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Bought a metal lathe finally....

I have a 10" Rockwell in my shop. Use it to make all kinds of parts etc. Most of the machines in my shop was made in the 60's. If one needs a part I just make it. Gears,lead screws and brass nuts for lead screws. I learned a lot about machining and the machine its self this way. plus I'm a tinker and love a challenge.
I have 6 VFD's in my shop. All came off eBay. Ask Power Brand. I have them on lathes, mills and a belt grinder. They are 220 single phase to 220 three phase and very easy to program. I have not had one quit on me yet. I have them running 3/4 HP up to 5HP. When buying a VFD I always buy one twice the HP of the Machine. Example, If your machine has a 5HP three phase motor get a 10Hp VFD. A few of my electric friends that work inside of plants are the ones who told me to go twice as big on the VFD. It has something to do with the single phase to three phase. Wish you luck with your new lathe.
A Leaphart
 
I know nothing of lathes, but have always found them amazing, wish I had the ability to put one to use for something.

I am however an electrician and agree with the statements about buying a VFD that is rated double the HP of the single-phase motor you intend to use. This is necessary when using one to do phase conversion.

Good luck, looks like a great project!
 
Most VFD's that are designed to be used in a single phase to three phase application don't require derating anymore. It is not a bad idea to go up at least one size, e.g. use a 1 hp rated drive for a 3/4 hp application, but going up too far can get you out of the drives overcurrent protection settings, and the added cost can be significant. I have a Southbend 10L that I put a Teco CV7300 on close to 10 years ago that has gotten a lot of use with no problems other than the membrane buttons on the operator panel are wearing out.(my own fault, I was too lazy to put a remote switch panel with proper oiltites on it to begin with,soon to be remedied...) Jim
 
Well got the lathe home late last evening and finally tore into it today and found that the back gear assembly is undamaged so i have an extra of thoes. But i did find a few parts i need in the apron and a few in the quick change gear box. Also found the compound is damaged more than i thought under the tool post. If anyone has parts please let me know asap...
 
"If anyone has parts please let me know asap..."

May get some leads on the South Bend forum on the Practical Machinist web site.
 
If every amateur gunsmith wants a manual lathe and mill, used machines from industry will supply all the mills needed for cheap, but be lacking for lathes. The price of used lathes then floats up to new lathe price. Having said that and being on my 3rd lathe, this Precision Matthews has DRO..... I am somehow involved in a friend's old lathe rebuild project that has spent way more money in parts than the lathe will be worth. But is ok if you enjoy the process. We are currently lapping the spindle 0.0001" so we can get a good bearing temperature vs preload measurement.
 
Clark said:
If every amateur gunsmith wants a manual lathe and mill, used machines from industry will supply all the mills needed for cheap, but be lacking for lathes. The price of used lathes then floats up to new lathe price. Having said that and being on my 3rd lathe, this Precision Matthews has DRO..... I am somehow involved in a friend's old lathe rebuild project that has spent way more money in parts than the lathe will be worth. But is ok if you enjoy the process. We are currently lapping the spindle 0.0001" so we can get a good bearing temperature vs preload measurement.
Click to expand...

I agree with you to an extent, but i got pretty lucky with mine so far. Only need a few small parts all of which i have found and once its back together i will have a nice machine that " should " be good for another 50 years. I love this project though, learning alot and havin fun doing it. Here is 2 pic of the rebuild outboard gears " just 1 set " and apron. I have a threading gear on the way and am in the process of getting the gear that is on the handwheel.
 

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Also in the next day or so ill be diving into the quick change gear box, i already know i need 1 brass gear and 2 steel gears, which i have found and should have replacements in the next week or 2. Then the job of completely disassembling the head stock and replacing the bull gear, which i have a replacement for and new belts for the spindle and reeves drive are already on there way. Ill keep pics posted as i go along. Im telling ya i am having a absolute blast rebuilding this machine. Like today i found 2 bearings under the feed clutch gear that has the company name " Nice Ball Bearing Company" Pittsburg Pa. stamped on them. Pretty neat i thought. I love old machinery, this thing is built like a tank i think.
 
I have a Rockwell 11”. The headstock is nice and short so can chamber shorter barrels through the headstock. I had to repair my back gear. Purchased a gear online (I forget the gear company....) for like $13. Turned out the center, light press fit with retaining compound and a couple pins.

I replaced the original 3P motor with a single phase, but have installed VFDs on the new lathe and mill. Having variable speed is nice. I used Hitachi VFDs.

I’m quite fond of this model. I Made an aluminum spider that threads on the outboard end where that nut is missing in your pic.
 
BuffaloBill said:
I have a Rockwell 11”. The headstock is nice and short so can chamber shorter barrels through the headstock. I had to repair my back gear. Purchased a gear online (I forget the gear company....) for like $13. Turned out the center, light press fit with retaining compound and a couple pins.

I replaced the original 3P motor with a single phase, but have installed VFDs on the new lathe and mill. Having variable speed is nice. I used Hitachi VFDs.

I’m quite fond of this model. I Made an aluminum spider that threads on the outboard end where that nut is missing in your pic.
Click to expand...
Did you program those VFDs? I havent been able to figure out how to get the one Ive got working. :mad: Almost ready to give up and buy a Teco
 
BuffaloBill said:
I have a Rockwell 11”. The headstock is nice and short so can chamber shorter barrels through the headstock. I had to repair my back gear. Purchased a gear online (I forget the gear company....) for like $13. Turned out the center, light press fit with retaining compound and a couple pins.

I replaced the original 3P motor with a single phase, but have installed VFDs on the new lathe and mill. Having variable speed is nice. I used Hitachi VFDs.

I’m quite fond of this model. I Made an aluminum spider that threads on the outboard end where that nut is missing in your pic.
Click to expand...

Very nice mine came with a spare back gear and bull gear, i am in the middle of replaceing my bull hear as its damaged. I cant wait till i get mine running. Everything i have done makes the machine look like new. But i unfortunately wont be able to paint it. Weather just sucks here right now. Maybe this summer i will. Im just busy looking for parts. Gear box is below from what i have done so far its not completely back together as i am waiting on parts. But i dissasembled the head tonight ready to pull spindle when i found this... a broken piece that works with the drive selector.... just another part i have to hunt down.
 

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Tobpnr, i will do that thanks, this has been alot of work so far with more to come. I dissasembled the entire headstock down to just the casting to clean and i will paint the headstock now and i will repaint the rest later in when it get warmer out.
 
hoz53 said:
Did you program those VFDs? I havent been able to figure out how to get the one Ive got working. :mad: Almost ready to give up and buy a Teco
Click to expand...

That Hitachi user manual has lots of pages! I read through it before having the VFD in-hand, but admit some of it didn’t make sense to me till I began to work with it and experiment. I did keep notes on the settings I wound up with. Where are you at with yours? Is it running the motor at all?
 
BuffaloBill said:
That Hitachi user manual has lots of pages! I read through it before having the VFD in-hand, but admit some of it didn’t make sense to me till I began to work with it and experiment. I did keep notes on the settings I wound up with. Where are you at with yours? Is it running the motor at all?
Click to expand...
thanks Bill - i printed out the manual but never got it to run a motor-
i havent messed with it in awhile and need to do that.
 
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