Lathe and Mill coming my way.....

RossR · Post by **RossR** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 9:49 pm

Well I think its gonna happen. My uncle has had some older metal machines for a while and it looks like he is gonna part with most of em. None of them are new by any means. It proably wont be for a while yet cause i dont have the space...but over the next year or so I will be moving them up towards me. The lathe is a 14x42 hendey gear head lathe. Its stout....5hp 3 phase motor on it. Good bit of tooling couple chucks 3 and 6 jaw, lattern toolpost, steady rest, no taper or collets though. The whole thing goes 9 feet long!! Dont know where I will put it. The Mill is also a stout old fella, A Van Norman Mill 22L. The thing I like its got power tables and power knee as in auto if you like. They also can do both vertical or horizontal milling. I think its cira 1945 or so. Again got some tooling to go with it and so on. Not much run out in the lathe or the mill and should suit my needs and then some. IF you liek old iron this stuff is old iron for sure. All cast iron and heavy as can be. I have been reading on the van norman mills and appears they are vey stout machines that make nice cuts and can take big cuts. They also had a ton of attachments that went with them and a few different heads....I may have to track them down someday. The only draw back I have seen is they dont have a quill like the bridgeport style. They also take a 5c collet rather then a R8.

Among other things I brought home today a delta/rockwell metal chop saw, circa 1964, needs some restoration, might need bearings or at least repeacked. but it is a beast. I alswo brought home a delta toolmaker surface grinder. I alread have one surface gridner so I have two until I decide which one to sell off. Gonna clean up and overhaul and paint that one to. Finally I will also drag home the drill press A old buffalo one. & feet tall or so. Has the gearing on it the makes it drill automatic.

So all in all I now find my self with just about a complete small metal shop.

I know this is primarly a wood working machine site. But I thought you giys might enjoy my ramblings about this old iron I have picked up....and now of course i need two shops one for the wood working and one for the metal working!!1

Ross

mystry_tour · Post by **mystry_tour** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 12:22 am

Hey Ross, nice snage. Its old arn I thing. I too have a wood working shop but I now haave a mill and a lathe on the way. I intend to have tools to work on of make things for the wood shop. New heads or sharpen knives its nice to be able to do what you need when you need it and not be at the mercy of someone else.
Its a fine line working with wood and metal... I do both for a liveing and a hobby.... bdsides if i get a dood deal on a ww machine that needs a few pieces I van make them and gain a few $$$ when and if I decide to sell it

nektai · Post by **nektai** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 7:28 am

Ross,

No need to apologize for telling a good machine story!! It sounds like you have a little time to figure out where to put the new toys. What is your plan? Do you have to build a building, rent a space or make room in an existing space?

RossR · Post by **RossR** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 8:40 am

nektai: Not sure what I will do yet. I have an existing shop with a mix of mostly wood working machines and a couple metal items. But there is no way it will hold the mill and the lathe. Possible to add onto if needed but we dont know if we plan on staying in the house we are currently in...which means the other garage may end up with the machines for the time being till we can decide on a move and me building a bigger shop area!! Course that means at least one of the cars living outside. Still working out the details but I just cant pass up these machines. and the price is very right!!!

Ross

crzypete · Post by **crzypete** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:15 pm

Cars are meant to live outside

Keep the stories coming, no need to apologize for any good machine gloats.

Those van normans are neat mills, kinda a combo horizontal/ vertical. Make sure you get the collets with the mill, I think they may be a fairly rare taper- similarly styled to a 5c, but not the same.

Curious as to the top speed of the lathe? I would quickly buy a quick change toolpost as an essential accessory.

Pete

RossR · Post by **RossR** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:10 pm

Pete

Next time I am down where the lathe lives I will check out the top speed on it. I know its not a speed demon for sure!!

Yes the spindle on the van norman is an oddball for sure...50v i think or something strange. supposedly almost identical to the 5c something about the slots in it is different. Thankfully the collets are there.

Ross

RossR · Post by **RossR** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 1:06 pm

Ok got down last night with the camera thought you guys might like the pics. So here they are

Vannorman 22L mill

Hendey 14x42 lathe....sure is red isnt it!!!

Buffalo Drill press. Has automatic down feed on it too!!

Cant wait till i drag them home!!

Ross

RossR · Post by **RossR** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 2:33 pm

Pete: you asked what the top speed of the hendy is....according to the plate if i was reading it correct it maxes at 600rpm....I took a pic of the plate but it didnt come out well. I still ahven thad a lot of time to study the lathe yet so I may be wrong.

Ross

mystry_tour · Post by **mystry_tour** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 5:43 pm

hey Ross...nice score...those look heavy. How you gonna get them in the basment or is that where they are gong

crzypete · Post by **crzypete** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:49 am

Sweet score, I kinda like the red on the hendey, it seems to work. Looks lie a seriously stout machine. You will be quite happy with the rigidityIt looks to be quite ergonomic, I like the lever lock on the tailstock and the on off lever on the carriage.

Pete

RossR · Post by **RossR** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 10:15 am

mystry, no way are these goin in the basement. I beleive that one of the cars are gonna end up outside the garage The drill press I can sneak into the regular shop i think but the mill and lathe will go into the garage for now. Till i find a better home for them.

Pete: yep they are nice features for sure. It is a rigid machine for sure. I have been reading up on the van normans as well and they are also touted as very rigid machines.

Ross

RossR · Post by **RossR** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 3:37 pm

Well its official the Car has been demoted to the outside world and the Lathe and the Mill have been successfully moved into the garage for now. It sure was nice that my neighbor bought a backhoe 4 days ago and offered to come up and help me get them off the roll back and into the garge!!!! Now to get refinishing them.....oh my what a project. The drill press is getting done first then back to teh chop saw then onto the mill and lathe. That red you like on the lathe pete is gonna go it needs a paint job and i have lots of machinery gray around..maybe I will splurge and get the color matched for the machine and keep it red.

They are stout machines that is for sure and I am so happy I had the help of a roll back to move em...would have been a bear on the trialer for sure

Later

Ross

mystry_tour · Post by **mystry_tour** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:43 pm

great Ross....glad you can start, shortly makeing so things and start enjoying the stuff.
I go tto use my lathe a little bit this weekend and it felt so nice to get to see som chips flying. Its exciting to finish a piece and know you did it yourself.
I'm really happy for you
Reg