Am I in over my head? Machine ID

[HillbillyDeluxe39]

I purchased this machine Friday, it was supposed to be a package deal along with a smaller Clausing 15x50. However when I arrived the other machine had already be sold. I ended up purchasing this 15x60? and a Kalamazoo 13" bandsaw.

On to my issues, I can't seem to positively ID this machine or find any numbers on it that make sense.

The Bad: This thing is huge and heavy. The cover over the gears was removed some time ago, seller didn't know why.
Motor was removed and missing.
A few handles are broken off.
Threading gears look chewed up and I think I'm missing some.

This is my first lathe, I'm not scared of it just don't want to spend and arm and a leg on something not worth it.

Anyway if anyone can help with ID, I can get a manual and source parts. Thanks

 

[mickri]

This might help you out. http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/182/6092.pdf

 

[mmcmdl]

It's a Clausing Colchester , what do you need to know about it ? It's a helluva nice lathe if it's straight .

 

[markba633csi]

It is a nice lathe, a shame the headstock cover and motor are missing
Parts won't be cheap for it I'm sure. You can probably retrofit a smaller motor in it, maybe 3 to 5 HP?
-Mark

 

[Larry$]

An excellent manual. That would have been an expensive lathe when new. Some nice features that I don't have on my Chinese 1440: Clutches so motor can remain running, trip mechanism on carriage, bolt to lock tailstock accessible from top, reversing under power up to 175rpm, good spindle brake design, rear tool post, pumped oiling..............
When I look at how many parts go into a lathe, it is surprising they don't cost a lot more.
Sounds like that one will take a lot of parts and work. Check for cracked castings, condition of bed (can be reground but expensive.) Change gears may be available or may be adapted from stock gears. Likely all bearings are available from major suppliers.
I have no idea what all is wrong with that machine but it could easily cost, SWAG, $4K+ to restore with bed grinding plus a lot of labor.
Anyone know the cost of a new similar quality lathe?

 

[HillbillyDeluxe39]

It's a Clausing Colchester , what do you need to know about it ? It's a helluva nice lathe if it's straight .

Right, so is it just a model 15? The manual linked above looks right.

 

[Aaron_W]

Anyone know the cost of a new similar quality lathe?

Looks like a new Clausing 15x50 is about $30,000.

 

[HillbillyDeluxe39]

Looks like a new Clausing 15x50 is about $30,000.

I paid $300 for it....

 

[Larry$]

The cost of moving it, professionally? $500? You should come out good even if you decide it is too expensive to fix. Part it out? But it could be an interesting restore job. Will need to get a mill and lathe to fix it.

 

[Aaron_W]

I paid $300 for it....

Kind of hard to lose at that price, worst case you could probably get at least that much for the chuck and tool post.

Clausing offers fairly good support for older machines. If people can get still get stuff for a 60 year old Atlas lathe from them, I'd think getting parts for a 20-30 year old industrial machine wouldn't be an issue. Won't be cheap, but an option for anything you can't find used or make yourself.