Turret Lathe Mentor Needed (hoped For)

Uglydog

Uglydog

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Not sure if this post belongs here.
Please move or delete as appropriate.

I've had a 1939 Gisholt #5 Ram Turret lathe for several years, and I've got her running pretty well.
I was using her exclusively for drilling and boring as I had no turret lathe tooling.
About a month ago I stumbled on a large pile of machine tooling. All priced based on how full the truck bed was. Included in the pile was turret lathe tooling... I'll start cleaning up the surface rust, doesn't appear to be any pitting despite sitting unused since the mid- 1930s. Based on the known history of the location, I believe the tooling was likely used to make "Gray" 18hp drum drive tractors. https://video.search.yahoo.com/vide...sigi=11v5oulbd&hspart=avg&hsimp=yhs-fh_lsonsw

I've begun reading some texts on how to properly use a turret lathe. And I understand that it will take a lifetime to learn, and that CNC has made her obsolete....

Regardless, is there anyone here who has experience/knowledge regarding proper use of vintage turret lathes and their tooling?

Ideally, and eventually, I'd hope that I would be invited to watch you run your machine, or you could come here.

Daryl
MN

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I have some experience setting up and running turret lathes. One shop had two, one about six inch and another about twelve inch. The small one used collets and the larger one had a three jaw chuck. Can't remember the brands, been away from them for years.

I will be glad to try to answer your questions.
 
I also have a Hardinge turret. Came with all the 5c(?) collets, cross slide, 2 chucks, and we are dying to crank it up and learn. I really want to use it for making the copper plasma tips for the cnc plasma torch we use. Seems like this would be perfect for that. Alas, just no time and no experience on this but from some of the videos on youtube it needs the time and skill on the setup. Anyway, if you get some pics up, I am interested. Thinks. CG.
 
Daryl, I gained some experience operating them back when I had just gotten out of high school, so we're talking almost 40 years ago. Operating them was the relatively easy part. Getting them setup was the hard part and I have very limited experience in that area. The reality of it is that you have to think a little differently about your various operations when planning your setup. Once you get past that hurdle it isn't that bad. As I recall the worst part of the whole thing is that they are great for production runs of small turned parts or for production runs of shafts that only needed a few operations done on the ends of the shafts. For one or two off work they really are not very practical at all.

I suppose I could come up your way one of these weekends and we could mess around with it.
 
I was too young to even think about running a turret lathe when I knew of them. Dad work at a shop in Houston in the mid 1960's to the late 1970's that had many W & S 4A's and 5A's. And a few Gisholts. He job was keeping all of the turret lathes running as well as the rest of the plant machinery. His comment's to me in my teenage years was those Warner's were easy to work on compared to the P.O.S. Gisholts they had. Of course, that has stuck with me all these years, too. You have to remember, the Gisholts they had back then were the monster ones that had 12" spindle holes and weighed over 30,000 lbs! There was nothing small about them! Sorry I'm not much of help here. Ken
 
Yep,
It's all about understanding the tooling, and thinking through the set-up.
And a production run of a couple different parts is exactly what I'm thinking.
My current schedule doesn't allow me to do to much more than occasionally thinking through the problem set.

Daryl
MN
 
Maybe things will slow down a little as winter sets in and we could get together then if it works for you.
 
Yep,
I've been told that the Gisholts were workhorses when they were operational. All kinds of hydraulic problems.
If there is an upside to my Gisholt, I was also told that the bulk of the hydraulic problems were in the headstock, and my headstock is supposedly old enough to be a splash system.

Daryl
MN
 
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I have a WWII Vintage Ames turret lathe, collets to 3/4", I use it for turning, drilling, cut off. I have tapped, but at the expense of one tap per five pieces.... I'm too far for a day trip, but can certainly try to walk you through yours. I'm not familiar with the Gisholt Turret Lathe, but have run other Gishold production machines. Vertical spindle lathes come to mind.
 
Sure wish I lived closer to you guys!!

Daryl
MN
 
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