Mooney Lathe

[201er]

We flew today to Williamsport to order machinery from Grizzly Industrial (seeing that show room is an experience in itself... it's like Disney world for shop enthusiasts). Anyway, the lathe we were ordering was on sale but only for in store pickup. 120lb box, ballpark 36x18x10. No problem... put it on the backseat and flew home like it was nothing (still climbing 800fpm through 5000ft and well loaded). Love love love my Mooney!

[carusoam]

are you planning on joining the woodwing group?

 

-a-

[jetdriven]

Just dont crash with that lathe in the rear seat.  Bad things happen

[1964-M20E]

Can you use the lathe while the autopiot is on :-))

[fantom]

That lathe will spin faster, stay cooler, and never rust if you coat it with Camguard.

[Hank]

I love my lathe! The last one I bought fit in the Suburban with the back seat removed and the tailgate tied partially open. [A really big box from Delta.] Still have the little one that came home from the store in the back seat of the Honda.

 

Woodturning rocks, and is a great way to get rid of work stress in the winter when flying isn't an option without deicing your FIKI bird and having a turbine power you up through the icy yuck.

 

 

[Marauder]

Those are pretty cool looking. Did you buy it to do something specific?

[Hank]

I bought my lathe to specifically do things as in the photos. It being on sale was a bonus--the mall was closing and Sears didn't want to move heavy stuff to their other stores.

 

Small lathes are very compact, easy to move, don't require lots of shop space initially, and good wood is often available free. Check your neighbors' firewood piles . . . Trim a branch from your own tree . . .

 

They are great fun to play with, even if you only make shavings on the floor. Having something useful is a bonus!

[DonMuncy]

It is a little strange. We get a metal lathe to make things we more or less need. We get wood lathes (generally) to make things for fun.

[N601RX]

I purchased a 40" metal lathe and Bridgeport Mill several years ago.  I just have them as a metal working hobby, but they are invaluable.  I will occasionally I will even turn wood in them!

[FloridaMan]

I bought a metal lathe a few years back. Switched to a 3D printer for most things now. 

[N601RX]

I bought a metal lathe a few years back. Switched to a 3D printer for most things now. 

We have 2 of those at work.  They work very well for quick plastic or rubber parts.

[Hank]

3D printers just don't make durable, functional items. Mills and lathes do. Wood lathes do too, but do it differently--I  never measure anything, the chisels & gouges are all hand held, and it can be therapeutic watching the shavings fly over your shoulder. Pens, boxes, bowls, goblets, etc., can be decorative and/or functional as well. I find it much more relaxing than any metalwork, but then again, I've never worked with sheet metal.

[RJBrown]

Before the owner of An-Rob Grinding retired and sold his equiptment I was able to use his stuff. His lathe dated to WW11 and made gear struts for B-24s when it was new. Making a pinewood derby car with the help of a bridgeport was just fun. I always enjoyed seeing what and how he made stuff. Most of his work was making pieces for Coors bottling equipment from prints.  

[N601RX]

My Bridgeport has a manufacturing date of 1948 cast into it.  All the ways are chromed and it still holds good tolerances.  This old stuff last forever if taken care of.  I also have a cast iron bandsaw that was manufactured in 1908.  It weighs over 2000 lbs.

 

The material used in 3D printers is much better than it was 5 years ago. 

[fantom]

My Bridgeport has a manufacturing date of 1948 cast into it. ......

That would be considered a NEW piece of equipment at the Mooney factory

[KSMooniac]

I'm looking forward to the day when I have my own big hangar full of toys, and I'll be filling it with 1940s machine tools!  I just bought a little benchtop Craftsman drill press that best I can tell is about 1940 vintage.  It needs some restoration, but it is solid and had no runout.  I'm halfway searching for a Crafstman or Atlas lathe (benchtop size) as well to start dabbling in that arena.

 

There is a gigantic, beautiful old Hall and Brown bandsaw for sale here now for $200 with exposed wheels that I'd love to have, but I don't have anywhere to put it unfortunately.  It looks like it weighs 1000 lbs or so.

[Hank]

Delta and Jet make pretty good benchtop lathes. Just get one with a #2 Morse taper on the head and tail stocks.

[KSMooniac]

I'd consider just about any good lathe (for metal!) but I do have an affinity for the really old, heavy American iron.  I don't have a pressing need for one right now, so I'm just keeping my eyes open for any good deals, and if nothing materializes before I need to make chips then I'll get something new, I suppose.   Wichita is a manufacturing town, so there is no shortage of supply around here, but deals get snapped-up quickly!

[N601RX]

Get a Mill. They are much more usefull and most of what can be done on a lathe can also be done in a Mill. I would much perfer an old Bridgeport Mill and Harding Lathe to any of the Overseas stuff that is available new.

[KSMooniac]

I'd love to have a mill, certainly, but don't have the room (or need, not that it matters!) right now.  If I were to get an interim solution that fit in my current space, would you spec a benchtop sized mill or lathe?  I already know I don't want a combo/all-in-one machine.  An old Atlas lathe with a mill attachment is at the top of my wish list due to space and budget constraints right now, but I'm open to persuasion.      If I had the space I'd jump right to a vintage Bridgeport.

[carusoam]

Two bridgeports i've seen occupied half of the home garage. Wife's car stays inside, his car is outdoors.

Dedication...

-a-

[bumper]

Get a Mill. They are much more usefull and most of what can be done on a lathe can also be done in a Mill. I would much perfer an old Bridgeport Mill and Harding Lathe to any of the Overseas stuff that is available new.

Agree re the old stuff being better (assuming they were taken care of). I have both mill and lathe in my hangar . . . gotta say I use the lathe much more often. Being a hobby machinist, perhaps I lack the expertise, but I have no clue how the stuff made on a lathe could be easily done on the mill. To me it's like saw and hammer, different tools, with only a little overlap in their capabilities. I use and value them both for sure, but it I could have only one, it would be the lathe.

[N601RX]

Agree re the old stuff being better (assuming they were taken care of). I have both mill and lathe in my hangar . . . gotta say I use the lathe much more often. Being a hobby machinist, perhaps I lack the expertise, but I have no clue how the stuff made on a lathe could be easily done on the mill. To me it's like saw and hammer, different tools, with only a little overlap in their capabilities. I use and value them both for sure, but it I could have only one, it would be the lathe.

For small stuff such such as a gear bushing just put the piece of brass in the vice pointed upward. You can then use a adjustable boring bar head to machine the ID and OD. You could also just put the piece of brass in the Collet and the just put your favorite lathe cutter in the vice. For large stuff use your rotary table. The only thing that can't be done is long stuff such as a drive shaft or something.

[bumper]

For small stuff such such as a gear bushing just put the piece of brass in the vice pointed upward. You can then use a adjustable boring bar head to machine the ID and OD. You could also just put the piece of brass in the Collet and the just put your favorite lathe cutter in the vice. For large stuff use your rotary table. The only thing that can't be done is long stuff such as a drive shaft or something.

 

Include in the "long stuff", threading barrels to accept a suppressor if you don't live in sunny CA!

 

Okay, I'm with you. 'Course one would need to stop and start for each adjustment of the boring bar - guess I'm spoiled by having a DRO on the lathe. No good way to use a parting tool to cut off excess when done.  Each set up would be more tedious I'd think, but doable. Sort of like driving nails with a rock..  Think I'd still keep the lathe if I could only have one machine - maybe add a milling attachment too?