New restoration project! 12" Craftsman lathe.

[LX Kid]

That 3-jaw chuck I bought is an piece of junk! It was full of swarf and at sometime in the last "100 years" someone changed the jaws and they don't work. Even totally disassembled and cleaned it takes a rubber mallet to get them to move. Obviously I'm trying to send it back even though there is no return on the chuck.

UPDATE: 4/20/24. SELLER ACCEPTED THE RETURN OF THE CHUCK!

 

[LX Kid]

Found what I 'think" is a good deal on the parts i need except the flat bar that holds on the saddle at the rear. Carriage lock, nylon cross feed nut and rear saddle gib from eBay. I'm officially over $1000 in this restoration with roughly 100+ hours of loving labor! Good thing I'm retired and could devote steady work on the restoration. "Maybe" 50 more hours and done. LoL

 

[wa5cab]

Too bad about the chuck. was this the 5" that you were going to keep?? A good all around chuck for a 10" or a 12" is a 6". Don't skimp on it. If possible get one with 2-piece jaws. And adjustable centering.

 

[LX Kid]

Too bad about the chuck. was this the 5" that you were going to keep?? A good all around chuck for a 10" or a 12" is a 6". Don't skimp on it. If possible get one with 2-piece jaws. And adjustable centering.

Yes it's the one I got off eBay and he's agreed to take it back. After cleaning I found there were two problems with it. First the jaws are too tall and scrape the bottom of the chuck, wrong jaws, and second the scroll plate does not spin easily on it's mounting axis. So a combination of the two makes this vise unusable. Maybe the seller will sell me the 1.5x8 tpi mounting back plate as I'll need one when I get another vice if I get another 5" chuck.

 

[LX Kid]

Things keep coming up missing! Now I don't have the bolts to mount the back gear assembly to the head stock! Ah who needs a stinking back gear anyway? LoL Two screws and two long bolts. Just wait and see if after I buying all the necessary nuts, bolts etc they will show up! Bet wifey has something to do with this! LoL

 

[LX Kid]

As mentioned in post #63, my saddle cross feed nut went missing after cleaning and painting compound slide! I ordered a nylon cross feed nut, $10, and installed it today. Gotta say I'm impressed with it. My brass was really good with no back lash slop and the nylon one is just as good. I'm sure it will loosen up over time but others have said they have worked good as well. My brass nut in in the sandy yard somewhere between my shop and my patio. I get out my metal detector and look for it later. The end of the countershaft spindle is all boogerd up and the large pulley wobbles so I ordered another.

 

[tonesearcher]

It's really been a tiring past four days getting everything cleaned and painted! "YEA!" It took one full day just to do the saddle and the cross slide. Next move, when my bones and muscles heal, will be to remove the Crafty 6" from the shop and get chip pans and 42" lathe bed bolted on the table. As I assemble everything it will be checked over once again and lubed. Still didn't find the loose nuts and bolts so a hardware store visit may be necessary.

View attachment 487077

Looks good!

 

[LX Kid]

I've bought all the missing parts, "I HOPE", cleaned and painted all the sub assemblies and am ready to put the lathe back together on the bed. The Wagner Electric motor is a behemoth, large, HEAVY, 1/2 HP 7.2 AMP antique that runs great. I'll use it for now "BUT" this motor has got to go in the near future! It weighs as much as the headstock and tailstock combined!
I have listed my Crafty 6" on Craigslist and can't move the Crafty 12" into the shop for assembly until it's sold. I just have nowhere, out of the elements, to put an extra lathe. Don't want to remove Crafty 6" because potential buyers will want to see it running. She looks new and runs so smooth and quiet!

 

[LX Kid]

I have listed my Crafty 6" on Craigslist and can't move the Crafty 12" into the shop for assembly until it's sold. I just have nowhere, out of the elements, to put an extra lathe. Don't want to remove Crafty 6" because potential buyers will want to see it running. She looks new and runs so smooth and quiet!

I'm getting anxious to get my lathe in the shop and start assembling so I may just put the Crafty 6" on the back patio cover it up well. Problem is, here in Florida, we have a lot of humidity. I will have to make sure all parts are oiled up due to rust getting started. Maybe I'll spray everything with G96 or similar product. I have a U-Haul storage unit but I've found that whatever goes into storage never comes out of storage. Unbelievable the stuff I have "rat holed" away in there!

 

[LX Kid]

After I get everything squared away and bugs worked out, I'm thinking about converting to DC motor. Rat holed somewhere I have two 1hp, 90 volt treadmill motors and controllers. That would make things a lot more easy.