Looking for something odd I think

[maddog]

I have a Smithy CB1239, bought it brand new
about seven years ago. It has just over
1.5" of spindle bore. 39" between centers,
removable tail stock.

Its been a great little machine, its paied for itself at least once.

[cuemaker]

This is where I am limited. It would seem to me to be easy to make, but I dont have the equipment or knowledge (yet).

I sent an email to taig to see if they have something with a large bore.

[topct]

He is making or having that part of the machine made. For making pool cues a spindle with that diameter through it, running on regular ball bearings would not be hard to make out of some heavy wall tubing. Taig uses cold roll for there lathe bed, and it would not be hard to get a piece that long and have it ground to fit thier carriage and tail stock. Taig is more than happy to sell any of thier bits and pieces. There is someone up north of me that is using thier parts for a wrapping machine to wind the thread onto the guides of fly fishing poles.

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Gene

[cuemaker]

I checked them out, and yes lots of similiar stuff, but the Taig website didnt have anything with a large spindle bore.

[topct]

Both of the lathes at the above sites are based on Taig parts and pieces. The 'Erector Set' of lathes.


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Gene

[cuemaker]

Cool website. The little lathe that you saw is a Hightower lathe.

Believe me, he has a much bigger lathe somewhere to turn the cues and probably the shafts too, unless he has a dedicated machine for shafts.

His Delux lathe is 1800 bucks. It does what I want but 1800 seems to be alot for what it is.

[Robert Jones]

Rob, go to www.cuesmith.com
He has just what you are looking for, from basic repair to cutting for points and inlays, Bobby

[topct]

I don't know if you've seen the guys site;
http://www.gatzkecues.com/


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Gene

[cuemaker]

you need the large bore in order to chuck up on the butt or the joint of the cue. A finished butt of a cue would require at least a 1.25 spindle bore. A finished joint is near 1 inch. I would want this particular machine to be able to drill and tape the joint, handle and butt of the cue. Of course unfinished size is larger than finished.

[Samuel]

I saw a neat little lathe for cue making that was based on a sherline base model lathe, it was mounted in its own birch plywood "box" kind of like a rifle case but more rigid, maybe 7" by 15" by 4'the bax doubled as the bed extension. why do you have to have a large bore? maybe you could use a steady rest or cats head to stabilize the work? a sherline steady will hold 3" material(just barely) from what I remember. Is this for turnings/parts for the cue handle and tips? good luck, the more details we get the more we can help.


Samuel

[nheng]

Cuemaker, I'd look at the possibilities of opening up the spindle on a smaller machine to its absolute max ... or fabricating a new one with larger spindle bore. You could even change the bearings as required if there was enough beef around them to accomodate a larger outer race. Probably feasible on a belt driven machine.

South Bend had a smaller lathe with huge bore and I think it took 5C collets. I want to say it was a 9" model and am pretty sure I've seen a live one ... once.

Den

[PHiers]

Spin,

The tailstock CAN be removed on my Grizzly 12x36. No problem at all, you remove a screw that is between the ways and slide it off. Takes about 10 seconds.




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Paul in NE Ohio

[cuemaker]

Spin Dr.

Maybe a bit of a miss understanding. I was thinking that maybe there is a mini lathe, 7x12 or something that is made with a large spindle bore.

I am trying to get a machine that is small, can handle some simple machining, drilling, taping and some small turning. For all that I need only about 6inches from the chuck for the tool work.

The rest of the length, 30+ inches is NOT for any tool work and then I can remove the tail stock (if needed) and mount the tail stock on a jig farther out. Great accuracy for the longer lengeth is NOT needed (of course the straighter you are the better)since there is no tool work at that lenghth and all I am doing is sanding some wood.

a 12 x 36 is fine and then I dont need to remove the tail stock. But its bigger than I need/want. Plus quite a bit more than a mini lathe.

[JCHannum]

The South Bend Heavy Ten is 1-3/8" through the spindle. It is probably one of the smaller lathes available with this spindle bore. It is one of the better lathes for the HSM too.

I have a Sheldon 13 X 56.

[Spin Doctor]

And why can't the tailstock be removed on the Grizz/Enco/HF 12x36. They had to put it there in the first place.