Warner & Swasey No. 3

vocatexas

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I've run across one of these locally. It's been sitting outside for several years. The ways have surface rust, but don't appear to be pitted, at least where I can see. The collet lever is missing a couple of parts and the tailstock (I guess that's the correct term on a turret lathe) is laying on the ground next to it. I talked to the owner a few days ago. He had given it to the guy that owns the property where it sits several years ago with the understanding that he was going to use it. The way he put it to me was that if I wanted it and would get it running again and house it, it was mine.

Do you guys think it would be worth it? I've never even seen a turret lathe run except in videos. No really sure what I'd to with it. It does have a six jaw chuck on it, and on the backside of the bed is some small attachment with what look like two small dead centers facing each other with micrometer dials on them. Not sure what that is for.

My phone doesn't do pics and I didn't have a camera with me today, but I could get pics in a couple of days.

Edit: It also has a LARGE Aloris QCTP mounted on it.
 
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I think you would find that it just takes up space; a turret lathe without a lot of tooling is near useless for day to day work; find a decent engine lathe and you will be much happier with it. Personally, I have had several turret lathes, including a #3 and a #4 in my shop, but we did production work on them and they made us money, even if they just took up space most of the time, but in a hobby shop, I'd walk on by.
 
If you have plenty of room I'd try it . It's free but the move. With the six jaw it don't need the collets right away. If you ever get big chunks to cut this has the balls to take almost anything you dish out. There are places to get holders and die heads , two tool post on ten slide are normal large form cutters can be ground and used. As Ben said they can ad do make money with the W&S
 
Well, I figured at least I'd end up with a QCTP for my 16" Lodge and Shipley when I get it up and running. Honestly, with the pending sale of my place, my wife is pushing me to get out of ranching and possibly into machining. Our only machine shop in town is possibly closing in the not too distant future (so the owner says). One machinist that retired from there has told me that he would like to work part time (and train me as well) if I decided to open up a shop to the public. Sooo....I'm thinking that, even though this would initially be a project, this just might not be a bad machine to have around. Plus, the price is right...
 
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