OT Quality Metal Lathe

Okay guys, I need to find a company that"s still in business that produces metal lathes. If anyone on here has experience or is in the machining industry, please point me in the right direction. Thanks for any help guys. It"s appreciated. - Toby

You don't ask for much. Google metal lathe manufacturers and you get Taiwan, China and Japan. I looked up Mattison Machine Works and it look like they went under in 1994. It looks like South Bend Lathe is still around but I couldn't find anything conclusive. The most I could find is they were still in business in 2005.

The real value in a lathe is to purchase a used lathe (very inexpensive, and you can purchase 3 times the lathe with 5 times the reliability by doing so!) Many US manufacturers made fine solid lathes with modern features. Jim ( I teach on a Brazilian built Nardini 15"X10', Two Clausings, a Hardinge Chucker, and a Logan. All are reliable and strong. Jim

Some more info on size, intended application, and your budget would help.

"Southbend" is still 'in business' now as Grizzly. From what I've heard they offer a relatively good quality machine. Beyond that your best bet would be to keep an eye on sites like the Practical Machinist, etc and find a good, used lathe. Age isn't really as much an issue as the use and abuse it has recieved over the years. For instance I bought about a 1925 year model Southbend with a 16 inch swing and a 10 foot bed, about 6 months ago. I didn't need that much bed length but for the price I couldn't turn the old machine down. I've done a fair amount of turning on it since and I know it will hold less than .001 tolerance over at least the first 24 inches of the bed. That's a good thing as the bed ways in that area typically show more than anywhere else on the bed. For my use that's probably the area I will eventually wear out myself as I just don't have a call do do much stuff much longer than that except on rare occasions. The main thing is when I looked at it I knew what to look for, and could tell that it hadn't been used much over the course of it's life. Heck the last 30 plus years it sat in a motor reqind shop and got used maybe once a year to turn a rotor, etc that wouldn't fit in the other lathe they had. Needless to say I got really lucky with my machine since most lathes even half that old have alot more wear.

The only bad thing about a machine this old is that it has change gears to be able to do threading vs a gearbox. So it takes time to get it set up instead of just moving a couple of levers. In my case I haven't done any threading with it yet as the threading jaws have been worn completely out, most likely by someone using them for regular turning instead of using the friction drive like is supposed to be done. This is something that is really common. Even so there is a guy on the PM site that rebuilds them for around $125.

As far as parts, the commonly needed stuff typically isn't that hard to find either aftermarket, NOS, or just plain used. That is if you ever really need any repair parts. I know Dad has had an old Monarch Hydrashift for nearly 20 years and other than having another machine shop turn him a new lead screw for the carriage it has never needed any hard parts. Like mine it's not the latest and greatest but once you learn 'how it turns' you can turn out pretty much anything you need.

So, keep you eyes open, check out the PM site which has alot of good info on what to look for in a used lathe, and ultimately you should be able to find yourself an older, heavier built lathe than any new one made, for probably 1/4 the price. Good luck.

I know it's just me, but I tend to measure all metal lathes against the one we had on my first ship. I was young and sometimes I didn't always do what I should, so even though I was rated as an Engineman, I was put in the machine shop, where I couldn't wonder off to the IC shop and goof off. It was great, though. Ilearned how to run all types of machines, like milling and lathes. The lathe was a basic engine lathe, but you could do anything with it.

I went in expecting to work on diesels (an Engineman so I found out later) but found myself instead a Machinist Mate working on turbines, heat exchangers, air compressors, and any other main engine room equipment I could get my hands on. I knew I was going in as a MM but so far as what we did 'my recruiter lied to me...' What the heck though I enjoyed the job anyway and had the opportunity to learn alot of new stuff, on top of what I had already learned from my Dad growing up about engines.

