Lantaine Lathe- Need Information

[clenceo]

Hello everyone! This is my first lathe. I found a Lantain Lathe Model LAM-350C.

Few things, I'm looking for an O&M manual so that I can inspect and hit all the lube points.

Also, I have a standard Harbor Freight engine hoist. Any tips to get the lathe back on its stand?

 

[Nutfarmer]

Looks like you’re on the right track to put the lathe in place. You want to check if the legs of the engine host will clear the stand after the lathe is raised. It seems like every time I use my engine hoist the legs are in the way.

 

[matthewsx]

Look for Tida as the manufacturer. I bought a similar machine in Sunnyvale that’s branded Samson, these were Taiwan built and branded by whoever was selling them wholesale.

A manual is available in the downloads section with a $10 donation to this site, you’ll also get access to more content than you’ll ever get through including manuals, technical instruction and plans.

Oh, and welcome to the site, you found the right place to ask any question that may come up.

As for moving the machine, go slow and take your time. Have extra hands available and if you can get someone experienced that will be a plus. Reach out to the group, I‘ve had guys help me move machines just by asking on here. Yes, the HF engine hoist will work but it is a little tricky, I owned one lathe that was dropped and you don’t want to go through that.

Let me know if I can help.

John

 

[matthewsx]

Looks like you’re on the right track to put the lathe in place. You want to check if the legs of the engine host will clear the stand after the lathe is raised. It seems like every time I use my engine hoist the legs are in the way.

Oh, the HF hoist definitely will not clear the stand width wise.

There are ways to work are ways to work around this but figuring it out once it’s in the air isn’t the time. If you have enough room to work around it consider lifting from the headstock end. Balancing can be helped with ratchet straps but don’t use them as your main lift point which should be the webs that go across the bed.

Remember, you move these things with your mind, not your muscles….

John

 

[Ulma Doctor]

you'll need to come in kinda sideways, to set the lathe down on the cabinets

i bolted my cabinets to the lathe, then set it down as an assembly, then moved it into position

 

[Ulma Doctor]

she looks to be in great shape, nice find!

 

[Jake M]

No help on taking care of the lathe...

Also, I have a standard Harbor Freight engine hoist. Any tips to get the lathe back on its stand?

Yeah... Don't use an engine crane. They're designed for one purpose....

OK, with that out of the way, yeah, they're quite stout and versatile, but unless you've still got wheels holding the car off of the ground, the legs are problematic. Step one is to think it through, and even do "dry runs" to test theories about how far stuff can "really" reach.

One option MAY be to take the bench out of place, so that you can access the headstock end, and come in from that side. Prolly going to be too wide still, but worth the time to know that.

Another option MAY be (and you're gonna hate this), to block the bench up at it's end extremes, such that the hoist legs can fit underneath of it. Then plant the lathe on the bench. Then lower the bench. Then move the whole assembly to it's final destination.

No matter how you do it, and no matter how much math and geometry you know, do the "dry runs" without lifting the lathe. With those crooked legs, you (usually) find places where it should fit but doesn't, and places that it can't possibly fit but actually does. It's kind of sketchy to "practice" with a significant weight hanging high, and quite close to the "leg wheels" which will inherently be swiveled "short" while you're pushing it forward....