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Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work. |
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#1
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Reed lathe -- looking for comments
There's a Reed lathe for sale that's tempting me. It's labeled "Reed
18 inch" if I remember right (I only saw it briefly and don't remember precisely). On the phone with the seller later on I was told it's thought to be from around 1930, and at a guess around 2000 pounds. The dimensions were given as either 18 or 20 inches swing, 36 inches between centers. It looked reasonably clean and is supposedly in working condition. I'm going to go back to look at it more closely and see it run, move the handles, etc. It's a change gear machine. Some tooling, I don't have the details on how much; a substantial 4-jaw chuck. Asking price $500, which seems very reasonable. (If anything it seems low -- maybe machines that large are harder to sell because few hobbyists can find room for it?) It has a 1 hp single phase motor, that's probably marginal but it's an external motor so that's fixable. The owner said he moved it on a trailer, lifting the head and tail stock with a chain hoist and moving the bed (four-legged) with planks and rollers. He even offered to help do that again for me. Nice old gentleman from what I could tell on the phone... I just returned to this list after several years' absence, and did some reading. It sounds like a decent engine hoist may be a better way to move this beast. I can rent that and a trailer. So... any comments about the machine? Things to watch out for (other than the obvious "does it really run")? Any other hints about moving it? Thanks, paul |
#2
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Reed lathe -- looking for comments
Old and big and heavy. If the bed is flat, the headstock bearings tight,
it might be ok for a hobbist. More than likely has babbit bearings, likely on the loose side. Moving it is a pain but doable. Best to put it on a substantial skid made from 4x4's and 2x12s Price is just OK if it seems to be in decent shape, I certainly wouldn't go any higher for a babbit bearing, change gear machine with just a 4 jaw chuck. ni1d wrote: There's a Reed lathe for sale that's tempting me. It's labeled "Reed 18 inch" if I remember right (I only saw it briefly and don't remember precisely). On the phone with the seller later on I was told it's thought to be from around 1930, and at a guess around 2000 pounds. The dimensions were given as either 18 or 20 inches swing, 36 inches between centers. It looked reasonably clean and is supposedly in working condition. I'm going to go back to look at it more closely and see it run, move the handles, etc. It's a change gear machine. Some tooling, I don't have the details on how much; a substantial 4-jaw chuck. Asking price $500, which seems very reasonable. (If anything it seems low -- maybe machines that large are harder to sell because few hobbyists can find room for it?) It has a 1 hp single phase motor, that's probably marginal but it's an external motor so that's fixable. The owner said he moved it on a trailer, lifting the head and tail stock with a chain hoist and moving the bed (four-legged) with planks and rollers. He even offered to help do that again for me. Nice old gentleman from what I could tell on the phone... I just returned to this list after several years' absence, and did some reading. It sounds like a decent engine hoist may be a better way to move this beast. I can rent that and a trailer. So... any comments about the machine? Things to watch out for (other than the obvious "does it really run")? Any other hints about moving it? Thanks, paul |
#3
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Reed lathe -- looking for comments
"ni1d" wrote in message oups.com... There's a Reed lathe for sale that's tempting me. It's labeled "Reed .....snip So... any comments about the machine? Things to watch out for (other than the obvious "does it really run")? Any other hints about moving it? I have an F.E. Reed 14 x 40. There are a few things to watch for. 1) a lot of Reeds were built specifically for spindle and taper work -- the thing actually might not have (or have accommodations for) a compound. Better check that. 2) The bull gear on the spindle has pretty fine pitch, and many of the older machines have broken teeth. 3) Make sure the cross-feed and longitudinal feed work smoothly. Also check the auto-disengagement clutch on the feed rod, if it has one. A lot of those have the teeth rounded off from many, many, many unintentional disengagements under power. 4) It's almost certainly a flat-belt drive. Hone up on your belt splicing techniques. McMaster has the belting and the gator-grip lacing in stock. The feed rod pullies require a sewn or lap splice. 5) a threading dial was optional on the Reeds. If it doesn't have one, it's not a real big deal to build one... but hey... do you want to do all that work just to get the lathe to the point where you can use it? (Deft use of the feed lock will give you a 1 mark-per-revolution index, but it's confusing to some). LLoyd |
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