Lathe forklift mishap

[RJ-Jr]

HI All,
I work for a small robotics company and we were looking at buying a Victor 1440 lathe from a local machine shop. They were moving it around on a forklift and it slipped off. I was not there to see it happen. I was told the forklift hit a transition in the floor and the lathe tipped toward the lift breaking the toolpost handle, the lathe then rocked on its back bending the chip/splash guard. They tell us it appears to be ok, nothing is bound up, feels good. Nothing hit the bed, saddle or controls on headstock. They are being very upfront about things, "take it and run it, if its ok then pay us."

Thoughts?

Rick

 

[projectnut]

I would thoroughly inspect the machine for hidden damage. If none is found, I would ask it to be powered up before leaving the shop and demonstrated that it's in good working condition. Ask for a fairly simple part to be made to spec. Then measure it for accuracy. If all seems well, I would accept the machine with an IN WRITING contract that it could be returned for the full purchase price should any further damage be discovered within 90 days of being put in service.

 

[toprecyler]

If they say take it and run it before you pay, it’s as good as deal as you can get.

Only thing you will have invested is the time you take to set it up and try it.

One thing to note though, it may have tweaked something that you might not be able to get out in turning a straight piece. If you really want to hold tight tolerances, it can be a delicate time to get it dialed in.

Currently I’m trying to tweak my work lathe to get rid of .001-.0015” taper in 2” or more. It’s not much, and for 90% of what I do, it’s within the tolerance I need. And if I need / want it closer, I am learning how to overcome it when machining. But it took me a couple of years to pick up on it, and realizing how it has been effecting my work at times. I can be a slow learner sometimes.

My work lathe probably isn’t in the same class as one you are looking at, but even a 8,000 lathe needs to handled with care, and a .010” shim at one corner can make a difference.

This long explanation is just to say, you might spend quite a bit of time trying to level/ dial in the lathe, and in reality, you don’t know if it was able to be a good running lathe holding tight tolerance before it fell off the forklift. All machines are a gamble.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mmcmdl]

Was this after you agreed to purchase it or are you buying it after the fact ? I think nut's answer would be the way to go though . The handle is an easy fix , the splash guard maybe not so easy to bend back into shape . Other damages could have occurred yet are unseen without running it . Either way , the machine isn't worth what it was before dropping it .

 

[RJ-Jr]

This all happened after we went and looked at it and agreed to buy it. No money has been spent yet, originally we agreed on $3500. We will renegotiate a price. Our shop manager has known their shop manager for a long time. I don't feel that there is anything being hidden.

Since posting this a while ago they send us a video of it running. No issues. The truth will be clear once we get it and start to make some test cuts. I think we will still get it and I'll let you all know how things go. Thanks, Rick

 

[coolidge]

I would be a hard NO on a lathe that hit the floor like that. Even if you could confirm nothing got bent or tweaked and the lathe cuts straight and true, it could be tomorrow when the hidden damage lets go and snaps.

 

[mmcmdl]

This all happened after we went and looked at it and agreed to buy it. No money has been spent yet, originally we agreed on $3500. We will renegotiate a price. Our shop manager has known their shop manager for a long time. I don't feel that there is anything being hidden.

Victor makes a nice quality lathe . We had the 1440 at Plant 1 which I cleaned out , but wasn't able to grab it in time . $3500 isnt a bad price if the machine is in good condition and comes with accessories . Knock a couple bucks off for the bent chip tray . Check for wear on the ways first off .

FWIW , I dropped my first lathe on the basement floor . 17" Voest . Broke every handle on the front of the lathe . Found no damage to anything else over the years that I ran it , and mine was a HARD FACE PLANT ! This sounds more like a minor impact than an all out drop .

 

[markba633csi]

So if it did actually fall on it's back and hit the floor that isn't as bad as falling on it's face, but it's still not wonderful
Check it over and see if it still cuts accurately without taper

 

[sdelivery]

I feel you can't go wrong. Take it run it, if your happy pay for it.
That leaves room for future negotiations.
Taper can be adjusted out, instead look for cracks in the compound and cross slide.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

Did it actually fall off the forks or just rock back and forth on the forks? People seem to be assuming it’s the former but what you wrote suggests the latter.

Knowing which makes a big difference in the advice