Good morning!!!!

[repete]

In the past 60 days we have had. .52" of rain. Far too dry and no rain in sight. Cool today at 80 but back up to 97 by Tuesday with no precipitation in the two week forecast.

 

[lostcreekranch]

67 going to 87 maybe rain, which has been teasing the last two days - storms dancing all around us. We'd actually like a good rain now.

LS, that's a lot of hail...glad you got some rain, and nice gourds.

Took Rick and Newbury's advice and bought an 18" hose to put on my grease gun = $6. Loosened the coupler on it a bit and then lubed the old mower and then a couple of zerks on the new ZTR and I now know what I've been missing...much easier not having to worry as much about the angle that the zerk is pointing.

There was still one zerk on the ZTR pto shaft that I could reach, but the opening on the U joint was too narrow for the coupler head to fit through. This hose has a bigger diameter coupler that the original. So I slipped the pto shaft off and the U joint opened with plenty of room. Now I also have discovered how easy removing and recoupling the pto shaft is - easiest one I have - in case I need to remove the mower deck.

Changed the oil in the old mower then mowed with the new one. Was trying to get a lot done before the 2 or 3 days of rain predicted.

We can tell late summer is here...goldenrods are blooming, garden spiders are growing larger and spinning their webs in the same places each year, and the praying mantis are large and hunting in the flowers and shrubs.

Woke up at 2:30am, didn't see any Perseids, so went back to bed. I cheated and just looked out the windows rather than going outside, though. I think tonight is peak, but may be cloudy.

Did you get a Lock n Lube yet?

 

[sodamo]

69°F and .22 inches rain.

Have to replace the wife’s clothes line today, line broke yesterday. Somewhat anticipated event as it brought a couple months ago and I fixed by adjusting the line. I also bought new line, pulleys, and hardware in anticipation of today.

Yesterday’s AARP putting was quite interest, guided tour of Liliuokalani Park and Gardens Liliuokalani Park and Gardens - Wikipedia
Docent was very knowledgable.

Do some pizzas on the grill later, visit with our Cottage tenants who just returned from their mainland trip.

Prayers for all
Be safe
Have a great day

 

[RedNeckGeek]

How often to you have to clean your feeder(s)? Any mold issues?

I've seen both black and brownish red mold form in the milk bottles, but not the feeders. I fill them with water and a cap full of bleach and let them sit overnight. The mold's gone in the morning. After three or four weeks, though, the feeders get a little slippery inside. It's very easy to take them apart, even the bottom red part that the birds dip their bills into, and hit them with a soapy bottle brush. Takes just a minute and they come out good as new.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Kyle, found a clausing 12 x 36 about 2 1/2 hr away. Don't know how to link it but it is on Richmond Va Craigs List. It is located in Boydton Va. Any advice will be welcome. As close as I can tell it is a model 5914. Thanks Ed

 

[RedNeckGeek]

I'm not Kyle, and I didn't spend last night in a Holliday Inn Express, and I don't know much about the Clausing brand. Are they still in business, and can parts be purchased for this lathe? That's the number one question I ask about any potential Craig's List purchase. If the answer is NO, I keep looking.

12x36 is a good size, but it would be better if it had a removable gap in the bed to increase the swing. Can't tell looking at the picture, and there's no model number published, so it's hard to tell for sure.

Find out how the single phase conversion was made. How big is the motor, horsepower wise. Should be at least 2 HP on a machine that size.

Find out how the speed is changed. Is it through gearing, or is it a Variable Frequency Drive? It should have variable gearing regardless so you can cut threads, but a VFD is a convenient extra. If it's a gear change lathe, find out if they are changed by moving levers, or if you have to swap the individual gears in and out manually. If the latter, it's a messy and time consuming job.

It comes with a modern toolpost, which will be much more rigid than the old lantern types. Find out how many tool holders it comes with. You'll need at least three to take advantage of the quick change aspect of that post, and six would be better. They're not cheap if you have to buy them, so try to get them with the lathe. Cutter wise, replaceable inserts are inexpensive and last a long time. You'll need left and right cutters, a thread cutter, and a parting tool as a minimum. Bonus points for a boring bar holder and a knurling tool.

Does it come with a drill chuck for the tail stock? Again, expensive if you have to buy one. Extra points if it's keyless.

If you do go look at it, try to shake the chuck back and forth looking for runout on the spindle. If you have a dial indicator with a magnetic base, take it with you and measure the runout for yourself. You shouldn't feel ANY, and what you measure should be no more than 0.001".

Also test how much backlash is in the cross feed and compound. The less the better.

Does it have Digital Read Outs on the X and Y axis? It should at that price. You can deal with a lot of slop in the backlash with DROs, but with dials it's a PITA. Excessive backlash also compromises stiffness, and that means you have to take lighter cuts to avoid chatter.

Nice accessories are a milling attachment and a taper attachment. Ask about those.

