Getting some free old machines.

If you're interested in restoring old, obsolete machines, you'll be in for a fun time. If you're looking for machines to use to make parts, don't waste your time even picking up those old clunkers. Certainly if you don't don't have a giant shop where they can sit over in the corner until you have nothing else to do and money to burn. Years ago when I stated out I made the mistake of thinking some old machines would be "good to have" and I ended up scrapping them all, wasting time and money. Older machines can be a good value IF they are already restored or still in top working order and those things look like neither.
 
Nothing obsolete about a manual metal lathe, for most knifemakers.
If you are making knives and parts in batches, sure maybe go CNC or farm it out, that would probably cost less.
But if you are making a one-off part for a unique knife it is fastest to have a manual machine and know how to use it.
For the love of God, don't scrap those "clunkers." Show them some respect if they have life left in them.
 
I have rand a lot of lathes in my day and by far I would pick a manual over s cnc for s home shop no questions asked. Yes cnc is faster but that's not counting the set up time. Even in a production/shop environment if I only had to make 1 or 2 parts it was much faster doing it on the manual. I would take a manual "clunker" in a heart beat.
 
"Manual Clunker"....Yup pretty much what I see every morning in the mirror... but still turning out work:)
 
I already have the drill press working fine. I replaced the original two prong power cable with a grounding one. Took the motor apart and cleaned it out. Wiped everything down and oiled the raw steel parts. I have not officially measured run out, but I chucked up a 16" rod and it has almost no perceptible wobble. Definitely better then my old HF press that was doing what I needed.
 
kdogmcg said:
I already have the drill press working fine. I replaced the original two prong power cable with a grounding one. Took the motor apart and cleaned it out. Wiped everything down and oiled the raw steel parts. I have not officially measured run out, but I chucked up a 16" rod and it has almost no perceptible wobble. Definitely better then my old HF press that was doing what I needed.
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My Buffalo #18 has been down since I received it. I am eager to get that 2hp VFD for my grinder as it will also power up the drill press.

I resemble a little of what Kevin Wilkins has said, but that is just the way it had to be for me. It's been a long, and slow five or so years. :)
 
Since the original motor for mine is working well, I see no need to go with a new motor. I had considered a VFD and new motor, but the stock pulley system and motor ( I believe it's 1/2 hp) seems to have the speed range to do anything i will need. Is 2 hp for a bench top drill press really necessary? I'm assuming you would go that big, just to make sharing the VFD viable.
 
JTknives said:
I have rand a lot of lathes in my day and by far I would pick a manual over s cnc for s home shop no questions asked. Yes cnc is faster but that's not counting the set up time. Even in a production/shop environment if I only had to make 1 or 2 parts it was much faster doing it on the manual. I would take a manual "clunker" in a heart beat.
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I used to feel that way. When I did my apprenticeship it was in a shop with no CNC machines. As I progressed through my career I was exposed to a lot of different equipment, from 2.5 D conversational machines to full blown FMS pallet system HMCs, and everything in between.

Once I became familiar enough with the programming and required inputs, things flip flopped. Especially in cases where the "ideal" stock size wasn't available/on hand (turning a 1" pin and all you have is 2" etc). Now it doesn't matter if it's 4 holes in a plate, or what, I can walk up to a HAAS VMC and knock it out faster than I could on the Bridgeport. If only because the machine is left set up with dedicated tools and a touch probe, but still. The difference only grows with complication of the part or quantity.

Not to say manual machines don't have their place, especially in a knife shop. But if I had my choice, I would much rather have a little HAAS VF2 or Hurco mill and a similar lathe than a Bridgeport and a Southbend.
 
kdogmcg said:
Since the original motor for mine is working well, I see no need to go with a new motor. I had considered a VFD and new motor, but the stock pulley system and motor ( I believe it's 1/2 hp) seems to have the speed range to do anything i will need. Is 2 hp for a bench top drill press really necessary? I'm assuming you would go that big, just to make sharing the VFD viable.
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You can run smaller motors on larger VFDs. You just may be giving up some of the "programmed" protection, as you'll want to set it for the largest motor you plan to run with it, but in general practice, that likely won't be a huge deal.

That said, you can get a decent enough 1/2-1hp vfd for $100 or less, and then a decent enough 3 phase motor for about the same. If you're doing a lot of work on a drill press, $200 isn't a terrible investment for a dedicated set up, though I'm sure you could still find a couple other tools to run with a 1/2 or especially a 1hp vfd.
 
Probably as clean as it will ever be. I am also going to add a switch.

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kdogmcg said:
Since the original motor for mine is working well, I see no need to go with a new motor. I had considered a VFD and new motor, but the stock pulley system and motor ( I believe it's 1/2 hp) seems to have the speed range to do anything i will need. Is 2 hp for a bench top drill press really necessary? I'm assuming you would go that big, just to make sharing the VFD viable.
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If I confused you, I didn't mean to. the #18 buffalo is several hundred pounds of metal, 376 reportedly. The 2Hp is for versatility between the two machines you are correct. I believe it had a 1Hp on it before. The brushes proved to be difficult (had a friend machine carbon brushes for me), once the step pulley broke it was destined to be modified for VFD.
 
Kevin Wilkins said:
If you're interested in restoring old, obsolete machines, you'll be in for a fun time. If you're looking for machines to use to make parts, don't waste your time even picking up those old clunkers. Certainly if you don't don't have a giant shop where they can sit over in the corner until you have nothing else to do and money to burn. Years ago when I stated out I made the mistake of thinking some old machines would be "good to have" and I ended up scrapping them all, wasting time and money. Older machines can be a good value IF they are already restored or still in top working order and those things look like neither.
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I find that most folks are under the impression that machines need to be "restored" but usually they mean painted.


If the machines work, ie function, tolerances are good, bearings are good then I say use them.


perhaps that needs a good rubdown with scotchcbrite and oil, new belts.
but beyond that, there's nothing we can see from that photo that indicates those machines are worthless.



I'd take them in a heartbeat.
 
I just need a proper chuck key. I can't find a K3 key locally. I will also replace the belt eventually. It is solid, quiet and drills with authority.
 
Hah. Found the chuck key under an inch of dust in the guys garage. Also got the switch installed. [youtube]Bc30WiRe7xo[/youtube]
 
I am curious, how many collet's are paired with the lathe? If I was correct and it's a 9" Southbend (hard to read the catalog number) the 3c collet's can be a little tough to find at a nice price used. Headstock should be an MT3 taper (for dead centers and such), and the tailstock will likely be an MT2.

The other number is at the end of the bed on the right, under where the tailstock is sitting. You have a lot of the change gears, which were on the wall behind the machine.
 
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