Opinions On This Lathe

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pertyfly

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Hi all. I am new to this world. I am looking to get a small lathe for home and see what I can make from it. I am looking at this lathe locally right now but I don't know if it is any good or who makes it. I was wondering if I could get some opinions or even a manufacturer. The seller said all he can find is the plate in the picture. I don't know if that is the lathe manufacturer or just a tool reseller. I can't find any info on it. Thanks!

Also, any idea what this may be worth?

image1-2.JPG ad_1_1449430232423.jpg ad_0_1449430232422.jpg ad_2_1449430232426.jpg
 
The label tells the lathe is manufactured by Pratt&Whitney (famous lathe manufacturer, aircraft engines etc.). It looks to be a nice lathe and I would be interested if it was not on the other side of the globe. It seems to be well equipped with chucks and collets.

The value here in Sweden would be around 800 dollars.

http://www.lathes.co.uk/pratt&whitney/
 
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My concern would be safety with those open pulleys, a machine can mangle your bones and flesh and yank off fingers in a split second. Its an even greater concern if you work alone and there's no one to call 911 or apply a tourniquet.
 
Thanks for the info so far. In terms of the gears provided, would that be a set? Or would there be some missing? What else would I need that is not shown?

Thanks.
 
Hi pertyfly,

coolidge certainly has a point about open pulleys, but that wouldn't stop me from buying that lathe, but I definitely would mount it very differently with the counter-shaft behind the lathe (not above).

The link that Micke S posted above is normally "the site" to go to to help identify a lathe........I went thru all the Pratt and Whitney pages and did NOT see this one......hmmm. Some differences I saw were the location of the large flat pulley on the headstock (right vs. left) and the tailstock body. Another indicator is the handles/knobs, but those can be changed easily. I'll do some more browsing around and let you know if I see something similar.

All the bits and pieces for a lathe can total a cost equal to the lathe. Since this one has some (three-jaw chuck, tailstock jabobs chuck, fixed steady, numerous collets) that should figure in to the price. I did not see a toolpost of any kind (lantern/rocker, turret, quick-change), consider that too.

If you haven't seen them here are a few good links for evaluating a lathe:

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/a-guide-for-selecting-the-right-lathe-for-beginners.25915/

http://www.mermac.com/advicenew.html

Specifically, try to evaluate the wear in the headstock bearings and ways(carriage, cross-slide and top-slide). Major slop means anything of precision is impossible to do. Of course some wear is inevitable, and some dovetail ways have adjustable jibs to account for some wear.

With no change-gear chart it is hard to know if that's is all of the gears or not. It is not rocket science to work out a feed and screw-cutting chart, you could print and laminate one to leave at the lathe.

Good Luck!

-brino
 
coolidge said:
My concern would be safety with those open pulleys, a machine can mangle your bones and flesh and yank off fingers in a split second. Its an even greater concern if you work alone and there's no one to call 911 or apply a tourniquet.
Click to expand...

In the 1970s I worked in a shop where much bigger belts were still being run off a central shaft. OSHA didn't like that.

Very serviceable guards were then made from angle iron and perforated steel. As I recall it took a day or two to make about twenty of them.

I have an old SB 9 with the open head stock. Brino made a good point about relocating the countershaft to the rear. That's how my lathe is and it made easy to fabricate a guard over the open pulley on the lathe.
 
I wouldn't change belt position, in the case those bearings are specially made to handle 12 o'clock force by the flat belt. Just fabricate a guard, as stated above.
 
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