Clausing lathe 12 "x 36"

[rusmannx]

sorry guys, i'm a lurker and wanted to post a 'is it worth getting' thread (i love this site by the way).

I found a guy locally that has one of these asking $450 with 'extras'. I am hoping some of you will know a bit about this company and/or if this thing is worth getting.

i am new to lathes and want somewhere to start, but would rather buy an old iron than a new cheapo lathe. price is important.

down the road i fantasize of cnc-ing whatever i end up getting. would this lathe even be cnc-able?

thanks in advance.





EDIT: wow, i just found a thread further down with a link to pics and was able to identify this.... see what being in a hurry gets you? I guess this is a 100 Series Mk. 3.

[BrassBuilder]

Hi,
This does not look like a bad lathe at all. I paid $1000 for mine and it came with a 3-jaw and 4-jaw chuck, a bunch of cutting bits, and other odds and ends.

I believe pretty much any machine tool can be converted to CNC. The question is how much time and money do you want to throw at it. The big problem with this lathe is that there is not a ready made bolt-on kit for the mk3a. Check out these two threads that I have going on my on-going quest to CNC mine:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...444#post675444

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90408

If you go with brand new parts, expect to spend a small fortune in CNCing it. If you shop around for used, you can save a considerable sum. But finding what works and what doesn't takes a lot of research. The board here has been some amazing help and if you follow my threads, it should save you some time.

The only thing that I don't like about the mk3a is that the spindle only tops out at about 800 rpm. My little 7x14 topped out at about double that. I found it easier to get smoother finishes at the higher speed.

I should also note that depending on what you are doing, there is really not anything wrong with the imports. In fact, in some ways, since you want to CNC a lathe, the import is a better way to go since there is already a ton of info on converting them to CNC (especially the 9x20). Keep that in mind too. CNCing the mk3a is going to take a lot of work. If you are new to lathes, I would definately study up on CNC and run your lathe in manual mode for awhile. My original goal was to restore mine, but finding parts for these are next to impossible. I've been searching for almost two years for a original motor mount and the countershaft assembly. Once I get this CNCd, the parts left over from the original lathe should pay for a good portion of the conversion.

Mike

[rusmannx]

thanks for the input. i am actually looking at a mill more than a lathe but when i saw this clausing i thought it might be too good of a deal to pass up. if it's not, then i'll let it pass and keep looking at mills for now.

either mill or lathe, my plan is to use it manually for a while until i feel comfortable and knowledgeable with the machine. i would imagine a year or two before i cnc anything. i'm not against having to build my own cnc conversion versus buying a kit, my main concern is that some machines might be a nightmare to cnc all together.

i have never looked at the 9x20 imports until you mentioned them, but i see HF has one for pretty cheap:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=45861

and that grizzley has a 9x19 for a bit more but appears to offer more:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/9-x-...ch-Lathe/G4000

these two might actually be the same lathe?

if it is better for me to get one of these types of machines for future cncing as well as parts/support, then i'll pass on the clausing and probably save for a mill (can't decide between X3 and SX3).

Any other feedback is certainly welcome and appreciated.

[BrassBuilder]

Of the two posted, I would go with the Grizzley. They seem to be a little better quality from what I have read.

You might want to take a look at Bill's Tool Crib too: http://www.billstoolcrib.com/METAL%20LATHES.HTM

I bought a lathe first and then the mill. But that was only because the first parts I wanted to make were round. I also have an X2 mini-mill that I CNCd in 2008. That was fairly simple as there are kits available to CNC it. If you can afford it, I would definately go with the X3. There are times I wish my mill was just a little bigger and heavier. There are kits available for the X3 too. Take a look at www.cncfusion.com to give you an idea of costs. www.kelinginc.net is one source for steppers. Many here would recommend Gecko drivers too. There is an abundance of good suppliers...you just need to shop around and research.

Just out of curiosity, where in the US is that lathe located? I am guessing somewhere near one of the coasts for that price.