I'd start by sending the seller an email to get the model number of the lathe, then do some research to find out how well they are supported. If the answers come back good, call and talk to them about the above questions. It could be you're dealing with an estate sale, and the seller won't know much about the machine. But if you end up talking to an old guy that's shutting down his shop, you might have just hit a gold mine of information and other goodies he's trying to get rid of. Try to get as many accessories and bar stock as you can; enough and it could be worth the asking price.

$.02, and good luck!

 

[ronjhall]

That lathe looks a lot like my Craftsman/Atlas. But newer. I was able to get parts for mine that is over 60 years from Clausing.

 

[wngsprd]

Did you get a Lock n Lube yet?

Nope. Thought I'd see how just a flexible hose would work.

 

[wngsprd]

I'm not Kyle, and I didn't spend last night in a Holliday Inn Express, and I don't know much about the Clausing brand. Are they still in business, and can parts be purchased for this lathe? That's the number one question I ask about any potential Craig's List purchase. If the answer is NO, I keep looking.

12x36 is a good size, but it would be better if it had a removable gap in the bed to increase the swing. Can't tell looking at the picture, and there's no model number published, so it's hard to tell for sure.

Find out how the single phase conversion was made. How big is the motor, horsepower wise. Should be at least 2 HP on a machine that size.

Find out how the speed is changed. Is it through gearing, or is it a Variable Frequency Drive? It should have variable gearing regardless so you can cut threads, but a VFD is a convenient extra. If it's a gear change lathe, find out if they are changed by moving levers, or if you have to swap the individual gears in and out manually. If the latter, it's a messy and time consuming job.

It comes with a modern toolpost, which will be much more rigid than the old lantern types. Find out how many tool holders it comes with. You'll need at least three to take advantage of the quick change aspect of that post, and six would be better. They're not cheap if you have to buy them, so try to get them with the lathe. Cutter wise, replaceable inserts are inexpensive and last a long time. You'll need left and right cutters, a thread cutter, and a parting tool as a minimum. Bonus points for a boring bar holder and a knurling tool.

Does it come with a drill chuck for the tail stock? Again, expensive if you have to buy one. Extra points if it's keyless.

If you do go look at it, try to shake the chuck back and forth looking for runout on the spindle. If you have a dial indicator with a magnetic base, take it with you and measure the runout for yourself. You shouldn't feel ANY, and what you measure should be no more than 0.001".

Also test how much backlash is in the cross feed and compound. The less the better.

Does it have Digital Read Outs on the X and Y axis? It should at that price. You can deal with a lot of slop in the backlash with DROs, but with dials it's a PITA. Excessive backlash also compromises stiffness, and that means you have to take lighter cuts to avoid chatter.

Nice accessories are a milling attachment and a taper attachment. Ask about those.

I'd start by sending the seller an email to get the model number of the lathe, then do some research to find out how well they are supported. If the answers come back good, call and talk to them about the above questions. It could be you're dealing with an estate sale, and the seller won't know much about the machine. But if you end up talking to an old guy that's shutting down his shop, you might have just hit a gold mine of information and other goodies he's trying to get rid of. Try to get as many accessories and bar stock as you can; enough and it could be worth the asking price.

$.02, and good luck!

I don't know anything about them, but that's some good info...I learned a good bit.

 

[ronjhall]

METAL LATHE - tools - by owner - sale
Metal Lathe
Metal Lathe - tools - by owner - sale
Here are links to the lathe Ed posted and one in my area.
Just looking at the 2. The one in Richmond may be over priced.

 

[sodamo]

I don't know anything about them, but that's some good info...I learned a good bit.

I just learned more in his post than I ever knew about a metal lathe. Thank you

 

[Ed of all trades]

Thanks RNG, Good info. The guy is a retired gunsmith and is letting everything he has go with it. It has a VFD and a pulley with sides that move in and out to adjust the spindle speed. There is a gear box to adjust carriage and cross slide feeds. Yes the price is high but not for this area. Here a junk lathe the same size that looks like it was in most of the battles of WW2 for $1500. In talking to the guy the only thing I think I might need to buy is a face plate. If you see anything else I need to think about please let me know. Ed

 

[txdon]

Well ed it's not overprice for the one in our area craig's list.
13X4 STANDARD MODERN METAL LATHE - tools - by owner - sale

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Kyle, found a clausing 12 x 36 about 2 1/2 hr away. Don't know how to link it but it is on Richmond Va Craigs List. It is located in Boydton Va. Any advice will be welcome. As close as I can tell it is a model 5914. Thanks Ed

It looks a bit over priced to me, depending on tooling. He didn't show any pictures other than the one. RNG summed it up well. Look for major wear on the ways just under where a part would be sticking out of the chuck. Grip the tool post tightly and give it a manly tug in both axes.

