Hendey 18"x10' metal lathe project.

Salem Straub · Feb 27, 2016

I found a big lathe at the junkyard five years ago. It took me until last week to get him to sell it to me, during which time it suffered rust, forklift damage, and pigeon poop. In the end, I forked over a measly $300 for it, but it needs lots of work. The worst of it is the motor/drive tower being broken off, the taper attachment being ruined (will rebuild) and the small gear on the backgear shaft having about five teeth broken out. All of the other gears appear to be in decent shape, and everything that should move, including the spindle, does so. The carriage stop shaft and and feed switch shaft are both bent up, but straightenable, and the leadscrew and feed shaft appear to be OK.

This is a Hendey "tie-bar conehead lathe" with 18" of swing and a 10' bed. That's somewhat over 6' between centers. All it included was a 3 jaw chuck, which does not look too beat up and worn out, and a big Jacobs chuck for the tailstock. I have the 4-step pulley countershaft and a 5hp, single phase 1750 rpm motor with a big primary pulley speed reduction.

Here's some pics.

I'll be working on this weekends and evenings, and I'll post the major progress here for you guys to follow if you like.
Love this thing! American iron.

DevinT · Feb 27, 2016

Are you going to turn stop pins for folders with that?

Hoss

Salem Straub · Feb 27, 2016

Yes Devin, and thread little gold 1-72 screws!
No, I have a smaller lathe for that. This will be for work such as building grinders and other machines, and making things as small as finial nuts perhaps. Threading pipe for burner assemblies, random other projects. Making parts for my old Ford truck projects.
My original thought was that even if it was too trashed to conceivably rehab for turning, I could make a big billet twister out of it. That's not going to happen now!
Although, this is a wonderful machine for threading, as the half nuts don't need to be disengaged when reaching a shoulder. They just stay on, and there is no threading dial. The carriage can be brought to an instant stop, and then reversed by throwing a lever on the apron.

JTknives · Feb 27, 2016

That's a good lookin lathe. I have used a lot of lathes in my day but nothing that old. But lookin on the bright stride you got some bar stock out of the deal, and it's even chucked up for you. The ways don't seem to be in to bad of shape, but are allways more warn towards the head stock. For $300 you got a very nice deal, and like I said befor if you need any help with it just ask I'm a hop skip away. Oh well I'm off to town to find a motor for my drill press, it quite on me in the middle of a batch of knives.

Drew Riley · Feb 27, 2016

I'm definitely looking forward to this one. Nice score Salem!

Jonathans · Feb 27, 2016

I just got finished rebuilding a 1953 Monarch 10EE lathe and 1963 Mill-rite mill. The beautiful thing about rebuilding the old iron I had was that they had been taken care of during their service. So no rust, frozen bolts, and seized bearings.
Even then, they took me months to disassemble, repair, and replace what was broken or worn. Salem, you are indeed an optimist and I look forward to your restoration process.

Rhinoknives1 · Feb 27, 2016

DevinT said:
Are you going to turn stop pins for folders with that?

Hoss

That was going to be my question?

Perhaps try you could try your hand at Damascus Gun barrels? Make a large Blunderbuss Fowler or Camel gun?

The possibilities are there!

Patrice Lemée · Feb 28, 2016

Lot of work there but it's gonna be a beaut' :thumbup:

Frank Niro · Feb 28, 2016

May 15 1884 !!!! Wow !!! You will be doing a good thing restoring that one, Salem. Wonderful ! Yes, I certainly will be watching .
Frank

Salem Straub · Feb 28, 2016

Frank, I posted this lathe and it's serial number at a machining forum, and was told by a Hendey specialist that it was made the first week of September, 1911. It was shipped to the buyer, Hallidie Machinery Co. of Seattle. That makes sense, just over the mountains from here. I found that Hallidie Machinery still exists in the Seattle area, and boasts of having been in business over 100 years... guess this proves it! I'm going to contact them with this interesting story, and see if they have any records of the machine and who it was sold to!