I picked up this antique lathe from an auction recently, and I want to learn to turn on it. I'm aware this is probably not the recommended way to learn to turn. Please excuse me (and by all means, correct me) if I get any terminology wrong.
This is a Chicago Machinery Exchange #2 lathe. It looks an awful lot like the one in their 1919 catalog on vintagemachinery.org.
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It's currently in storage until I can make room for it in my shop (I'm ballparking it at ten feet long, and I'm in a narrow 1930s era 1-car garage), hence why it's disassembled in the pictures.
So, my questions:
It's got pink goop in the greasepots above the bushings. Anyone know what that stuff is? I'm assuming I fill the pots and then close the lid to squeeze the grease into the bushings, but I'm not a machinery guy and haven't worked with this stuff before. Any advice would be very welcome.
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I have no idea what taper (if any, but it looks tapered inside) the headstock has. The original was sold with two faceplates (which I have) and two drives (which I do not have). There's a bevel just inside the spindle. By crude measurement (using a rusty old pair of lathe calipers that came with it), the diameter just past that bevel is about 5/8". Any ideas? I don't know any lathe guys, and that headstock probably weighs 100lbs, so taking it to someone will be difficult. I was thinking, if the spindle is hollow all the way through (I see no light but it might just be clogged with sawdust), I might be able to put plaster in there and then take the plaster to a machine shop to compare with their tapers. This nagging voice in the back of my head is telling me that's a stupid idea, though.
I haven't checked the tailstock. It's a bit hard to get to where it is right now. If it's tapered as well, would it have been common practice at the time for the tapers on the headstock and tailstock to match? Also, this knob on top - locking knob, or something else? I can't reach under it to check if there's a lever on the other side.
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The 1919 catalog suggests the lathe be powered with 1-3HP. The motor on it is 3/4HP. This thing has a pretty decent swing - should I scrounge up a more powerful motor? The guy who used to own this apparently used it as is, but I have no idea what he used it for. Is 3/4HP sufficient? Would it be worth my time to upgrade? I'm not sure what I'll be turning on it yet.
Any significance to the wheel on the back of the headstock? It's got four holes in it. It's not crowned for a belt, and in any case the wooden stepped pulley is original to the lathe. The thing is huge. I'm wondering if was meant to double as a behind-the-head faceplate.
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The long toolrest has a broken leg on it. It's cast iron. I figure it's probably hopeless, but if anyone knows a way I could fix it, let me know. I don't know much about metal.
This lathe appears to have been in working condition when I bought it. I'd like to keep it that way. While I'm not planning on selling it, I'd like to keep it as original as I can, although I'm open to suggestions for useful modifications. Mostly I just want to be able to use it without doing something stupid and destroying a beautiful antique.
Any advice is more than welcome.