Enterprise 1550 lathe restore

[Chipper5783]

Mine machine has a gap ~21” swing. The graphics or notorious for fading (I have sent pictures of mine to a few people to help them figure out what is what). To get the cross slide screw out, you have to remove the end nut that is under the cover on the face of the hand wheel.

 

[Chipper5783]

Penetrating oil can work magic, just don’t try to hurry it too much. I recently fixed up a small Standard Modern lathe, the compound dial was seized on. I worked on it for nearly a month (lots of other things to fix so it didn’t hold me up). I made a non-marking wrench and tried numerous different penetrating oils, tried heating it, tried chilling it, tried beating on it (gently) - eventually it came without damaging the knurling, the graduations or any of the stamped numbering. The point being to take your time and think it through.

 

[Chipper5783]

Enterprise 1550 Lathe manual

Instruction and Spare Parts Manual for 1550 Enterprise Lathe

www.hobby-machinist.com

 

[markba633csi]

Does it have a 7.5 HP motor like the manual says? That's a big boy

 

[JMan23]

Mine machine has a gap ~21” swing. The graphics or notorious for fading (I have sent pictures of mine to a few people to help them figure out what is what). To get the cross slide screw out, you have to remove the end nut that is under the cover on the face of the hand wheel.

Thanks for the insight! When you said under the cover on the face of the hand wheel, I was like wait a minute. I went back out to look at mine, it was so dirty the cap and handwheel looked like one piece. But sure enough I got it off and that's what I needed!

 

[JMan23]

Does it have a 7.5 HP motor like the manual says? That's a big boy

From what I can tell It's a 5hp.
Yeah it's a big one, when I went to pick it up from the guy I was going to put it in the bed of my 3/4 ton truck. I didn't realize how big and heavy it is, It weighs about 3000lbs!

 

[Chipper5783]

2 speed motor 3hp/5hp, weight is about 2700, for the size of machine I’d consider it a “light pattern“ machine (only D1-4 spindle, #3 MT in the TS). I’ve had mine for 40 years. I use it plenty and have never really had any problems with it. I like it because it isn’t a big beast, it is a very simple machine to operate and it is big enough to handle most every thing I’ve needed to do (though a larger spindle bore would be real nice).

I have a couple smaller lathes, but the 15” Enterprise is still my goto machine, even for pretty small work. I have it quite well dressed and it is easy to operate (it does not feel like a big machine at all). If It cleans up well, I think you will really like it.

 

[3strucking]

You have way more patience than I to try to reclaim that lathe.

 

[JMan23]

I forgot to take pics of the saddle cleanup, but I pressed out the lead screw and got that all cleaned up and working smooth. The saddle now goes back and forth in and out smoothly. The ways have some wear the closer you get to the headstock. I don't know how much that may affect accuracy. I'm gonna need some gears for the auto feed too. The part I'm calling "ways" is the triangle shaped rail, not sure if that's the correct term. In the first pic you can see the black line towards the top is where it's worn down.

 

[brino]

The ways look better close-up than I expected from your first photo.

A wire brush wheel on a bench grinder might clean up those existing gears quickly.
(face mask and glasses recommended)

Also look into 3D-printed plastic gears, some new lathes come with at least one plastic gear as a "fuse" for crashes.

Brian