Got my eyes on a lathe

[The patriot]

A 15" Clausing Colchester series 8000.

They want $999. It's a good ride from me but I'm going to try to look at it this week.

It looks NICE!

 

[Gonzo 1066]

I love having a lathe in my shop. . One of the best purchases EVER for me. . Good luck

 

[GHarman]

A Lathe is really a necessity! Hopefully you will find a GOOD ONE! GregH

 

[The patriot]

Yea, I dont think I have the extra money.
Too bad, I cant find anything in the series 8000 for under $4K. :{:{
I have to try to sell something.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

I love my lathe also.



Just be carefull with it and don't ever dis-respect it. It will bite your ***** off in a heartbeat.



Hawes

 

[The patriot]

Yea, I've seen some horribly graphic pics of lathe "accidents".

 

[GCroyle]

A 15" Clausing Colchester series 8000.

They want $999. It's a good ride from me but I'm going to try to look at it this week.

It looks NICE!

Well, its been over a week, and no pic of it at work making chips, or even geting repainted and detailed whats up with that?



Com'on we're patiently waiting.

 

[The patriot]

I need to sell something. The problem is the only thing other than my truck that I can sell for that $$$ is a gun.

I'm in a dilemma. :{

 

[Deleted member 995608]

I'd sell my wife over a gun or truck any day!

 

[GHarman]

Patriot, In the meantime you can invest some "sweat equity" into planning a footprint and work station, building a proper pad for the lathe, wire in the electrical and gather some tool storage cabinets! You ARE going to have a lathe! GregH

 

[GCroyle]

I'd sell my wife over a gun or truck any day!

Something about this post is worthle$$ w/o pictures comes to mind, but i'll stick to pics of the truck just to keep playing nice in the sandbox!

 

[The patriot]

GH, it's going in the garage, so already have concrete.



I have purchased things in the past that I dont have the $$$ for.

I tell my Wife "I bought in Faith that I'd come by the money", but that dont work every time. :-laf

I'm building a 264 LBC AR upper "in Faith" right now. :-laf:-laf

 

[GHarman]

OK! BUT!, Depends on the weight of the lathe. If you have a 4" thick slab on compacted soil with rebar and remesh? It should be OK up to #2000. Vibration dampening is the second consideration along with weight bearing capability. That slab will be responsible for not only supporting the mass but elimination of harmonic transfer. It is easier to make a space before you buy a lathe than wish you had the support after the lathe is installed. If it is a bench lathe, there should be no issues. However, if you buy a geared head engine lathe. They are usually 2000# for a lightweight! A better option is #3000 or better just for the vibration dampening mass! JMHO! GregH

 

[The patriot]

Ugh. Sounds sort of like I need to design a new shop around this thing. :{

It's a biggie. 7. 5 hp 15x50.
I'd bet it weighs 4K or more.
Would putting down some wood to distribute the weight be an option?

 

[GHarman]

Patriot, Getting a lathe is only part of the equation. When I built my shop back 32 years ago, it was designed to carry a lathe and a milling machine. The concrete floor is only 4" thick but is sitting on footers, compacted granite sand(native soil) and bedrock. The floor has rebar AND remesh in the work shop area. Just remesh in the vehicle area. Hindsight? I should have done both for the entire floor. However, the lathe sits near a corner where the floor sits on intersecting corners of the footers. The leveling screws are set on 1 1/4" steel blocks. Very solid. My lathe weighs about 2500#. I'll post a picture the next time I get over to the shop!

I used to work in THE state of the art Stainless Steel fabrication facility operated by the DOE, many moons ago. The floors in the machining area were 3' thick reinforced concrete to manage the vibrations for the heavy tooling. Vibration, (as well as constant temperature) is/are real issue(s) for finish and tolerances when you are working down to . 0001" or less. (they routinely were working in . 00005"{50 millionths of an inch}tolerances) Correct tooling and cutter geometry, feeds and speeds, figure into this also, but we are talking about the very basics to start.

The lathe I have was not my first choice in tools. But at the time it was the best I could afford. My first choice was a 15X54" LeBlond Regal. I just could not swing the $14,000 asking price (1982). The lathe I have now cost less with all the tooling. And it works great!

Think about the floor you have in your shop. Design a foot print and where/how you will orient the lathe to make best use of through the head stock feeding and tail stock removal. What is the concrete sitting on? If you have to cut out a section of floor and compact the dirt, put in a footer for support or dig down? This is the best time to do it. Or, just limit your self to light weight tools like an older South Bend bench lathe, for example. Heavy machines to need that extra support. It really depends on what YOU need. Dont try to move the cart before you have horses. IMHO! GregH

 

[The patriot]

Native soil here is sand. :{

I doubt there's anything but the minimum amount of concrete required by law.



What I REALLY need to do is a good clean out of the area. I'm not fitting anything else in there until that's done. :-laf