MadModder

The Craftmans Shop => New from Old => Topic started by: awemawson on January 11, 2015, 12:18:29 PM

Title: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: awemawson on January 11, 2015, 12:18:29 PM

ebay item #191479009764 - a rather nice Dean Smith and Grace lathe needing just a little bit of TLC  :lol:

Sitting at £100 which is probably less than the scrap value, it seems a tragic end to what has been a superb lathe
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: DavidA on January 11, 2015, 12:48:28 PM
It can live again.

DS&G are just down the road from me. I remember as a youth that they had the main door open on Pitt Street where they made the lathes. I often used to linger a while and watch.  Their foundry was on Lawkholme Lane.

They still have a much smaller operation going on. So they can probably supply any information needed.



Where I worked until my retirement (Keighley Laboratories) we had a DS&G tool room lathe.  Sadly,  not getting the tlc it deserves.

Dave
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: hermetic on January 11, 2015, 01:23:46 PM
It is a 13Z, same as my first lathe from the 1970's (the lathe itself is much older, probably 30's to 50's) excellent machine, but I dont think DS&G ever made a bad un!
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: chipenter on January 11, 2015, 02:37:26 PM
Do you get the 4 cans of Karlburg with it ?
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: mattinker on January 11, 2015, 02:46:54 PM
My sort of challenge, but, I'm not in a position to carry it out at the moment!

Never mind, regards, Matthew.
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: steampunkpete on January 11, 2015, 05:24:41 PM
Hah problem, just a brush down and a quick Brillo pad and Robert is your dad's brother.  :loco:
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: vtsteam on January 11, 2015, 05:40:25 PM
Wish it was here.
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: Pete. on January 12, 2015, 05:10:32 PM
Blimey that's had a hard old life. In Carlisle too so it might even have been under water. Lord knows there's enough flotsam about the floor :D
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: Manxmodder on January 12, 2015, 05:39:50 PM
I think it could be made a very usable machine with a couple of days effort put in.  Surface rust on cast iron  bedways often looks far worse than it actually is.....OZ.
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: dawesy on January 13, 2015, 03:53:38 AM
This is true. My Churchill looked quite bad in the pics but with some tlc and machine enamel it looks and works very well. Pity I'm out of room :(
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: awemawson on January 13, 2015, 03:59:25 AM
I agree it probably looks far worse than it is - it's a lot of lathe for the asking price.
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: Manxmodder on January 13, 2015, 11:27:16 AM
Andrew/Lee, If either of you know anyone who is remotely interested in owning a lathe I would be recommending them to go and look at this machine. Dean Smith & Grace toolroom lathes are very hard to better for accuracy and robustness.

If I didn't have other immediate commitments at present I would be very tempted by this machine......OZ.
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: backofanenvelope on January 13, 2015, 01:18:55 PM
Hmmm not that far from me but I have no idea whether a) it would fit in my Ford Fiesta b) the weight of it and c) whether its single phase or 3 phase? but might e tempted..

TomC
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: awemawson on January 13, 2015, 01:30:31 PM
a/ No !
b/ Probably 1 to 2 tons
c/ Probably 3 phase

So with all three ducks not only NOT lined up but actually SUNK you definitely need to go for it - you know it makes sense  :lol:
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: backofanenvelope on January 13, 2015, 03:09:51 PM
Laughing out loud! :D

I have visions of a wacky races outcome now.. I think it might be way out of my league, maybe another time..
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: awemawson on January 13, 2015, 03:26:50 PM
...... wimp ...... :clap:
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: backofanenvelope on January 13, 2015, 03:41:59 PM
 :thumbup:

Well I have been known to do mad things.. so I may see how it goes then worry about logistics later

:)

Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: dsquire on January 13, 2015, 03:47:17 PM
I know that you just want to jump in and give the lad a hand Andrew. I've already got my popcorn and soda ready for the first event.

:mmr:


cheers  :beer:

Don
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: backofanenvelope on January 13, 2015, 04:10:54 PM
Its a while since I've been called a lad ;) and I can make a fool of myself all on my own :)

:hammer: :zap: :wave:
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: awemawson on January 13, 2015, 04:11:34 PM
I'd love to getting it back into nice looking & working condition - it really pains me to see what was once a really nice machine look ready for the scrap yard. Sadly at the wrong end of the country for me, and believe it or not I've actually run out of space  :scratch:
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: kayzed1 on January 13, 2015, 04:16:48 PM
I'd love to getting it back into nice looking & working condition - it really pains me to see what was once a really nice machine look ready for the scrap yard. Sadly at the wrong end of the country for me, and believe it or not I've actually run out of space  :scratch:

***believe it or not I've actually run out of space***
i think you will have to remove one of the farm buildings and start another shed project :dremel:
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: awemawson on January 13, 2015, 04:55:53 PM
"i think you will have to remove one of the farm buildings and start another shed project :dremel:"

Estimated 4,000 sq foot at the moment ..... well I do need a new tractor shed ..... and a new lambing shed .... or I could evict a tenant from one of my 40' containers .....

