I followed your advice!

[Mike Cruz]

Thanks everyone. I thought you'd like the choice.

Thomas, I have a local fellow Creeker that has already been extremely helpful with info about VFD's and has offered whatever help I need. I sure love this place. Don't know what I'd do without you...

I have been to OWWM.com already. Did a lot of research there before going to look at this lathe. Oh, and I have a 20 year old DJ-20...does that count as vintage yet?

I don't know if you could tell from the pics, but there is body rust with peeling paint that needs to be addressed. Also, there is rust on the ways and other parts. I kinda think it all needs attention asap, but agree that I should get it up and running with a VFD first to make sure that all the moving parts are working correctly. Then I'll tackle the paint.

As for a manual, I'm going to contact Powermatic Monday to see if they have a manual to send me, and also to find out as much of the history as I can about this particular machine through its serial number. If they don't have the manual, I've already been sent a link via PM for a manual. The serial number starts with 81, so I think it was built in 1981.

Other than the VFD, the only real mod I want to make to this machine to make it EXACTLY what I want is maybe a 2" riser on the head and tailstocks, if it is possible. Well, of course it is possible, but I mean, if there isn't any real reason not to...like danger!

[Roger Chandler]

Restoring that one will be a labor of love, but you have a great machine there, and you will be able to do much with it in upcoming weeks & years for that matter.

Great find Mike!

[Baxter Smith]

Great choice for the money. Hopefully the repairs will only be cosmetic. Good luck with it!

[Dan Hintz]

The body as a whole could stand a good sand-blasting or flap-wheeling to get rid of the loose paint/rust, but it's essentially superficial... some well-controlled rattle can paint will improve it's looks to like-new status without minimal trouble. Other than very light surface rust, the bed was in like-new condition... I couldn't see a single ding or gouge in it. Those students were pretty kind to the machine.

I suggested a Hitachi VFD for something in the $300 range, but I also tend to have expensive taste... and I'm easily enamored with blinking lights. It was a fine purchase, no doubt about it. If that other guy had not shown up and bid, this could have been had for $50... most of those machines started at a reasonable bid ($300 for this one), but always dropped like a rock at first, and this machine was no exception. Funny how the opening bid request was $300, dropped to $50 before someone nodded, then stopped at the initial request amount.

[Mike Spanbauer]

I owned a PM90, acquired by Auction before moving to my current lathe. They are fine machines. I rebuilt my entire unit - so I could likely give you some insights if you're looking for details.

My personal recommendation is to get a VFD from factorymation.com (the FM50 is perfect for your 1hp motor) and get the potentiometer too - total is about $150. Another $30 for a nice electrical box from HD and a bit of wire and you're up and running.

The lathe was the poster child for QUALITY reeves drives and is arguably one of the most stout lathes ever built in the 12" class. (you can do the compares and look into this more, but the guys over at OWWM have dug DEEP and the spindle is unmatched in a 12" lathe). This was why commercial shops chose this lathe over any other for 3 x 8hr shifts x 7 days a week and they ran for years and years and years. The headstock bearings are monsters, but easy to replace if you need to. Lynn @ accurate can help you there.

Congrats - certainly a gloatworthy price especially in that condition. A 45 for that price is okay, a 90 at that price is a steal!

$.50 /lb @ the 600lb dry weight

Mike

[Dan Hintz]

600lb dry weight

Well, that explains why we needed the tractor

[Rob Cunningham]

Congrats Mike, it looks like you got a good deal. The ways should clean up with some WD-40 and Scotch-Brite.

[Mike Cruz]

Thanks all, yet again for your nice comments.

Mike, that info sounds like good. I'll look into it. Also, I'm considering a riser blocks to give it 16" over the bed. I called PM today, and they actually had a company in Atlanta that made them for PM...that was basically the PM 91. Anyone have any info on how to score a set of these? I'm sure I could pay a bundle to have someone manufacture them for me. But, I sure wouldn't mind a factory set... Of course, I ought to ask if there is anyone fairly nearby that could make them...anyone, anyone, Beuler, Beuler...?

[Dan Hintz]

Mike,

If you can't get the actual risers, see if they'll give you the drawings... might make a good project for the Stinger

[Greg Ketell]

Since you are planning to get risers to increase the capacity and you are planning on getting a VFD it might be a good idea to get a VFD that can handle a bigger motor too. Then if/when you decide to upgrade the 1HP to a 1.5 or 2 you don't have to replace your VFD again.

Just a thought (that you probably already thought)

[Tony De Masi]

Nice catch there Mike. I'm glad you didn't have to wait too long to find something more stout than your Delta. Not sure you could have taken too long a wait

[Mike Cruz]

Ahhhh, Tony, you know me too well....

Greg, yeah, I'm going through that process right now. I've got to find a VFD phase converter that can handle up to a 2hp motor but won't break the bank. Honestly, I don't know if I'll ever do the lift, but would love to. But, yeah, if I'm planning on the lift, I should plan for the motor upgrade, too. I had thought about it already, but thanks for thinking I hadn't. Common sense doesn't occur as commonly as it should...

Dan, when I called the guy about the risers, he seemed, well, annoyed that he still gets these straggler calls for these risers, but not enough of them to make it worth his time to make them. I doubt another call from me would please him too much. Good idea, though... When I asked him if he had any pics of the risers, he said they all got discarded when they stopped making the risers.

Now, if I could just find someone willing to sell theirs...

[Dan Hintz]

The FM50 from FactoryMation suggested by Mike looked like it was good for up to 3HP, and it was a mere $99. I think that fits your desired budget.

[Mike Cruz]

Which one did you look at? The fm50 I was looking at was is a 2 hp for $145...

[Dan Hintz]

Yeah, the pricing listed on their website is somewhat misleading... sorry about that. Still, those are decent prices for what you get.