Lathe advice

[Shawn]

I have the opportunity to pick up a Ward Turret lathe with a lot of tooling at a good price. Anyone have any comments, insight etc on this machine. I think I can make room in the shop and it running on a 5hp single phase 220 motor so hooking it up will be easy. According to the owner is is in good shape and fully functional.





Shawn

[awemawson]

They have a reputation for being a good solid machine that stands up to decades of production work. I'm sure that you appreciate that it's a repetition / production machine, not to say it can't be used for one offs.

Andrew

[tekfab]

Good ole machines, had one years ago. If you think about it logically production runs are just multiple "one offs" its just easier to do multiples on a capstan lathe thats all and if your scoring a load of tooling then you shouldnt be stuck !
Mike

[TomG]

The amount of tooling that comes with it is key. You won't want to have to buy anything for it because it will be hard to find and expensive. I'd buy one in a heartbeat if it was well equipped.

Tom

[Hawkeye]

Shawn, with all the great machines you've picked up in the last year, I'm guessing you're not using the shop area with the wood floor. That lathe is a brute, for sure.

[TomG]

Wood makes the best shop floors there is. The shop floor in the college I attended and several shops that I've worked in had end cut oak floors. It was durable and really comfortable to stand on. Maybe some day I'll have one in mine.

Tom

[Hawkeye]

Yeah, Tom. But you're talking about wood over concrete. Shawn's new place, IIRC, had the originally intended shop area with a wood-framed floor. At that time, he was careful of the weight of the machines. Lots more tonnage since then.

[awemawson]

All my recent workshops that had concrete floors I've lined with 18mm OSB (oriented strand board) directly screwed down and 'floor painted'. It makes a very durable floor that is kind to your feet and kind to the occasional dropped tool. Also easily swept.

Andrew

[Shawn]

I am still in the old new house Mike, the ex had a change of heart and she moved out not me : ) I have concrete floors so no limits, unless it won't fit through the garage doors. I didn't get the lathe which is fine, someone else got a great deal and I don't have to move it. At some point I really need to stop buying machines. I just bought a great three speed vertical bandsaw, the price was too good to pass up. I have two now though? The new one is a much nicer machine though!

Shawn

[stevec]

Shawn, I, for one, am ticked off. I was looking forward to experiencing your turret lathe with you.