Anyway I remember on the Pratt (DDG 44) they had a small lathe, and I believe a Bridgeport in the machine shop, but on the America (CV 66) they had some really nice sized lathes, mills, and turret drills in their machine shop. Can't remember any definate names but I do remember they were all, well known, quality, branded machines. Funny thing is I remember they had some rather large equipment on the America...but hey, it was a carrier. Even so I also remember having problems getting something as 'small' as a main condensate pump housing down through the hatch and into their space so I don't have a clue how they would have handled, and gotten into or out of the space, other parts that would take even half of the capacity of the machines they had. I spent a good bit of time in the machine shop as my office was the next space over from theirs and can never remember seeing them with anything of any substantial size in there so I have no clue how, or even if, they could actually get anything that large in the space.

I know the Pratt has since gone to scrap and the America was 'shot at' and sunk as a muntions 'test' platform. I guess it's probably a good thing that I don't know what happened to all that equipment...it might be upsetting... I still wish I had been able to get the brass Allis-Chalmers plaque off the front of the main turbines on the Pratt. That would have made a beautiful wall hanging as it had the words in relief and they were always highly polished while the background was painted a glossy bright red. Knowing the Navy it probably went to scrap too.....even the thought of that is upsetting even now, nearly 20 years later...LOL

We had a Bridgeport and Cinncinate(spelling wasn't require to operate) mill. I was on DDG995, a basic Aytollah class distroyer. I was also on the Ponce and the Nassua. I was A gang also. I usually worked the diesel shop, except as noted in earlier reply. I only did a little over 9 years with the Navy. The last 11.5 years was USCG.

My vote goes for clausing. The first shop I worked at had 2 older models, and then at the tech they had about a dozen new ones all in a row. They left the old south bend ones on the other side for the diesel tech program so they didn't beat up our nice new ones.

I think Clausing owns Hardinge now, as they had one smaller hardinge lathe, and then a year before I left they bought 2 more just like it but they were now clausings. Different paint scheme but otherwise the exact same machine.

Donovan from Wisconsin

Interesting stories about ratings guys.
When I was in basic they had us select 5 different ratings that we would be interested in.
I picked 2 CB ratings and 2 "Airdale" ratings but didn't know what to choose for my 5th so I picked CS - cook. The counselor there said
"Naw you don't want to be a cook how about an MR."
"What's an MR?"
"It's a Machinery Repairman - goes around fixing machinery."
"Well OK."
I was a bit surprised to get to MR A school and see a whole fleet of lathes and mills.
Spent the rest of my time on a couple of old WWII tenders - an AS and an AR.
Never pursued the trade after I got out but I could still cut a set of threads if I had to.

American was a good lathe from the old days . My brother had 3 of them from about a 12" swing to a 42" swing when he had his machine shop. The big one had ways on it that where like 10or 20feet long. The small one has around 8-10foot ways. These are all WWII or there about vintage.

South Bend Lathe is still around and selling lathes under their own name. Their home office is in Bellingham,WA. They have a 2011 web site with all their machines plus they have some new models comming out.

Where I worked before I retired we had a lathe and mill that were imports. They seamed to work ok, but would have been nice to have good American tools. I have a older South Bend that I am happy with for what I do. Just yesterday had a Rivett tool room lathe delievered. Someone gave me. I couldn't turn it down. To answer your question it seams like South Bend is still in business that should be a good lathe. Stan

My main goal when I joined the Navy was to get into the SeeBees. That rate was full, so the next rate I wanted was a Engineman, and work on diesl engines. That rate was full at the time. My third choice was aircraft mechanic, that is what I ended up with. From talking to my friends after I got out of the Navy they told me it was a very hot job. I enjoyed my time with airplane engines, and the places I got to see in the 60's Stan

I like my Millport. Parts all made in Taiwan but assembled and checked here in the US.

So you were in the Navy pretty recently, as CS was Mess Specialist(MS) until at least 2000.

I might be mistaken on the CS rating.
Whatever a cook was then.
I was in from 71 - 75