Have a old Sheldon in my sites. what to look for???

G

gregg

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Going to look at a old Sheldon 13X40? He said? All I can find on legs and the drive with motor up high two speed gear box and flat belt is a 11X36 maybe? Do they have a thread dial ? Looks like it had cross travel? How do you lock down the apron so I can have lock loose and see if there tight or loose spots of wear on the bed? Check gears can see? Loose head stock bearings? Lead screw wear. How wore and nice square and see if half nut will engage? Don't think the lead screw and half nut will kill the deal ? I have never seen a Sheldon . Only worked with SB in like new shape Been some years ago. What say you? Looked at member map. I do live in a machine desert.:pondering:

Oh forgot . Its in the CL 7 days ago in Rapid City area.
 
There are many questions. Is it e-drive, u-drive other ? Is it X series? Can you post the link to it. If I can see it I can answer your questions. Sheldon Lathes were made in Chicago Il. at Sheldon Machine Co. Inc. Look in the restoration section of this Forum. I am doing the rebuild now on a EXL 56.

"Billy G"
 
That is a good price. The only problem you might run into is the ways. Check them for a dip at the headstock end. Other than that my recommendation is Buy it before someone else does. Sheldon is a good lathe.

"Billy G"
 
Went To look at the lathe. compound where tool holder is ? been chewed on kind of hard? cross feed would not work? He was not sure how to in gage it? tail stock did not have the plate under it to lock it down. Says it broke he welded it and it broke again. Bed had no worn grooves in it but was really dinged a lot for a foot to 14 in back from head stock? tighten down the apron up near the head stock. Rowed apron to tail stock and it did tighten some?? lead screw ,gears, all look good? square top not sharp on top of the gears and feed rod. Has not been clean and oiled and kept up? Black dried oil and dirt in gear boxes. I saw it take a couple light cuts on brass so not like a lone deep cut on steel. has a leather jean pants type belt for drive belt. I know I use a lot of question marks but it all stuff I just don't know or sure of. OH and Cutting tools
Back gears =two tool holders with HSS tools in them, no back gears yet?13x40 1HP 110 volt

Accessories include:
3 jaw chuck there
4 jaw chuck there
Live center there stuck broke lose finger pressure, little ruff?
Steady rest there
Steady rest follower there, bearing gone on the fingers
Taper attachment there
Cutting tools As stated above
Back gears Not found yet ?HOW MANY SHOULD TERE BE???
Feed drive dog Dog for a back plate. there

Gregg
 
This is my take from here. Unless I wanted to send the bed out to have the dings repaired (expensive) I would pass on this one or make him a lower offer explaining the way problem. Wear is one thing, dings and holes are another. They mead it wasn't treated well.

"Billy G"
 
Billy I slept on it and think your right. oh and he told me that over a 9 in bar it hold about .002 ? and that run out came from close to head stock? but back to what you said. The dings did not have burs on them. like they been stoned out? Like it set and been used as a tool and steel table? like I said every thing look to be or next to running dry.My Fingers were black like graphite was used on bed ways???? This morning wondering if that was carbon dust. he said he did not think there was a MT behind the chuck in head stock?? New one on me?? like to turn between centers? 1 1/16 hole thru head stock ..Strange for that lathe? got go back and read. oh guess it is 13x40. don't need as big as hole thru. Don't see that size in UK link about lathes. I'm thinking a clean up and proper lubing it make good chips if the pants belt made drive belt would hold up???? but do think price should come down? CROSS FEED? Does that not entail some turning the round chrome knob on apron??? Machine with all the faults run quite and smooth. Well there bunch of the question marks again.. It is old machine cool look .
Gregg
 
Greg,

To partially answer your back gears question, assuming that this lathe actually has them, this isn't an accessory like a steady rest, nor removable like change gears on a machine without a quick change box. They should be inside the headstock. And one of the levers or knobs on the headstock would engage or disengage them. Depending upon how they work, there may also be a pin inside the headstock that has to be pulled to the side before you engage back gear. I don't know anything about Sheldons but that's how they usually are in the smaller lathes.
 
You are correct Robert. The lever is at the rear of the spindle housing to the left. There is a pin in the front spindle gear (largest one) that must be disengaged to use the back gear. There is only one back gear that engages to the rear most spindle gear.

"Billy G"
 
I have a newer version of that same lathe. If you'll grab the serial # and the end of the bed way I'll let you know what it is. The dings in the ways are probably just where some dummy dropped the chuck and hit the tail stock guides, won't hurt it a bit.

Pull the pin on the gear cover and check for broken gears(most can be repaired). Pull the headstock cover and check the back gears on the back gear spindle and the headstock spindle.

The knob on the apron is the clutch. The lever just above it selects if carriage feed or cross slide feed.

I have one of the old engineers from Sheldon on speed dial so if you have questions I can't answer, I'll get his phone number to you, super nice guy.

Oh that lathe should be able to run the 5C collets, really a nice feature.
 
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