My first lathe - don't laugh

[RichardDeptris]

361549208446Congratulations! I have two of those lathes in various states of restoration. Each one is missing parts and between the two there's a nearly complete 109 lathe. Neither have the back gear assembly and one is missing the pulley and spindle assembly.

Surprisingly, they're both -703s which is a model up from yours. After I complete the restoration, which is mainly derusting and cleaning, I will sell it off piece by piece.

I thought about modding it into a decent lathe, but the spindle size is the deal killer. It is too puny to be of any use. It's literally the thickness of a pen. The MT0 taper it uses, from what I've read, is slightly non-standard. I contemplated performing a decapitation and laceration where I would replace the headstock and tailstock with one from a cheap HF lathe. I posted my thoughts on a 109 forum and I was told to not waste my time.

I figure the parts are worth enough money to purchase a more righteous lathe with true victimization power.

Here's my ill-advised idea to decapitate and lacerate and create a Frankenlathe.




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[cwgreen1938]

Hi y'all, I got my first lathe. It's pretty exciting for me but it's very basic, probably not too interesting for other people. It doesn't even have a chuck, just a faceplate and dead centers!

Like I said in my intro. post last week, I'm looking to get a real machine, like a Grizzly G4003 or a PM-1236. But, in the meantime, I found this lathe for free (no motor) on the Syracuse craigslist and I thought I could learn something about how to operate a lathe while I wait to get a real machine.

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I took apart the carriage and tailstock, dunked everything in degreaser and ran every part through my new parts washer. I oiled everything, put it back together, and I don't have any parts left over, so that's good!

Side note: I wanted to replace a taper pin, then I looked up what an assortment of pins costs, and just reused it as is. The assortments don't even cover the really small pins like this machine has (0.090", size #5/0) so .. well I know this is going to be an expensive hobby!

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The lathe is at least as old as me because when I was a kid, Sears and Roebuck was already just called Sears.

I borrowed a 1/3 hp motor from my dad. I have a feeling it'll be enough to turn little stuff, but I don't know, what do you think?

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It has a forward/reverse switch right on the motor, so that might come in handy.

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Now I just need to mount everything to my bench. I have a belt, and both machines have cone pulleys .. so .. will the belt fit both? I don't know anything about belts. I probably need some advice about that.

Well, I hope that wasn't too boring. It's exciting for me. I've been watching machining videos on YT for at least a year, so I'm stoked to finally get a lathe to play with. Maybe you can relate to getting your first machine tool?

You may have found a barn find. I have a
109.20630, it is called a 5" and is a 1945 model. Yours is probably older than mine. I have not got mine running yet because it has lots of surface rust. I am going to take it all apart and clean and maybe paint it. If yours is not worn a lot you are in great shape. Just to let you know, there are still a few lathe parts available according to their website. I also have a Sears/Atlas
101.07403, a 12X36" that is a 1951 model. It is not running yet, it needs the same TLC as the other one. They are both complete and if you and I can get these things in operating order I think we will be far ahead from buying a Harbor Freight mini lathe. Like you, I'm excited to get going and make something. Good luck and hope you get going soon.


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[dlane]

Richard : The procedure for using tapatalk on this site is apparently different than others
If you search using tapatalk, it should explain how to post pics on this site that actually show up as a picture and not red x's
Don't know where to search but it's somewhere on this site

 

[chipmaker51]

Congratulations on your lathe. I started out with one very similar only it had a four jaw along with a face plate and centers. In spite of enough slack to steer a truck through, along with bell mouthed jaws, I learned to "dial in" the work with that chuck. It serves its purpose and I learned something too. When this really takes hold you'll never again pick up an interesting part without asking yourself "How did they do that? And if I had to, how would I?"

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[TRX]

Even after you get a bigger, more capable lathe, you'll find you'll use the little lathe maybe 20% of the time anyway, for when you're doing second ops on parts from the big lathe, or you just want a quick job without having to clean up the new one after you're done, etc.

 

[Scott.S]

Heck, I started out with a commutator lathe and then upgraded to a Sears 109. The 109s are fun little machines and very easy to restore as they are so basic.
After two 109s and an Atlas 618 I settled on a 1936 Atlas 10" ( with babbet bearings ) and a treadmill motor for the spindle and the feed screw.
Just more proof one can make almost anything work given enough time and energy.

 

[jaredbeck]

Thanks to Bob K, I found a 1/2-24 backplate ...



.. and a chuck. They came in the mail this week, and they bolt right together, I don't have to drill anything!



The only modification I have to do is to turn down the "locator" step on the front of the backplate. The problem is, it's cast iron, I only have HSS tools, and my lathe's slowest speed right now is 1070 rpm. Turning a 2.5" diameter at that speed is around 400 SFPM and my Machinery's Handbook says 60 SFPM for cast iron. Of course, I tried anyway but it just melts my HSS. So, I ordered some brazed carbide tools from Grizzly.

I'd like to learn more about how to set up a "jack shaft" to slow down my spindle further, but I haven't gotten around to researching that yet. I want to get a chuck mounted first.

 

[Dave 41]

It should be just threaded on. I would soak it from the front and back of the faceplate with penetrating oil and see if you can free it up. Let the penetrant sit overnight, then turn it first in the tighten direction, followed by the loosen direction, counter clockwise. Do not force it or you might bend the spindle. If it does not come free with moderate force, do the penetrant thing again, try to work it loose, lather, rinse, repeat until it comes off, and it will eventually come off. It had decades to get stuck on there, you have days or weeks or whatever to get it loose if necessary. Patience, grasshopper...

I have one, it does thread on. I know because it was given to me in pieces, because the spindle is bent. Be careful with it.