I finally found a lathe. Woo Hooo!!!!

S

skeetlee

Active member
Well patients finally payed off. I attended a benchrest match this past weekend down in St Louis and while there a friend of mine told me about a Lathe he had saw on craigs list. When i got home from the match i called on it as it sounded like a great deal. The fella still had the lathe and some tooling and after a long conversation i felt comfortable that the seller was a good honest man and that the lathe was in great shape with some extra tooling so i committed to buy it. The lathe is a Jet 13x40 belt drive and is about 10 years old. the man that owned it made pool ques and all he ever used the lathe for was to turn some aluminum and wooden shafts. Yes wood, why i dont know but the lathe according to the seller hasnt even ever turned any steel. He had plenty of pics and it appeared in great condition and barley used. The lathe comes with all the original equipment and a quick change tool post, so that will be nice.
I am going up sat morning to pick it up. the funny thing was when i called dad to ask him to barrow the trailer he got all excited about the lathe as some of you know he is a tool maker/machinist and he offered to buy half the lathe. He will be able to write the machine off on the farm taxes anyway, but it was still a nice treat for myself. Anyway i am excited as all get out. what a year this has been for me, and i will get to spend all winter learning the ropes.
My reason for sharing all this is i am wondering if anyone else here has this machine, and if so can you share any info about it with me? Do you like the machine will there be any needed upgrades anything of the sort.
What or who makes a good floating reamer holder? Now comes the hard part for me. learning what tools to use. The catalogs are full of tooling. Dad will be able to help me out there though to. I guess im just excited. Ill try to post a link of the lathe. Lee

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/tls/2646529227.html
 
Nice machine it should serve you very well and will be nice for barrel work. I dont know how much you know about moving eq. but that machine on the stand is top heavy I would remove it from the stand before moving it. A engine hoist should be very helpful here. I moved one last year about the same size used the engine hoist and set it in the back of the p/u. Kinda funny, the you might die setting on the control panel. I had an earlier model jet lathe a little smaller than that one and it worked very well. You will find ways to adapt the lathe to suit your applications and might make attachments or adaptations to your machine to improve or enhance its function for your application. Things like spider chucks, catsheads and reamer pushers can now be fabricated for your new machine. Congrats to you enjoy
 
skeetlee said:
What or who makes a good floating reamer holder? Now comes the hard part for me. learning what tools to use. The catalogs are full of tooling. Dad will be able to help me out there though to. I guess im just excited. Ill try to post a link of the lathe. Lee

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/tls/2646529227.html
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Pool ques, interesting. That is what Ferris Pindell did with his lathe mostly in his last 4-5 years in his shop. You see, Ferris was a World Class pool player. There are pictures in their downstairs rec room of Ferris and Minnesota Fats, Willie Mosconi and other pool biggies.

As to a floating reamer holder, I would suggest going to Mike Bryants web site and read some about reamer holding.

http://www.bryantcustom.com/articles/rebarrel.htm
 
Congratulations Lee
I shot next to you in St Louis and you were talking about chambering and I'm glad you found what you wanted. It looks very capable of doing chamber work and other things you may want to do with it.
Ron M
 
I bought that same lathe in 1999.

it has worked out well for me.

i have done a few rifle chambers with it.

cosmetics aren't very good but it is a decent dependable accurate lathe.

the only problem i have is getting the tail stock to not slip when i am drilling a large hole.
 
when you get the lathe and its set up, do some searches here.
lathe installation/leveling
spyder
reamer tools
all three have been discussed here.
all are fairly simple
your dad can help.....
take time with the lathe install...let it settle....
ya need a excellent machinst level.......like 0.0005"/12"
dont buy one...borrow from one of us...
mike in co
 
Thanks mike and Ed. What makes me the most nervous is moving the lathe during the 3hr trip back home. I will strap it down of course and rest it on some hard wood 3x3 pallet stock. other than that its at the mercy of events beyond my control. Dad says he wants to put a bigger breaker box in the shop before we wire up the lathe and that will take a bit so the lathe can rest then. I was thinking ahead when i poured the concrete in the shop as i poured the North West corner " were the lathe will go" a bit thicker than the rest of the floor. The floor in this corner is about 7" think. i dont know if that matters much but i guess it cant hurt.
I have read most every post on these board and some multiple times. Lots of good info for sure. I have a pretty general idea of the lathes operation but it will take some hands on before i do any real barrel work. probably not until next spring. I need some weights for a couple of my stocks, so those kinda of projects will be first. I know dad knows what tooling we need, but i am still overwhelmed while looking in the Enco catalog. LOL!! Would someone like to give me a basic run down of the tools that are required to chamber a barrel? Heck, even all the choices of dial indicators is a bit of a mind stretch for me. I just simple dont know what i need. I figure i need one dial for roughing in the barrel that would read in .000 and i am sure i will need one that reads 10ths for fine adjustments. What i am not sure of is how many thousands of an inch the rougher dial needs to have on it? .020? .005? I just dont know! Lee
 