Being patient and buying tooling on ebay is the cheapest way to get tooled up.

Clausing is a great brand name. I like their Colchester versions. It looks like a good size and fit. When you are testing any lathe, run the all the gears, make sure the threading gears work. Parts is another story. Unless you buy late model Taiwan style lathes, it is a crap shoot on most older models. If a lathe is ran properly and not crashed, it is a rare day to need parts. I would say the electrics/switches would be the parts you might need.

 

[Ed of all trades]

View attachment 566485
It looks a bit over priced to me, depending on tooling. He didn't show any pictures other than the one. RNG summed it up well. Look for major wear on the ways just under where a part would be sticking out of the chuck. Grip the tool post tightly and give it a manly tug in both axes.

Being patient and buying tooling on ebay is the cheapest way to get tooled up.

Clausing is a great brand name. I like their It looks like a good size and fit. When you are testing any lathe, run the all the gears, make sure the threading gears work. Parts is another story. Unless you buy late model Taiwan style lathes, it is a crap shoot on most older models. If a lathe is ran properly and not crashed, it is a rare day to need parts. I would say the electrics/switches would be the parts you might need.

Thanks guys, planning to ride down and take a look Tuesday morning early. Be there by 8 am and home by 12am. I hope. Ed

 

[sodamo]

While not a major project, a satisfying one to get done.
Upgrade to 1/4” vinyl coated SS cable and all SS hardware except the plastic pulleys. Should last at least my lifetime. The 1/8” vinyl coated non SS cable lasted 11 years.

 

[mostly_gas]

Good evening all. 72F for the start .5 inch in the rain gauge, cloudy sky, light wind. Wind came up this morning, forecast rain was a no-show and high temp was 90F. Tomorrow has 1 in rain forecast, hope it happens, way behind Bird on rain this week. Chapel this morning, wife had homemade breakfast crumcake after chapel. Nap this afternoon and that's it.
Prayers for all

 

[RoyJackson]

2018-08-13, 0319

66 right now...high about 80. Looks like another week of rain ahead of us...

 

[Eric Salop]

Good morning. All uneventful here. Dark clouds came over in the evening yesterday, ruining any chance of seeing the meteors. After watching the forecast we expected to be woken by thunderstorms in the night. If they did come they must have been feeble, we slept through with not a drop of water in the weather bucket this morning.

The Stihl seemed to appreciate a bit of a clean out yesterday and it's running again. Despite what I had seen on youtube, there is no mesh screen on the exhaust to clog on mine, so taking the muffler off was as Ron thought not the answer. For the little they cost I ought to get a full carb gasket kit before it's time to start hedge laying.


Ed, you wanted advise. Well, if you drive for 2 hours, only to find the lathe is rubbish, remember the guy was a gunsmith and probably still has a few guns around, so be very polite.

David, that is a deluxe setup for a washing line :thumbsup:
That reminds me, I still need to tie a bright orange marker to our line. The one it replaced had only been up a couple of years and wouldn't have lasted any longer in SS - a friend drove his tractor into it - his loader won.

CWB, the monster moose was only in my imagination

 

[daugen]

While not a major project, a satisfying one to get done.
Upgrade to 1/4” vinyl coated SS cable and all SS hardware except the plastic pulleys. Should last at least my lifetime. The 1/8” vinyl coated non SS cable lasted 11 years. View attachment 566493

You've built your first zip line! Ground might be kinda hard if you fell off...

Another inch of rain last night, more on the way today. However looks like heaviest rain going North.
Up wide awake at 4am, pulled all the food pantry veggies out of my fridge, organized them, taking them to pantry later this morning.
Last big watermelon, one of the yellow ones.

I was told ever so nicely that while folks seem to love the yellow watermelons, the huge number of seeds is
a problem, not GMO at all, and perhaps some seedless red watermelon for next year? Okra and watermelon, so far the two biggest movers by demand.
Okra is easy, and some of my okra plants are now seven feet tall and headed for the moon. Wonder if I'll need a ladder in a month...

Tomorrow morning at distribution day, I'm taking down two little baggies of chocolate habaneros, and trying to see if someone knows someone who will eat these things,
and survive. 400k scoville, entry level super hot. Local Mexicans and firemen have said no thank you. There's usually about fifteen volunteers there for distribution day so hopefully someone with a cast iron stomach will get to enjoy them. I'm not growing them again for sure. Peppers seem unaffected by all the rain, some have ripened too soon, but they are just pumping out daily. Taking hot peppers, banana peppers and bell peppers in today.
Was able to pick a few tomatoes yesterday, but they are all cracked. Taking them to food pantry anyway; they are really good dark tomatoes and taste wonderful, just blemished.

later on this week looks to be drying out a little. Lawns are growing like mad, mow 6 acres minimum every five days, 10 acres every week or ten days. Couldn't do it without big mowers.
Interview new Hispanic helper this afternoon.