess the buyer figured I'd be making the next one that popped up in the system. It's been 10 years...so I think the material is off-record now. I'm certainly not showing it as WIP in my inventory!

We'll see what comes up. I'll practice trying to video other things so work out that part anyway.


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## jpfabricator (Jul 6, 2013)

I hope your loading went as smooth or smoother than when we loaded my machines! Were you able to score the round stock you were "eye ballin"?


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## Tony Wells (Jul 6, 2013)

Went smooth as glass, jp. I brought those 4 x 6 skids with me, and enough rigging not to need hunt for stuff. I just drove some 50d bridge spike into them. No way to get lag bolts in, and the lathe originally shipped with carriage bolts through the pallet from underneath. Had some 1" round bar.Start to finish, including a couple of water breaks, I think we dove out in about 1:45, which included scrounging for some 3/4" plate for a charity project I am working on. I didn't get the round bar. I had forgotten about it until we were already locking up and Thomas and his mom were ready to go. I think they had other things to do and had made time for us to get the lathe anyway, for which I was grateful. I had his mom handle my camera. I told her to wander around during the loadout and "take a few pictures". She took about 100! I may post a link to photobucket if I upload at least some of them. Some are like a flipbook, almost close enough to be a "movie". Maybe she thought something was about to happen and didn't want to miss it. Hmmm, or or maybe I handed it to her on "sports" setting, which fires of 5 frames at burst. I didn't think so, but maybe she changed it. I'll have to look. 

I still have to get a grinder and that 20 ton punch press, so I'll get the round then. Have a project for it now anyway.


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## Tony Wells (Jul 8, 2013)

Well, for anyone interested in the loadout of that lathe, here is a link to about 75 pictures, many of which appear to be duplicates, but are not. Some are just a second or a few apart. I'll clean them up and see if there is anything interesting in the 22 that failed to upload last night.

http://s790.photobucket.com/user/GrayLox_album/library/?sort=2&page=13

Please excuse any you find something improper in. If I didn't see it, let me know.


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## itsme_Bernie (Jul 10, 2013)

Cool Tony!

No pressure here to cut good stock for a video!  It's just funntomsee chips fly- I think there was a thread here once with different videos and pics of big chips..  So cool!


Bernie


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