My TurnPro 13x40 Lathe

[Pidg]

I've been lurking here for a couple of months and thought I should contribute. Since this is my first lathe, I don't have the knowledge that most of you have. I really appreciate all the info and photos that have been posted, and hope I can also contribute.

I took a Machining Metal course (only 2 credit hours) over 30 years ago. I also worked as mechanic in a Brake & Front End shop where I turned brake drums and rotors on a specialized brake drum lathe and a separate rotor lathe, while I was in college.

In the past few years, I have also used the engine lathes at work for simple projects. But the machinists always set up the tooling, so I have a lot to learn.

I won the TurnPro in a GoDove auction, which was pretty exciting after two years of looking. It was in a Visteon factory in Springfield OH. Sadly, Visteon was shutting down the factory and auctioning the contents.

Although the model numbers are different, the lathe looks just like this one:

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PARTPG=INLMKD&PMPXNO=954166&PMAKA=111-3115

And here are some photos that include the "lathe-lift" I made for moving it, which made this 1900 lb beast relatively easy to move:

Bill Pidgeon

 

[gadget_lover]

Wow! That's a sweet looking lathe. Congrats and welcome to the group.

Was that tow truck loading or unloading? 🙂


Daniel

 

[sortafast]

Nice. You should be able to do some real damage with that thing. Time to start spending some $$$$ on some sweet tools.

 

[precisionworks]

:welcome:

That is a VERY nice machine ... 21" swing in the gap, 1.562" headstock bore, 3hp 3ph motor, Meehanite castings, etc. You'll be pleased :thumbsup:

Do you already have a rotary converter to provide 3ph, or will you use a VFD. Either one can work well for your lathe.

Neat lifting point that you made.

 

[precisionworks]

That machine looks almost new. The fact that it does not have a quick change tool post indicates that it probably never has made a lot of chips 😀

 

[Pidg]

Wow! That's a sweet looking lathe. Congrats and welcome to the group.

Was that tow truck loading or unloading? 🙂


Daniel

Thanks Daniel - yea, pretty exciting. The first lathe I bid on in November 2007 was a 10" Logan.

Unloading, and he backed it up my driveway and into my garage. Visteon used a fork lift to put the lathe in the truck.

Bill Pidgeon

 

[Pidg]

That machine looks almost new. The fact that it does not have a quick change tool post indicates that it probably never has made a lot of chips 😀

Barry, you are a good detective. The Visteon guys told me that tooling was never supplied. The electrician used it to de-burr conduit. When I went down there to inspect it before the auction, I wanted to see the cross slide move and they started to show me how the manual feed works. It became evident that they didn't know it had a powered cross feed. They warned me over the phone, when I was setting up an appointment for the inspection that they didn't have a machinist there and the people there only used it occassionally, so they couldn't do a decent demonstration. The mfr date on the lathe is 2005.

So, you are correct. From what they told me, the only chips were conduit burrs.

Also, no I don't have VFD, but I've been reading your posts both here and at Practical Machinist. It's too cold in my garage (Michigan) to use it, so I'm not in a big hurry. But if I find a good deal, I'll pounce.

I ordered a Square D VFD for a 30 hp motor at work about a year after working with an automationdirect.com GS1 or GS2, I forget which. The Square D software was a real puzzle compared to the automationdirect VFD. But I haven't used a VFD in two or three years, and I never had much knowledge - I had to read the manuals.

Also, I need tooling. Too many choices on the inserts -whew. I've been consuming the posts on inserts.

Thanks for all the info you've posted - it's incredibly helpful!

Bill Pidgeon

 

[wquiles]

Awesome, a great machine with very little use

 

[sortafast]

Also, no I don't have VFD, but I've been reading your posts both here and at Practical Machinist. It's too cold in my garage (Michigan) to use it, so I'm not in a big hurry.

I know I only live in OR, but I got one of these used from a friend and it was the best money I have ever spent on a "tool" for the garage. Takes about 5min to take the edge off, and 15min to make it very very pleasant. Plus if the power goes out I can still heat the house (or a couple rooms at least). Just gotta find Kerosene on the cheap.

 

[wquiles]

I know I only live in OR, but I got one of these used from a friend and it was the best money I have ever spent on a "tool" for the garage. Takes about 5min to take the edge off, and 15min to make it very very pleasant. Plus if the power goes out I can still heat the house (or a couple rooms at least). Just gotta find Kerosene on the cheap.

Wouldn't you need some "kind" of venting to make them "safe"? 😕

 

[Torque1st]

Nice machine, one of those once-in-a-lifetime finds. You will enjoy it.

For a 3HP machine a VFD will probably be your best choice.

Good choice on the wrecker for unloading the lathe.:thumbsup:

 

[65535]

That is a sweet setup. Got the steady rest, tailstock, compound cross slide, looks like carriage mounted flood coolant.

And a light coat of surface rust that can be stripped with a little penetrating oil and some hand rubbing. I am super jealous. Even if you don't care about variable speed, a VFD is your best bet for running 3PH motors on 1PH power. Unless you can find a cheap SS phase converter.

 

[darkzero]

Awesome package Bill & great to have you here. Hope you'll stick around. Sounds like you really got a good deal. May I ask how much you got it for? You must be excited. Nice job on the move.

Is that a chip guard for the handwheel? Pretty cool.

If your looking for one, I've got a new unused China BXA Wedge Tool post that I'm not going to use. Since you're a CPF member now (😉) I'll give it to you for a great price to get you started.

I took a Machining Metal course (only 2 credit hours) over 30 years ago. I also worked as mechanic in a Brake & Front End shop where I turned brake drums and rotors on a specialized brake drum lathe and a separate rotor lathe, while I was in college.

