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Boley 4LV

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RotarySMP:
Bought a Boley 4L lathe today.

Beautiful piece of quality engineering. Considering it only cost the same a new 320lb Chinese 9x20, it was a steal. It is a 9x18 and weighs 780kg. It is on the optional heavier gL37,2 cast stand. The bed ways are easily as wide as the center height, and the saddle length is about 50% the bed length.  The spindle speed range is 71-1800 rpm in 12 steps, and I will probably run it off a VFD which will increase the range further. The headstock looks identical to the 5LZ which went to 3550rpm standard. The spindle runs smooth as silk.

There is one decent chip out of the bed (about where the cable is lying in the photo) , but otherwise the general condition seems really good.  Paint is original, and there is only very light rust on a few surfaces.  The test cuts I did gave the impression that the thing could turn a tenth off krytonite.

There is no obvious thinning/wear of the saddle or cross slide leadscrew threads, and little backlash. Everything was a bit dry, but I cleaned up the bed and put some lube on it and it runs like silk. I'll order some proper way and spindle oil off ebay for it.

Both crank and lever tail stocks, and the fixed and traveling steadies are with it. No other chucks or collets. It supposedly has a weird M39x3.5- 55° threaded nose. I'll have to get a 4 jaw, and will probably cast a face plate and ER32 collet chuck. But I'll also be keeping an eye out for W23 358E collets on Ebay.

This model doesn't have a thread cutting gearbox. It is designed with the leadscrew protected from swarf under the bed under the bed.  Feeding and threading are both with change wheels. Only the two change wheels currently fitted (50/55) are with it. However it does have the optional fine feed gearbox. The rest of the change wheels are lost. I will probably CNC it, as that will be cheaper and easier than tracking down a set of change wheels, and I have had lots of fun with my CNC's 7x12.

Don't take possession of the house for another few weeks, so the seller kindly agreed to store it for me through into January.

PekkaNF:
Congratulations! Really beautiful machine :clap:

Is it your only lathe?

Pekka

RotarySMP:
"Is it your only lathe?"
Depends if you consider this a lathe... many don't!



Some more photos from the Boley...

Rob.Wilson:
 :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: very nice lathe you have got yourself there  :thumbup:


Rob 

RotarySMP:
I was surprised that it didn't sell sooner. Small machines are normally sought after here, as no one has space. It was advertised for about 8 weeks in the local version of Craiglist. Since we closed on a house last week, I can finally get a real lathe.

Shame I have to wait till next year to play with it.

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