Congrats Boats, nice lathe. Since you bought it from someone that works with this kind of machinery regularly, maybe ask him how he moves it or who he uses. He probably has all the gear to move it, and might know the lift points better than the wrecker driver.

Here are pictures of the outboard cathead I made for mine. When I bought my lathe it had sat for years and the spindle bearings were dry and noisy. I had to replace the bearings so I had the spindle out of the lathe. It was an easy job to make a new preload nut at that time. I use 3/8-24 set screws with brass tips to adjust center. I have short screws for large diameter barrels and long screws for small diameter barrels. I placed the screw holes in line with the jaws on the 4 jaw chuck. I had to bore the hole in the cover elongated to be able to open it over the extension.

I still have the original nut. If you would like to borrow it to help you make an extended one I would send it to you.

That's perfect Deadeye. Design is like the one on my Atlas just a better fit. Like you I replaced the  Hex head screws with Allen head set screws that run down to flush, Have two sets can go to longer ones when running small dia stock. Made a lot of cleaning rods on the Atlas.  Steel and Delrin both. 

Be a little while before I am ready to make one up, will take you up on the offer when I do. We don't live all that far apart considering I shoot up in the Valley fairly often.  Shotguns 8/6 at Shenendale Club next. 

Boats

I'm a little surprised non of you guys mentioned a LeBlond lathe.  I have a 15x54 LaBlond I acquired some time ago and plan to fully restore it to close to new as possible.  It's a model 15C5 (5 HP) and came with a brand new rotory phase converter system (7.5 HP motor & separate control box).  The guy I bought it from got it from Tracor Aerospace in Austin where it was shipped from the factory on 3/10/1969.  He had it stored in his garage, bought the phase converter but never used the lathe and never installed the phase converter.  It reportedly was used to machine aluminum parts for aircraft.  It came with a bunch of stuff including: 2 Aloris tool posts & 4 Aloris holders, 3-jaw 8" Buck chuck, 4-jaw 10" Cushman chuck, taper attachment, Hardinge Sjogen speed collet chuck for 5c collets, drawtube type lever action collet closer for 5C collets & various tools.  Everything for $900.

I need to clean it up and repaint it.  The wife says I can't keep it in the garage so plan to build a workshop for it & other equipment.

Once I get the lathe up & running, next on the list is a good mill.  Until then I have a Palmgen 400 lathe milling attachment.

Wayne

texasmac wrote on Sep 3^rd, 2017 at 1:51am:


Sounds like a heck of a good deal you got! That's a big boy lathe though!

Terry

Bigger is almost always better if you have the space. The heavier the machine the less torque and vibration. 
Lee

Larger lathes are almost always easier to use, just because of the extra size and mass. handles and dials are much nicer and more usefull. 

But, they are more expensive, harder to move and most have head stocks that are to long for barrel work, w/o using a steady rest on the bed. I only do barrel work (other than polishing) in the lathe spindle, indicated at both ends of the headstock.

A good 17" lathe will cost $3000 - 4000. Good 14 - 15" lathes $2000 - 3000. You can go a lot higher than that, depending on the make, condition and tooling.

Most people starting out, doing their own barrel work, don't want to invest that much. The 11" Logans will do any gunsmithing work for $600 - 1000, bought on Craigs list or even dealers. The ability to use 5C collets, gives them a big advantage over many small lathes.

I bought mine used, in 1976 and it continues to do it's job, 41 years later. Mine also has a bed turret, that also helps it's usefulness. You can add all kinds of things to them.

There are better (usually much more expensive) lathes in the 14" range and under but, none cheaper and more reliable.

Frank

One Lathe that I got and has proved to be a good investment is a older Wood Lathe.  Put a small 3 Jaw Chuck on it and now I can sand and polish parts without worrying about grit getting on my good lathe.  Handy for polishing barrels also!