In the past few years, I have also used the engine lathes at work for simple projects. But the machinists always set up the tooling, so I have a lot to learn.
Bill Pidgeon

I was a mechanic at a performance shop for over 5 years back in the beginning of 2000. An Ammco brake lathe is the closest thing I've used to a real lathe but turning rotors & drums are far simplier to turn & the brake lathe is much more simplier. Turned down some crank pulleys on it too though. :laughing: Same concept though. Once you learn all the controls sounds like you'll be pro in no time.

 

[sortafast]

Wouldn't you need some "kind" of venting to make them "safe"? 😕

It needs a little fresh air, but other than that its not bad. I usually just crack the garage door just a bit. But I don't run it for more than 20mins as it gets pretty toasty in there. Reading the manual for it, it says its fine.

 

[precisionworks]

It needs a little fresh air, but other than that its not bad.

+1

We've had an unvented gas log set for six or seven years. Saturday & Sunday it ran from 7 a.m. until about 11 p.m. We have CO detectors all around the house & none have ever alarmed. Probably means that we need better windows & doors :laughing:

 

[Pidg]

I know I only live in OR, but I got one of these used from a friend and it was the best money I have ever spent on a "tool" for the garage. Takes about 5min to take the edge off, and 15min to make it very very pleasant. Plus if the power goes out I can still heat the house (or a couple rooms at least). Just gotta find Kerosene on the cheap.

Wow, I forgot those kerosene heaters existed. My father bought one during the energy crises around 1974 or 5.

I appreciate the idea, thanks. However, I think there's a safety issue with using that in a garage, if you park your vehicle or other gasoline fueled machine, or store a gasoline container. Since gasoline vapor accumulates at floor level, and the kerosene heater uses combustion, the combination could lead to serious consequences. And if you have kids, the probability goes up exponentially.

If you don't have gasoline or other heavier-than-air gaseous combustible, it does look like it could be the ticket. As I remember, most of the heat generated is radiant, so the 5 to 15 minute warmup sounds like it's one of the better options.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[StrikerDown]

Pidg,
:welcome:

+1

We've had an unvented gas log set for six or seven years. Saturday & Sunday it ran from 7 a.m. until about 11 p.m. We have CO detectors all around the house & none have ever alarmed. Probably means that we need better windows & doors :laughing:

6-7 years... it's time for batteries in the detectors! :nana:

 

[Pidg]

...May I ask how much you got it for? You must be excited.

...If your looking for one, I've got a new unused China BXA Wedge Tool post that I'm not going to use.

...Is that a chip guard for the handwheel?

...I was a mechanic at a performance shop for over 5 years back in the beginning of 2000. An Ammco brake lathe is the closest thing I've used to a real lathe but turning rotors & drums are far simplier to turn & the brake lathe is much more simplier. Turned down some crank pulleys on it too though. :laughing: Same concept though. Once you learn all the controls sounds like you'll be pro in no time.

Hi Will,

Including Ohio's 7% sales tax and GoDove's 18% fee, it came to $2052, which is far and away the best deal I've ever gotten, bar none. That translates to my winning bid being $1625. It's not too surprising, given the deflation in 2009; the first in my lifetime. Here in Michigan, there is much financial pain, and that's what leads to deals like this. So, my enthusiasm is tempered.

CDCO had a package for a BXA tool post set with 5 holders for $89, so I bought that. But thanks for asking.

So that "safety guard" is a chip guard. Somewhere I saw that piece called a safety guard 😕, but I couldn't figure it out. In fact, I was thinking it could be pinch hazard. You calling it a chip guard turned on the light - thanks. The manual on the Enco site isn't very good. But it appears that this lathe is also sold as a Birmingham and as a Lux Matter, so I'm getting info from several different sites.

I'm pretty sure I used an Ammco drum lathe also, but I never considered using it for anything but brake drums. Pretty creative Will - using it for pulleys.

Working for a performance shop sounds a lot more interesting than brakes and front ends. Brings up a lot of memorys. I also worked in a Dodge dealership, and Montgomery Wards, and for a ready-mix concrete company with Oshkosh trucks. I did some drag racing and won a few trophys. Full-disclosure, I won trophys because there weren't any other cars in my class. I had an Opel Kadett Rallye Sport, and 1965 Chevelle with a 283 2-barrell. I swapped out the original 3-speed for a Muncie 4 speed & headers, which took me out of the stock class - no competition with a 2 barrel carb & headers... A friend had a '67 Chevelle with 396, 375 hp, 4.88 rear end, & headers. Back in my crazy days, we did some street racing with his car, which turned low 11's, at the track. That was really fast for a street car in the late 60's. Thanks for stirring up the memories.

Bill

 

[Pidg]

That is a sweet setup. Got the steady rest, tailstock, compound cross slide, looks like carriage mounted flood coolant.

And a light coat of surface rust that can be stripped with a little penetrating oil and some hand rubbing. I am super jealous. Even if you don't care about variable speed, a VFD is your best bet for running 3PH motors on 1PH power. Unless you can find a cheap SS phase converter.

Thanks. The camera sees more rust that the human eye detects, judging from my eye and comments I've heard from others. But I'd like to get it polished like Will Q's, but I'm not that motivated with these temperatures. Brrrrr!

Bill

 

[Pidg]

Nice machine, one of those once-in-a-lifetime finds. You will enjoy it.

For a 3HP machine a VFD will probably be your best choice.

Good choice on the wrecker for unloading the lathe.:thumbsup:

Torque1st and StrikerDown - thanks for the kind welcomes.

I agree that a VFD is best - I haven't even considered the alternatives.

Bill