14X54 American Pacemaker

[itsme_Bernie]

I am stuck to this thread like glue.

Beautiful machine, and beautiful work. Wow. You are really saving a piece of American History.



Bernie

 

[woodtickgreg]

I'm with Bernie, I too am really enjoying your work on this grand old lathe. I enjoy every post!

 

[rmack898]

I'm glad you are enjoying this project because I'm about burnt out on it. I have done this type of work to quite a few other machines in my shop but it has never been at this pace. It took me 4 years to finish the Burke #4 mill and I think the fastest I have ever gone through a machine was 3 months for a DoAll band saw. I have a very lucrative job pending that requires this lathe and that is why I have been going full tilt on it, if I finish it this week it will have been about a 6 week job but I don't want to jinx myself.

I got some young guys from my day job to come over at lunch today and get the apron mounted on the carriage. It took 3 young guys and myself to get it up into place and bolted on to the carriage as the thing weighs about 250#s.

I got another batch of parts painted and got some more of the taper attachment mounted.

I really didn't want to get back into stripping paint and filler but the tailstock was just in way too bad of shape not to strip it down and do it right, I have way too much time and labor invested in this lathe to start cutting corners at the end of the job. I have applied one coat of stripper and I think that I can sand the rest rest of it to the point that I can start applying filler so the paint will look nice.

I go back to work tomorrow so the compound will go with me and get put in the parts washer. Once the tailstock and compound are done, that should be about it for the lathe. The only thing left to do will be to get the electric control box done and figure out how I'm going to run power to the lathe after I figure out where I'm gong to put the lathe. I have moved this lathe twice since I brought it home and once I figure out where to put it, I don't want to move it again until I move out of NJ.

 

[rmack898]

I just went out to the shop to get a beverage out of the shop fridge and almost tripped on the lead screw and feed screw so I guess I am not as close to being done as I thought I was. See what happens when you work too fast.

 

[drs23]

I'm glad you are enjoying this project because I'm about burnt out on it. I have done this type of work to quite a few other machines in my shop but it has never been at this pace. It took me 4 years to finish the Burke #4 mill and I think the fastest I have ever gone through a machine was 3 months for a DoAll band saw. I have a very lucrative job pending that requires this lathe and that is why I have been going full tilt on it, if I finish it this week it will have been about a 6 week job but I don't want to jinx myself.

I got some young guys from my day job to come over at lunch today and get the apron mounted on the carriage. It took 3 young guys and myself to get it up into place and bolted on to the carriage as the thing weighs about 250#s.

I got another batch of parts painted and got some more of the taper attachment mounted.

I really didn't want to get back into stripping paint and filler but the tailstock was just in way too bad of shape not to strip it down and do it right, I have way too much time and labor invested in this lathe to start cutting corners at the end of the job. I have applied one coat of stripper and I think that I can sand the rest rest of it to the point that I can start applying filler so the paint will look nice.

I go back to work tomorrow so the compound will go with me and get put in the parts washer. Once the tailstock and compound are done, that should be about it for the lathe. The only thing left to do will be to get the electric control box done and figure out how I'm going to run power to the lathe after I figure out where I'm gong to put the lathe. I have moved this lathe twice since I brought it home and once I figure out where to put it, I don't want to move it again until I move out of NJ.

You Go Man! Very impressive workmanship and finished product to this point. Great job.

My favorite thread at this point!

Dale

 

[rmack898]

Well I have had a lot of things that got in my way of making progress this week so I didn't get too much done.
I did however manage to get the cross slide and taper attachment all completed and installed.

I'm still working on the tailstock and it will probably take me 2 days to get it done but this weekend will be a bust as I will be out of town and next week is filling up with side work. I might have to take a day off from work to get something done on the lathe.

 

[rmack898]

Well I survived a weekend of social events in NYC and a Monday of day job.

I got home and started in on the tailstock casting. Spring is here and the weather has warmed up to the point that I can work outside in 65 degree temps. That makes a big difference when working with adding filler to castings. I can mix up a batch and apply it and be able to sand it in about 15 minutes. I was able to get 3 coats of filler applied and sanded on the tailstock tonight.

I had previously painted the base of the tailstock and got it put on the ways tonight along with re-assembling and installing the hand crank gear for the tailstock, it glides on the ways so smoothly.

I assembled and installed the threading dial too. When I took it apart I was unable to get 2 of the drive screws that held the instruction plate off so I ground the off flush. I installed the instruction plate with 2 new drive screws and used a 2 flute carbide drill chucked up real close to drill the old drive screws out. The 2 flute drill is a bit more rigid and since I only had to drill .325" deep with a hand drill it worked great and I was able to drill the old screws out and use the original locations.
It seems as if I am getting down to the end as I have no big pile of parts laying around the shop, just the tailstock and a few plastic bags of parts left to go through. I never did get the electrical control box painted and re-installed so between applying filler and sanding the tailstock tomorrow I think I will attack the electrical box.

They are calling for rain tomorrow so it should be an early day home from work so I should be able to get a fair bit of work done on the lathe.

 

[tertiaryjim]

It's really nice to see such solid machinery and the fine work your doing.
Thanks for posting this.

 

[rmack898]

Well its been a week since the last update. It seems that time is the one thing I don't have enough of, between the springtime domestic chores, my day job, and side work that is booming, it doesn't leave much time left to work on the lathe. But I did however get some things done this week.

I finished prepping and painting the tailstock and I got it installed on the ways. There are shims that go between the base and the tailstock a since its so heavy, I had to use the shop crane to set it down nice and easy without moving the shims. The tailstock has a pinion gear that is used to move it up and down the ways, it has a square shaft and I had been using a Crescent wrench to turn it but I didn't want to keep doing that so I decided to make a crank handle.

I got all of the electrical controls re-installed but still need to run power to the lathe from the RPC. I finally got the compound apart and it needs 2 new bearings that I have on order, with any luck they should be here tomorrow. I got the micrometer stop back together and installed.

The only thing left untouched is the 10" 3-jaw chuck, but I should be able to get it apart and cleaned up this week.

- - - Updated - - -

I forgot to add the pics.

 

[GK1918]

Amazing work Mac. Gotta thank you for the wonderful idea you gave me. We will name it "the tailstock mover". My GK 1918 takes a man
an two boys to move it. I should think an alum. bracket and rack gear should do the job. thanks
sam