- Joined
- Jul 26, 2011
- Messages
- 4,142
The info plate shows a very slow top speed.
I have seen old South Bend lathes that had had their 1725 RPM motors replaced with 3450 RPM motors to give better top speeds. In your case,even doing that would not give a particularly high top speed. And,you need to look at the bearings in the spindle. Yours are likely plain bearings rather than ball or roller bearings. Make sure the bearings can stand doubling the top speed.
There is nothing wrong with having plain bearings,except for the limitations on top speed. Some of the finest lathes ever made had plain bearings. Even Dean,Smith and Grace lathes. They just take a longer time to accomplish a job.
As for the 16 RPM lowest speed,I wish my 16" lathe had THAT!. Many modern made lathes have way too high a low speed. Mine was 60 RPM. Try turning a large object at that speed! My gap swings 24",but,unless you're turning aluminum or brass,forget it. I made a special pulley for my lathe to cut the lowest speed in half to 30 RPM. It cuts ALL the speeds in half. But,30 RPM is still way too fast for trying to do really large work in the gap. I have a high speed Hardinge HLVH that I use for small parts,which is most of what I do anyway. It will do 3000 RPM,with a lowest speed of 125,which,again,is too high for larger face plate work in steel or cast iron. The Hardinge is really a collet lathe. It excels in that work.
All that said,you have a heck of a VERY powerful lathe there. Definitely a REAL LATHE,and not a toy made in Asia!!! Congrats!! I'd love to add it to my own shop.
I have seen old South Bend lathes that had had their 1725 RPM motors replaced with 3450 RPM motors to give better top speeds. In your case,even doing that would not give a particularly high top speed. And,you need to look at the bearings in the spindle. Yours are likely plain bearings rather than ball or roller bearings. Make sure the bearings can stand doubling the top speed.
There is nothing wrong with having plain bearings,except for the limitations on top speed. Some of the finest lathes ever made had plain bearings. Even Dean,Smith and Grace lathes. They just take a longer time to accomplish a job.
As for the 16 RPM lowest speed,I wish my 16" lathe had THAT!. Many modern made lathes have way too high a low speed. Mine was 60 RPM. Try turning a large object at that speed! My gap swings 24",but,unless you're turning aluminum or brass,forget it. I made a special pulley for my lathe to cut the lowest speed in half to 30 RPM. It cuts ALL the speeds in half. But,30 RPM is still way too fast for trying to do really large work in the gap. I have a high speed Hardinge HLVH that I use for small parts,which is most of what I do anyway. It will do 3000 RPM,with a lowest speed of 125,which,again,is too high for larger face plate work in steel or cast iron. The Hardinge is really a collet lathe. It excels in that work.
All that said,you have a heck of a VERY powerful lathe there. Definitely a REAL LATHE,and not a toy made in Asia!!! Congrats!! I'd love to add it to my own shop.