# Vintage lathe capabilities & Safety



## drors01 (Jul 8, 2014)

Hello,

This is my first post in the forums section. I like the good energies you have here.

I am restoring an old 9" 1939 craftsman lathe 101.06242 which was made for several brands by power king.
In the image is the lathe the day I got it.









It is a deep restoration in all aspects - from mechanical to cosmetics. From all paint removal and rust cleaning to bare metal on the cosmetics side and then The spindle was machined and re-faced to perfectly fit to size with a new set of oilite bushings. Also a press pin was prepared to press the bushings to while preserving the correct inner diameter. All parts taken apart and each bit is being restored.

When the restoration will completed the lathe will be fitting it with a modern chuck. 
I will be fitted with riser blocks to get it to 12-13" swing to make plates.
It is being worked to be better than new 

My problem?
The lathe has a 3/4 16 tpi spindle and a #1 morse taper. 
These features are nice to have the combination reduces the overall strength of the spindle.

While working on it a thought came up about safety. Maybe back then they didn't use heavy chucks for wood which meant the load was usually balanced between the centers when turning wood. With current chucks it is possible to get the lathe into an unsafe load that might cause the spindle to break.

Am I thinking too much :-( Does any one here use an old lathe with #1 MT and a chuck ?

Any ideas on my concern?

thanks


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## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

I would not waste time adding riser blocks on an MT-1 lathe. There are several 4- jaw scroll chucks that will fit that lathe. Strongly recommend not buying a 3-jaw chuck for woodturning.

This Nova chuck just an example.

http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=packard&Category_Code=chuck-fourjaw-nova-ng3

http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=packard&Product_Code=113100C&Category_Code=chuck-fourjaw-nova-ng3


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## REO (Sep 20, 2012)

your plain bearings wont last long at high speeds and thrust loads. occasional turning ok I spose. they certainly wont hold up to large diameter increased weight and loads. make a new headstock out of a piece of square tube and piloted flange bearings and a spindle that will accept a #2 MT.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> With current chucks it is possible to get the lathe into an unsafe load that might cause the spindle to break.
> 
> Am I thinking too much :-( Does any one here use an old lathe with #1 MT and a chuck ?
> 
> - Dror


I have a '58 Craftsman, 1MT, 3/4-16, that I use all the time with a Nova midi chuck. People use 5/8 round bar on on flip top tool carts all the time and they hold up to a couple hundred pounds, I don't think you are going to break a 3/4 arbor with any piece of wood you can fit on it even with risers.


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## bj383ss (Dec 8, 2011)

I have a same era lathe. I have been using it for the past 3 years with no problems. I have a knock off Vic Marc chuck. My Oilite bearings have a little wear in them but no enough to warrant a rebuild yet.

I never run mine on the top speed though. Mostly on the middle slot of the pulley. Mine has a 1/2 hp Dayton motor.
Mine came with a cross slide as well that I use a lot. I would like to get a new style tool post to mount on it.

Mine belonged to my grandpa. He bought it in the early 70's.


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## drors01 (Jul 8, 2014)

Thank you guys for your replies,

bj383ss, 
Did you try turning soft metal with it?
When you fit the chuck screwing it in how do you prevent it from hitting the headstock?
apart from belt noise, is it considered quiet?

I will update you on the new bushing setup when completed.

Thanks


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## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

If not mistaken can do outboard turning but need left hand threaded faceplate or threaded insert for a chuck. So why add riser blocks, easier to turn outboard.

I did not link Nova Mini or PSI chucks because need a spindle adapter. Obviously want to watch weight of the chuck Nova G-3 comes in 3 ½ LBS vice 3 ¼ LBS for Nova Mini. With threaded insert only 2 ½" wide or deep, did not know width of mini with 1" x 8 TPI & ¾" x 16 TPI spindle adapter. Nova sells both right/left hand thread adapter so whether want to turn inboard or outboard no problem.

That Grizzly chuck (VMARC knock off) another option. Like that cross slide sled for cutting internal/external threads in wood.

Normally would prefer a tommy bar chuck on a lathe with bronze bearings & distance between centers due weight & width of the chuck. Just do not like spindle adapters.

You can do a lot of damage to wood with 9" swing lathe even subtracting height of the tool rest base. While not keen on outboard turning it is an option.

These lathes in perfect condition not worth much, so why waste time & money adding riser blocks, when can be turning once re-assembled?

Good luck with it!


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## drors01 (Jul 8, 2014)

I will have a left hand threded face plate for times I want to do such turinig but outboard turning looks inconvenient and needs a tool rest / banjo setup.

Regarding risers,
I am going to turn plates, so it has to be bigger than 9" and at the same time it is not a heavy log I am putting. The risers are simple and easy to make from hard wood.

Regarding worth, well it is a matter of liking the older tools. 
I think it is going to be able to do more than what I want so why not.

I already ordered the oneway Talon chuck.


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## bj383ss (Dec 8, 2011)

It runs very quiet in fact most of the noise mine makes is the motor vibrating the workbench. As far as the chuck the adapter it came with bottoms out on the threads before it hits the headstock. It has a good 1/4" of space. It is a Grizzly as mentioned above. I never worried about he weight of the chuck. This old vintage stuff is built so well didn't cross my mind. Where did you buy the bushings from.

As far as stock I make scale models so I make a lot of wheels and tires and various size dowels. So I never turn anything over 4" I have not turned any metal but I'm sure it would be no problem. On a 12" piece of dowel I have a tolerance of about .002 - .003. Not to bad.

I would be interested in pictures of how you took the headstock apart.

Bret


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## drors01 (Jul 8, 2014)

Bushings came from ebay but you have oilite.com and others.
It must be sintered bronze.

you buy them according to the outer diameter of the cast iron and to the diameter of the lathe spindle.
I had it into a lathe to face off any inaccuracy in the bushing area that was too bad.
The bushings after pressing will have a smaller inner diameter that will prevent the spindle from turning freely.
so a pin should be inserted to prevent the inner diameter from getting too small. the pin and how to make it is shown here: 
http://copper-casting-alloys.brass-copper-fittings.com/oil_impregnated_bronze_bearings.htm

I took a small 1.5×2" stock and drill a 20mm in it not all the way to the other side. 
got an allen screw in and a big headed nut very close to the size of the bushing outer diameter.










then I used it to pull the bushing indo the 20mm drilled stock.

here it is pulled 15 mm and I took the screw out to take a picture









Each 10mm pulled I had to add a spacer drilled 20 mm so the bushing doesn't get to the opposite side of the stock.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I experimented with different ways of mounting the motor behind the lathe but never could eliminate vibration. Moving the motor below the the lathe did the trick, nice and smooth.


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