- Joined
- Aug 9, 2016
- Messages
- 12
Hello everyone,
Jim here, first time poster.... hobby machinist. Ive had several small metal lathes, but recently a friend who is closing his shop gave me a big Köping lathe if I would move it... I did, All 8000# of it.
The lathe is in good condition, the wear is light and certainly adequate for a hack like me. I do have sone questions tho that I am hoping the members of the forum can help with. I have no experience with big lathes.
As you probably know, this lathe is a hoss, with a good reputation for being very rigid, but made for taking deep hogging cuts, hard materials, etc. It is equipped with a 30hp (this is unbelievable to me!) 380 volt, 50hz 3 phase motor as originally equipped when the machine was built in Sweeden. The previous owner ran it on 440 volt 3 ph with no bad side effects, but because of the power availability in my shop, and no real need for making hogging cuts, I'm going to reporter it down to 7.5 or even 5 Hp, either single or 3 phase thru a rpc, which the performance charts in the lathes manual show is way more power than I need for my sissy work (I have a small refactory and cast "one off" or low volume aluminum parts, which sometime require machining) my first general question is to solicit advice... What's the best way to go here? Single phase or 3 phase with the rotary converter. I won't put on a VFD due to expense...at the HP, those things are expensive and the gearbox on this lathe is pure artwork... No gears missing teeth or any other issues. I'm leaning towards single phase, just to eliminate the rpc
Also something odd on the machine is the toolpost. There are no dovetails on the compound, only a vertices stud that my assumption is goes thru a universal type square toolpost and is held rigid by tension from the nut. I've googled and searched Köping lathes and found a few pictures in which that seems to be the setup, but I'd sure like to hear different opinions or advice if I'm wrong there. Other lathes I have used have had more modern quick change toolpost S in a dovetail or with a t nut. On this compound, the bed is flat, with only the stud to hold the toolholder. I'll post pics as soon as I figure out how (is there a tutorial?)
Thanks for the replies and advice in advance.
I'm enjoying the forum!
Jim
Jim here, first time poster.... hobby machinist. Ive had several small metal lathes, but recently a friend who is closing his shop gave me a big Köping lathe if I would move it... I did, All 8000# of it.
The lathe is in good condition, the wear is light and certainly adequate for a hack like me. I do have sone questions tho that I am hoping the members of the forum can help with. I have no experience with big lathes.
As you probably know, this lathe is a hoss, with a good reputation for being very rigid, but made for taking deep hogging cuts, hard materials, etc. It is equipped with a 30hp (this is unbelievable to me!) 380 volt, 50hz 3 phase motor as originally equipped when the machine was built in Sweeden. The previous owner ran it on 440 volt 3 ph with no bad side effects, but because of the power availability in my shop, and no real need for making hogging cuts, I'm going to reporter it down to 7.5 or even 5 Hp, either single or 3 phase thru a rpc, which the performance charts in the lathes manual show is way more power than I need for my sissy work (I have a small refactory and cast "one off" or low volume aluminum parts, which sometime require machining) my first general question is to solicit advice... What's the best way to go here? Single phase or 3 phase with the rotary converter. I won't put on a VFD due to expense...at the HP, those things are expensive and the gearbox on this lathe is pure artwork... No gears missing teeth or any other issues. I'm leaning towards single phase, just to eliminate the rpc
Also something odd on the machine is the toolpost. There are no dovetails on the compound, only a vertices stud that my assumption is goes thru a universal type square toolpost and is held rigid by tension from the nut. I've googled and searched Köping lathes and found a few pictures in which that seems to be the setup, but I'd sure like to hear different opinions or advice if I'm wrong there. Other lathes I have used have had more modern quick change toolpost S in a dovetail or with a t nut. On this compound, the bed is flat, with only the stud to hold the toolholder. I'll post pics as soon as I figure out how (is there a tutorial?)
Thanks for the replies and advice in advance.
I'm enjoying the forum!
Jim