SHELDON EXL-56B - Repair / restore or part out?

[Paul O]

Hi,
Just joined the site - lots to do.
I have acquired a Sheldon EXL 56B, but it needs a new tumbler gearbox (well half of it) , end gearing assembly, and a headstock main gear.

Part Number	Description	Quantity	Price
A-102	1/8-16 Heavy Nut	5
K-93	Hardened Washers	5
L-1664F	Change Gear 44 tooth	2
A-1003	Oil Cover	1
L-1603	Intermediate Gear 80 tooth	1
L-1604	Steel Cap Bushing	1
L-1602	End Gear Quadrant	1
L-167	Square Head Bolt	1
A-1379	Bronze Bushing for Intermediate Gear	1
K-446	Knurled Spacer Bushing	1
A-902	Hi Pro Key	2
L1626	Drive Shaft FOR Lead Screw	1
L-1797	Bronze Thrust Washer	2
C-430A	Tumbler Gear 16 Tooth	1
C-402	Tumbler	1
TC-433	Tumbler Gear 32 Tooth	1
L-1619-1	Tumbler Pull Pin	1
L1796	Threaded Tumbler Bushing	1
C-418	Pull Pin Knob	1
A-601	1/1 X 20 X ¼” Set Screw	2
A-1201	Snap Ring	2
Ref 79 (page XQ9)	No Description	1
A-900	Hi Pro Key 5/8 x 1/8	1
A-902	No HP 404 Hi Pro Key ½ x 1/8	1
C-420	Adjusting Collar	1
C-434	Collar Lock Nut	1
L-776	Brass Plunger	1
L-37-50	Large Face Gear 70 Tooth	1

It is old but little used, so here is my dilema - do i part it out - worth a bit but could take a while, wait for parts on e-bay - could take a long while? The money made in parts could get me a good working lathe - advice sought and wanted

Also i have teh full table and all accessories - including colletts, chucks, steadies and the taper attachment.
Cheers

 

[bedwards]

It's up to you, how much money you want to spend. If you repair it, you would have a good machine. There are several places you may could get parts and advice.
Try http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sheldonlathe/ friendly and a lot of help. One of the mods there used to work for Sheldon. Also http://plazamachinery.com/ has parts for some of the older machines. Last Bourn and Koch has some new parts as they bought what was left of Sheldon. I bought a brand new worm from them for my '43.
Bourn & Koch Inc
2500 Kishwaukee Street
Rockford, IL 61104
Phone 800-553-2263

good luck either way

bedwards

 

[Paul O]

It's up to you, how much money you want to spend. If you repair it, you would have a good machine. There are several places you may could get parts and advice.
Try http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sheldonlathe/ friendly and a lot of help. One of the mods there used to work for Sheldon. Also http://plazamachinery.com/ has parts for some of the older machines. Last Bourn and Koch has some new parts as they bought what was left of Sheldon. I bought a brand new worm from them for my '43.
Bourn & Koch Inc
2500 Kishwaukee Street
Rockford, IL 61104
Phone 800-553-2263

good luck either way

bedwards

Thank you - I tried Bourn and Koch Inc - worked out at over $4600 in new parts!
Way over my budget - but am still looking.
The key is speed - want to be using my lathe, not fixing it.

Paul

 

[Pacer]

Sheldon made some nice lathes - IMO a step or two above the SB's of those time periods. Having said that, they are getting more and more scarce (as are all those fine old machines from 'back then') even more so than the popular SB. Have recently done an extensive rebuild on a Sheldon M series I can speak on the availability - or lack of - parts out there. From your description of missing parts I suspect you are in for a long wait. I prowled ebay daily and while there are usually a good many parts for the Sheldons listed, there are many that never seem to be available - I literally made from scratch several of the parts I needed.

Good luck with whatever you decide...

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/show...-the-walking-stick-drive-quot?highlight=pacer

 

[Paul O]

The lack of parts and time is leading me to 'break' it. The paucity of spares means i should get around the $2000.00 or more for parts, enabling the funding of a good lathe.

Anyone know of a parts dealer who will take the whole thing?

Need to get up and running as i have rifle barrels that need fitting to receivers and other such work.
Want to be turning metal soon.

 

[Paul O]

So before i part this out - is anyone interested in it - am open to offers.

 

[bedwards]

pm sent on the tooling




bewards

 

[Chuck K]

PM sent on 4 jaw chuck

 

[Chuck K]

I just reread your post and realized you're looking for offers for the whole machine. I wish I was closer, I would love to come and look at the machine and make an offer on it. Looking at your list of parts required to fix the machine, I'm thinking it would make a great project. If you don't have another lathe and you need something now....not such a great option. It's pretty rare to find that machine with all of it's tooling intact. I'm pleased with the Sheldon I have and it was just a bare non-functioning machine when I got it. It's still ugly as sin but that doesn't detract from it's usefulness. I hope somebody buys it whole and repairs it. Good luck.

Chuck

 

[Paul O]

I just reread your post and realized you're looking for offers for the whole machine. I wish I was closer, I would love to come and look at the machine and make an offer on it. Looking at your list of parts required to fix the machine, I'm thinking it would make a great project. If you don't have another lathe and you need something now....not such a great option. It's pretty rare to find that machine with all of it's tooling intact. I'm pleased with the Sheldon I have and it was just a bare non-functioning machine when I got it. It's still ugly as sin but that doesn't detract from it's usefulness. I hope somebody buys it whole and repairs it. Good luck.

Chuck

Chuck,
I am thinking the same way now - it would be a shame to part out, so I am starting the quest to re-build. So am on the look out for a tumbler gearbox, if you know of one - let me know.