.... or flog the lot and take up stamp collecting indoors ...  :lol:
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: mattinker on January 13, 2015, 05:15:17 PM


.... or flog the lot and take up stamp collecting indoors ...  :lol:

From what I could see when I visited you in December, you don't appear to be about to move!

Regards, Matthes
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: dsquire on January 13, 2015, 05:23:45 PM
Oh my  :Doh: didn't know I was going to start a sand storm with that comment Andrew.

Cheers  :beer:

Don
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: doubleboost on January 13, 2015, 05:34:01 PM
Not far from me & I am looking for a bigger lathe
Just a bit too big for me (available space)
Be a shame to see it scrapped
John
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: chipenter on January 14, 2015, 03:49:50 AM
It will all happen in the last few minnets , I put a bid on a L5 near Andrew last month nobody put a bid on so I did 1 hour from the end , there were 16 bids in the last 2 minnets and I lost it , just as well as I have nowere to put it .
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: Kjelle on January 14, 2015, 04:36:33 AM
The popcorn and crisps are on the table, a lot of soda (and some GOOD beer) in the cooler.... This' gonna be fun!

 :mmr:

Kjelle
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: backofanenvelope on January 14, 2015, 04:47:48 AM
Sitting quietly in the corner.. learning from Jedi-modders

:D
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: tekfab on January 15, 2015, 02:24:29 PM
Well i'm not going a penny above £250.00   :D :D :D
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: RotarySMP on January 16, 2015, 09:31:57 AM
1 to 2 tonnes? I don't think anything ever left Keighley weighing less than 2 tonnes! Okay, the Short bed 13-30 was just a whisker short.

http://www.lathes.co.uk/dsg/index.html

2 ton of iron must be something lilke 500 squid scrap value isnt it. It would be a tragedy if this auction was won by a scrap dealer.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/monarch-lathes/dsg-type-13z-resto-286864/
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: Manxmodder on January 16, 2015, 12:36:15 PM
I think your scrap value estimate is a bit optimistic,scrap values have gone down quite a lot recently and even when they were high £200.00 would be about the best you could hope for cast iron.....OZ.
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: RotarySMP on January 16, 2015, 04:36:04 PM
That is good to hear. Hate to think of a DS&G getting scrapped.
Mark
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: hermetic on January 18, 2015, 05:33:25 PM
Went for £167-00! Cheap as chips! it will cost more than that to move it. Absolute bargain.
phil
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: awemawson on January 18, 2015, 05:44:30 PM
I do so hope that was for someone to use rather than sell for scrap.
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: chipenter on January 19, 2015, 01:59:01 PM
And another one this looks like it's the scrap man selling it this time http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dean-Smith-Grace-Lathe-/291353782246?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item43d609e7e6 .
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: RotarySMP on January 19, 2015, 03:00:29 PM
Would be wonderful lathe again if repaired and restored.
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: Manxmodder on January 19, 2015, 03:22:43 PM
And that one is still a very reasonable price even with the damaged parts on it.

There are no far Eastern products that could come close to the quality of a machine like a DS&G,yet people willingly pay over £2 grand for a new machine that will then need a load of modifying to make it satisfactory.

I shake my head :palm:
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: Pete. on January 23, 2015, 05:06:05 PM
Bit less of a challenge this one just needs a good clean-up and go-over. even if it's a bit worn it's still a stonking good lathe:

http://r.ebay.com/tQbbHw
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: Manxmodder on January 23, 2015, 05:31:07 PM
Pete, those CVA's are also a good sturdy machine. I've spent many hours turning on one very similar to this,and one of the features I always liked was the cross slide micrometer dial reads diametrically,so if you dial in 5 thou on the wheel then that is the amount the component dia is reduced by......OZ.
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: vintageandclassicrepairs on January 23, 2015, 06:22:47 PM
Hi All,
Another fine lathe sadly neglected  :(
There seems to be quite a few on ebay at the moment

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/harrison-lathe/111580439696?_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140328180637%26meid%3D481724419d89401b96cd9fbfb1791f2e%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D321648574283

John
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: RotarySMP on January 24, 2015, 03:51:35 AM
That sort of neglected lathe can be a great bargain. Since it hasn't been used in that condition, as long as you disassemble it and put the bits through an electrolysis bath, the rust is normally of little consequence, and the bed will not have any wear from this last "owner". Bummer if it was already a clapped out lathe before it got to that owner, but the risk of buying it is low.

In the UK you have a lowest prices for wonderful old lathes. Here in Austria, nothing much goes for under a €1000. I consider myself lucky to have picked up my Boley 4L for €950, although the change wheels are missing, and the bed has some wear and a some nasty dings. Compared to the Chinese 7X I had before it is a dream to turn with.
Title: Re: Anyone fancy a REAL challenge
Post by: Pete. on January 24, 2015, 10:47:20 AM
Pete, those CVA's are also a good sturdy machine. I've spent many hours turning on one very similar to this,and one of the features I always liked was the cross slide micrometer dial reads diametrically,so if you dial in 5 thou on the wheel then that is the amount the component dia is reduced by......OZ.

Yes it's a copy of my Monarch 10EE, which has the same direct-reading dial setup. I also like the separate sliding and cross-feed controls each with it's own adjustable clutch.