Fellas
I got the Lathe home safe and sound today. One thing that concerns me a little and maybe it shouldn't is the base. The base that the Lathe sits on seems pretty flimsy to me. How important is a good sturdy base? I would think the base or foundation of the machine would need to be very ridged and strong? Like i say, maybe this base is just fine?? Probably is, i am just wanting my machine to perform the best it possibly can. Are there any aftermarket cast bases available for lathes like this?? Any ideas otherwise??

How true is a lathe like this potential? Is it capable of running as true as .0001? How often do spindle baring need replacing? Sorry for all the question. Once we get the machine set up and running we can evaluate all this a little further i am sure. The machine ran really well today at the sellers place. pretty quite as well!! Lee
 
skeetlee said:
Fellas
I got the Lathe home safe and sound today. One thing that concerns me a little and maybe it shouldn't is the base. The base that the Lathe sits on seems pretty flimsy to me. How important is a good sturdy base?
Click to expand...
ehhh, pretty important... but don't get hung up on it.

I would think the base or foundation of the machine would need to be very ridged and strong? Like i say, maybe this base is just fine?? Probably is, i am just wanting my machine to perform the best it possibly can. Are there any aftermarket cast bases available for lathes like this?? Any ideas otherwise??
Click to expand...
use it the way it is and see what you think. Don't hunt for ways to spend money, they'll find you plenty without you looking.

How true is a lathe like this potential? Is it capable of running as true as .0001?
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No. Tools might, but the lathe won't.
How often do spindle baring need replacing?
Click to expand...
never...
Sorry for all the question. Once we get the machine set up and running we can evaluate all this a little further i am sure. The machine ran really well today at the sellers place. pretty quite as well!! Lee
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Use it to its potential and you'll be happy. Don't be so caught up in what might have been or what could be with something else. Build good stuff with this machine and be happy. It will take a little time to realize you can get better accuracy with certain tooling, you can do better finishes with certain tooling, and get better results after a little experience. Just work on getting all you can out of the machine and it'll suit you fine. It's no different than buying a car, someone elses car will do some things nicer, and on and on, but, this car will work for your purpose at this price point, so run with it.
 
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Lee I noticed in one of the pictures of the lathe, not sure if it is the one you picked up and the spy glass on the outboard spindle bearings did not show any oil in it so be such to check the level before firing it up.

J.Louis
 
Good score!

I've been using a Jet 12X36BD for near 20 years. Best gunsmith hobby lathe you can buy. I've looked around many times to see if I'd gain anything by moving to a different lathe. I always come back to the same conclusion. The Jet with its short headstock, can not be beat for the type of work we are asking of it.
 
roy
What do you use the original 4 jaw chuck or did you make a spider chuck with a back plate? what about on the outboard spindle end? thanks roy. Lee
 
Louis.J said:
Lee I noticed in one of the pictures of the lathe, not sure if it is the one you picked up and the spy glass on the outboard spindle bearings did not show any oil in it so be such to check the level before firing it up.

J.Louis
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A point here Lee, this series of Jet lathe is known for seeping some spindle oil through the spindle bearing end seals. Not a problem, just make sure you have oil, and the correct oil, in the head box. (It takes some oil to run a wheelbarrow).

Which brings up another point, keep the bedways lightly oiled any time you are moving the cross slide, carriage, and tailstock.

AND, do not remove metal chips and fines with compressed air, use a brush and wiping rag or towel.
 
thanks fellas. I checked on the oil levels this AM and all was fine. Dad says we are going to use top of the line insert tooling. i dont remember the brand name but he will get them through GE were he works. I brought home a bunch of carbide non insert tools yesterday and he wasnt all that impressed. c5 something or another?? I did get the quick change and 4 tool holders and 2 boring bar holders that he is ok with. they are china made but seem fairly solid. Lots to learn!! Lee
 
skeetlee said:
What do you use the original 4 jaw chuck or did you make a spider chuck with a back plate?
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You can use the 4-jaw, but remember, it is easy to bend the barrel as you dial it in. Depending on the design of your spider, it is usually hard to bend the barrel.
 
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