Quick question about Grizzly 12x36 4003 lathe

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DSM

Chuck
I found a Grizzly 4003 in excellent condition with a bunch of extras for $1750. I know some 4003's came with 1-1/16" spindle bore diameters and the newer ones come with 1-7/16". I want to chamber my own barrels. Would this lathe do satisfactory work giving the through hole is 1-7/16"?
 
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DSM said:
I found a Grizzly 4003 in excellent condition with a bunch of extras for $1750. I know some 4003's came with 1-1/16" spindle bore diameters and the newer ones come with 1-7/16". I want to chamber my own barrels. Would this lathe do satisfactory work giving the through hole is 1-7/16"?
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Yes.
 
I have one of these and have used it since, 2005 when I bought it from a friend with a bunch of tooling for $1500.00. I have chambered a bunch of barrels, threded a few muzzle breaks and suppressor s for friends,it has never given me any problems. My buddy did have some different bearing's installed and had roller bearings added to the steady rest. I only had 1 occasion where I couldn't get a barrel through the head stock, it was a barrel for my rail gun, so I put it between centers an turned it down until it fit through the head stock. If I had to do it all over again , for the money I spent, I could't have done any better.
 
Great...going to pick it up tomorrow. Naturally, I'll try and talk him down with 15 Benjamin's in hand, well see. I've been looking for something suitable for chambering for months and months...its either junk or I'm too late. This one here appears to be in top shape. Its under power, so ill check it out.

Any tips on getting one in a basement with stair access inside the house?
 
You will probably have to remove the top from the base and take them down seperately! It took my buddy and I almost all day to get mine out of his house, he had a small shop and I had to remove the sill plate and 1 jamb to get it out, then up onto the trailer. I think it would have been much easier if we had seperated the two. Once you get it to the basement, and your setting it back up I would highly recommend the purchase of a good machinist level, you need to make sure everything is leveled and true.
one other thing, I got a pair of Bison Chucks with mine, if it has only the factory chucks get a good quality chuck and don't look back. I have a 4 jaw independent, and a 3 jaw set thru, top quality chuck equals top quality job!
 
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Well I was taught that when your setting up a lathe or mill you need to make sure that everything islevel, so that nothing is tweaked like the ways on the bed, that the tailstock lines up to center of spindle bore. My question would be why wouldn't you worry about the lathe being level? Why do they make feet for leveling? Perhaps I am a little A.D.D but if I am working on a barrel that I have taken time to center in the chuck to less than .0005 runout why chance the ways being out of level? I am just a hobbyist with a lathe but it just makes sense that everything is set up correctly, to start with.
 
What difference does it make if your lathe is tilted left or right or either front to rear? Isn't the only important thing is twist in the ways?
 
well thats what I was getting at but maybe didn't explain it right! The base could certainly be out of level, and not cause a problem. Your more of a machinist than I, so I would rely more on your expertise than mine!
 
Butch Lambert said:
What difference does it make if your lathe is tilted left or right or either front to rear? Isn't the only important thing is twist in the ways?
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:)


I'm with Butch, in fact IMO the only way to true a lathe is to itself...... "measurements" or "level" are worthless indicators that can lead one far astray (or just in endless circles lol)

al.
 
Thanks for the info guys. I did pick it up its sitting on my trailer detached from the stand. We used an engine hoist to load it...worked smooth. For now, I think I'm going to set it up in a corner of my garage, which would be right beside my service entry. I can easilly set up a 220v outlet opposed to my basement which would need a sub panel installed. Eventually maybe...the thought of that going down carpeted steps does not sound appealing. Bad thing with the garage, its not climate controlled....so hot in summer and cold in the winter!

Be awhile before I get it set up...so ill probably have a bunch of noob chambering questions once I'm ready. I've ran metal lathes in the past, but never owned one. I look forward to doing my own machining now. I wont have to wait months for a chamber job or a re-crown!
 
The reason to level a lathe:

Many years ago I worked in the Machinetool Rebuilding trade. I saw a number of lathes that formed a twist in the ways from not being leveled properly. I can guarantee one will not be able to turn anything of much length accurately, with a lathe that is not level. On one occasion, I was sent to a shop that had a big lathe which had a twist in the center of the ways because it had not been leveled when set up. I jacked one leg way up an left it for a week , went back and tried leveling it again. This got about half the error out. I did the same for another week and was able to level the bed properly then. There is a compelling reason to always level everything one can in the beginning. There is also a compelling reason manufacturers have thick floors under their machinetools. Level em, if one can and use a proper level, always.
 
The only thing i dont like about the machine in the picture is the base. Those cheap flimbsy bases are worthless. As soon as you put a barrel with my run out in the spindle, your hole machine will shake while spinning. Just my experience! The new Grizzly 12x36 lathe comes with a case iron base. Much better! Maybe you could purchase just a new base for this machine?? Lee
 
BTW, if anybody is interested in an 18" Starrett machinists' level, PM me with an offer. Since my shop has a 6" slab floor, I think my lathe is set for life. And, you can't level a pool table using this level, because walking from one side of the table to the other, will move the bubble 2 lines! Went nuts at my American Legion, trying this.:rolleyes:
 
alinwa said:
:)Quote Originally Posted by Butch Lambert View Post

What difference does it make if your lathe is tilted left or right or either front to rear? Isn't the only important thing is twist in the ways



I'm with Butch, in fact IMO the only way to true a lathe is to itself...... "measurements" or "level" are worthless indicators that can lead one far astray (or just in endless circles lol)

al.
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Gents,

I agree with the above about not wanting twist. If it's a wee nudge off across the ways in front of the chuck, than make sure it's off that same wee nudge off down at the tailstock. Same thing with the ways (Y axis? I always forget...). I've leveled my machine to about dead nuts level, and I've done it to where it's not dead nuts, but the "out" is consistent. Both ways worked, but I try and get it as level as I can because that is "home"...a consistent place to go back to, and it makes me feel warm and fuzzy. But...

...my headstock is adjustable. So I adjust on that until it's cutting straight. And it do cut straight.

If your headstock doesn't adjust, than as Al said, you true the lathe to itself...which means, more than likely, you will be taking it out of level to get it to cut straight.

I do have some concerns about the longitudinal axis, though, and I'd like to hear you guys thoughts on them. It seems to me that one could get the longitudinal axis cattywompus with the headstock if you had too much "up" at the tailstock end of the bed, especially if the inboard leveling bolts under the headstock (if you have em') aren't snug. I'm thinking things may flex or sag in front of the headstock, or if these inboard leveling bolts are snug, and you have a bunch of drop at the tailstock, you could flex the bed away from the lathe centerline. Hell, you may be able to cause the bed itself to bow one way or the other by doing this...I don't know. But if any of this were to happen, turning a consistent diameter would be impossible. I "think" doing either of the above, AND maintaining a consistent reading on the level would be nigh on impossible, but I don't know...

What do you guys think?

Justin
 
skeetlee said:
The only thing i dont like about the machine in the picture is the base. Those cheap flimbsy bases are worthless. As soon as you put a barrel with my run out in the spindle, your hole machine will shake while spinning. Just my experience! The new Grizzly 12x36 lathe comes with a case iron base. Much better! Maybe you could purchase just a new base for this machine?? Lee
Click to expand...

You bring up a good point skeet. The two cabinets are cast, but definitely not heavy, plus each on has 4 leveling legs and will be a pain to level both cabinets. I do plan on making a metal stand. My cousin is getting me some 1/4" plate for the top and some 2"x2" heavy wall square tubing for the framework. That way its heavy, flat and will have 4 leveling studs. Definitely will need the hoist to set in place!
 
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