Lathe at crown assets Ottawa
- Thread starter gaff
- Start date
Two of them....
https:// www. gcsurplus.ca/mn-eng.cfm?snc=wfsav&sc=enc-bid&scn=145098&lcn=290303&lct=L&srchtype=&so=ASC&sf=ferm-clos&lci=&str=1<nf=1
https:// www. gcsurplus.ca/mn-eng.cfm?snc=wfsav&sc=enc-bid&scn=145212&lcn=290413&lct=L&srchtype=&lci=&str=1<nf=1&frmsr=1&sf=ferm-clos
https:// www. gcsurplus.ca/mn-eng.cfm?snc=wfsav&sc=enc-bid&scn=145098&lcn=290303&lct=L&srchtype=&so=ASC&sf=ferm-clos&lci=&str=1<nf=1
https:// www. gcsurplus.ca/mn-eng.cfm?snc=wfsav&sc=enc-bid&scn=145212&lcn=290413&lct=L&srchtype=&lci=&str=1<nf=1&frmsr=1&sf=ferm-clos
The LeBlonde has no accessories. Tooling including chucks would not be cheap.
600v 3 phase could be a problem.
There are phase convertors; a step up transformer would be needed as well, if only 220 single were available.
The first lathe has starting problems. Might be just as easy to remotor and reswitch the thing to 220v single.
No tooling vs defective.
Either could be a dandy gunsmithing lathe.
And moving either would be an adventure.
600v 3 phase could be a problem.
There are phase convertors; a step up transformer would be needed as well, if only 220 single were available.
The first lathe has starting problems. Might be just as easy to remotor and reswitch the thing to 220v single.
No tooling vs defective.
Either could be a dandy gunsmithing lathe.
And moving either would be an adventure.
achtanelion
Regular
- Location
- Edmonchuck
The LeBlond has a long taper spindle (L-00 or L-0). Tooling for it will be hard to find as well as expensive.
Blastattack
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Winnipeg MB
Le blondes are also notoriously finicky, if I remember correctly. Something to do with the electronics that power their servo-shift, variable speed spindles. Granted, I'm on the phone right now, and might not be referring to either lathe offered.
That cromwell is very interesting, the tinkering fun on that would be something else. Its definately in the Hardinge class of very precise tool room lathes, it was a top shelf machine in its day.
The OEM electronics look to be a nightmare though http:// www .lathes.co.uk/cromwell/index.html
Motor turns a generator which in turn drives another motor for variable speed, if a man gutted it and put in a variable speed DC he'd bypass all that trouble that they had deal with in the dark ages. But he'd loose alot of the charm this machine has.
Wish that machine was closer to me Id buy her for sure and try to keep it as original as possible. Its alot of old technology packed into a machine that doesn't have any more capacity then my little myford, but it's georgous.
The OEM electronics look to be a nightmare though http:// www .lathes.co.uk/cromwell/index.html
Motor turns a generator which in turn drives another motor for variable speed, if a man gutted it and put in a variable speed DC he'd bypass all that trouble that they had deal with in the dark ages. But he'd loose alot of the charm this machine has.
Wish that machine was closer to me Id buy her for sure and try to keep it as original as possible. Its alot of old technology packed into a machine that doesn't have any more capacity then my little myford, but it's georgous.
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Don't be afraid of 600V, I have been running it for years in my 1P240V shop. Use a rotary phase converter and a step up transformer or a variable phase controller depending on what you need. I have run the same machines on a rotary etc and 600V from the wall and I could not tell the difference when they ran.
The LeBlond is big, heavy, and bare, but that would have been a great buy for a guy that already had one with some spare tooling.
The Cromwell looked like a really nice catch, for a home shop guy, parts availability aside. IIRC they both came out of research facilities, so they should have been in pretty good shape.
Sadness is, that a lot of really good tools have been sent downrange by ignorant folk in the position to write them off in favor of something 'new', which generally ends up being a crappy Chinese machine tool.
My experiences in the military, unfortunately, were a rinse and repeat of that particular cycle.
Cheers
Trev
