Machinists, learn me a bit

The plot thickens: There's another interested party in the mix, but I think I can beat him there by half an hour lol.

Will also need to figure out a way to transport it.. it's around 1100lb and they don't have a crane. They're willing to hold it for a while if I do buy it and am unable to move it today, at least.

 

This is the part that I chuckle about.....Now you need an engine hoist......Slippery slope (welcome to the party lol)

 

How should I evaluate wear on the ways (and is the saddle the same thing)? I'm picturing look/feel for smoothness and no pits/dings/undulations etc. Move the carriage across the entire range and make sure it travels easily and feels solid the whole time? I don't have any tools to evaluate flatness or straightness.

 

You should be able to move that without a hoist.

 

Dismantle what you can ad take what is loose. This leaves them no choice but to let you take the rest. Then come back with a low deck utility trailer and just dolly that bad boy into the trailer. I might have a utility trailer and dolly to use, just let me know.

 

No metric capability. I'm kinda thinking the rest of it makes up for that though... It'd also be a very neat project to try and convert it.

Ways seem clear and smooth. Head spins easily, motor is quiet, clutch engages smoothly. Each control has about .015-.020 of slack when changing directions. Owner is an old WW2-era Navy machinist who's moving to be closer to his son and is clearing out the machine shop.

 

Sounds like a good machine, and a chance to get a whole bunch more stuff and some good conversations.

 

I had a Clausing just like this, everything looked good till I started turning stuff on it. It apparently was in a production shop and only operated in a 3 or 4 inch area of the ways all day, you couldn't see the wear. Either ask to do a test cut on it or take a dial indicator on a mag base, set the mag base on the carriage and the indicator on the ways and run it back and forth. There are a lot of worn out machines out there. The speed control on these things can be a pain.

 

Too late!! Almost home with it now. Very excited Guy who had it didn't use it often butbut clea knew what he was doing with it and described taking meticulous care of it (in that grandfatherly way of trying to inform you of how you should continue to take care of it). Things like wiping down the ways after each use and then re-oiling them and running the carriage the full length a couple times... Probably excessive but as much about the ritual as the actual use.

Now I've gotta figure out where in my garage I wanna put this thing cuz once I set it down and return the hoist, it deeeeeefinitely ain't moving

 

I cannot wait for my shop to get built. I already have about $10k socked away for metal machining stuff. Ideally I want a small CNC machine but we shall see.

 

Not excessive. Rust is the enemy.

 

Ironically enough, I will have some spacers to spin in a few weeks. If I don't get my motor in time (still need to order it) I will be contacting you. Good job!

 

Hah! Awesome lol. Hopefully I'll have run power to it by then - I don't think the garage has 220 to it but that's one of the things I'm gonna find out today