[Lee W]

I started looking for a hobby lathe about two weeks ago. Last night I bought a Hendey lathe from around 1920. The price was right and was it delievered to my home this morning.
It is in good shape except it was left outside for one year and not used for who knows how long. I tried to spin the chuck by hand with no luck so I got out a bar, It will move with the bar but thats about it. I hooked up my 8hp snow blower to it (don't ask), also no luck.
Does anyone have any other ideas to get this thing to move? I am thinking if I spin this thing up to temp for a while with lots of oil it will free things up a bit. Thanks for any replies. (Don't forget the price was right.)

 

[Section 8]

I am not competely familure with what you have.

Can you take it apart? Spinning it when it won't spin well could gall the bearings (or bushings?) This would reduce the centering ability of the shaft and accuracuy/concentricity of your finished part. I would try and dissassembe it and clean/lube everything and put it back together. If you can't get it apart, I guess your only option is to continue on your path.

Don't forgt that cold can be just as effecitve as heat (different metals have different coeffecients of expansion, and adding heat may tighten the parts further), you might try putting the stuck end of the lath in a freezer if you can get it into smaller pieces. Or wait a month or two as I see you live in New York, and just leave it outside for a while when it gets cold again, then try different heat and cold combinations.

Good Luck,

Greg

 

[Metal Smith]

Maybe the sucker's locked in back gear? Any locks on it? Gear levers? Maybe best to take it apart. Hope you didn't pay too much fir it.

 

[Lee W]

Thanks for the input, I had not thought of galling... I paid $100 delivered to my door, if it does not work I could get that much or more for the parts.
I also took some of the gears off to rule out other sections of the lathe. It did not help. Taking it apart seems to be the next step
Thanks again.

 

[Lee W]

Well, I took it apart in about two hours. I have never done this before and it was easier that I thought. There was some water around the huge tapered sleeve bearings and the belt drive drum had a good amount of rust where the spindle shaft goes. The bearing on the chuck side is just a giant taper bearing whitch was ok but, the other one seemed locked up. The tapered sleeve is seperate from the spindle and the spindle came out nicely but the sleeve needed some help getting out.
Monday I will finish cleaning and put it back together. I should be making shavings by Tuesday. Thanks again for the input.