Good luck and have fun.

Mike

[Al_The_Man]

I picked up a lathemaster 9x30, Because I intended to CNC it and wanted to drive the spindle direct, I looked for one without a gear head.
Al.

[rusmannx]

Originally Posted by BrassBuilder The only thing that I don't like about the mk3a is that the spindle only tops out at about 800 rpm. My little 7x14 topped out at about double that. I found it easier to get smoother finishes at the higher speed.

is this a case of a good motor that needs to be geared up, or a poor motor that will need to be replaced to obtain higher speeds?

this machine is on the west coast.

[BrassBuilder]

Originally Posted by rusmannx is this a case of a good motor that needs to be geared up, or a poor motor that will need to be replaced to obtain higher speeds? this machine is on the west coast.

I am not even sure if this is the original motor on it. It is only a 1/2hp, 1725 rpm AC motor. I'm replacing it with a DC 2.5hp treadmill motor that spins at something like 4000 rpm. Between the gearing and a DC motor controller, I should be able to have good torque and adequate ADJUSTABLE speeds with the new motor. At least I hope that is the case.

Mike

[rusmannx]

Originally Posted by BrassBuilder I am not even sure if this is the original motor on it. It is only a 1/2hp, 1725 rpm AC motor. I'm replacing it with a DC 2.5hp treadmill motor that spins at something like 4000 rpm. Between the gearing and a DC motor controller, I should be able to have good torque and adequate ADJUSTABLE speeds with the new motor. At least I hope that is the case. Mike

wow that will be amazing. great idea on the treadmill motor. i'm going to call the seller tomorrow evening to see if he still has it. if he does then i think i'll jump on it.

is there much that can be done to these machines to make them more accurate or precise or would a lathe like this be considered about as good as you can get? would a new 9x20 give better results (other than finish in your case)?

[BrassBuilder]

Originally Posted by rusmannx wow that will be amazing. great idea on the treadmill motor. i'm going to call the seller tomorrow evening to see if he still has it. if he does then i think i'll jump on it. is there much that can be done to these machines to make them more accurate or precise or would a lathe like this be considered about as good as you can get? would a new 9x20 give better results (other than finish in your case)?

I'll find out how great of an idea the treadmill motor is if it works

The thing about the mk3a is that used parts for them are hard to find. You could part this out and possibly make a little money on it.

My first lathe was the 7x14. I then bought the mk3a. There is a HUGE difference in quality. The mk3a, being heavier, feels like a more solid machine and if you know what you are doing, you could turn out some amazing parts. I just prefer the higher spindle speed since that is what I am used to. The mk3a also has a power crossfeed and it was something I didn't even know existed until I bought the mk3a.

I wish I only paid $450 for mine, but in the midwest, machine tools are usually more expensive than on either coast. When you posted the price, I figured (correctly) that is was on one of the coasts.

If you buy this, either post more pictures of it or email them to me. I've always wondered what the motor mount looks like for this. Mine has a homemade mount that looks like a 4 year old cut it out with a torch.

Mike

[rusmannx]

can you ballpark the length, width, height of this machine? what about weight? i'm trying to figure out how you would even move something like this.

[BrassBuilder]

Originally Posted by rusmannx can you ballpark the length, width, height of this machine? what about weight? i'm trying to figure out how you would even move something like this.

I'm out of town this weekend, but I will measure it up once I get back home. From what I remember, the lathe weighs about 600 pounds. I got mine down in my basement. It took me and two other guys to get it down there and back on the stand. I took off the motor and the tailstock to lighten load the little.
Mike

[rusmannx]

Originally Posted by BrassBuilder I'm out of town this weekend, but I will measure it up once I get back home. From what I remember, the lathe weighs about 600 pounds. I got mine down in my basement. It took me and two other guys to get it down there and back on the stand. I took off the motor and the tailstock to lighten load the little. Mike

oh that is reassuring. i thought it would weight much more than that.

EDIT: I just talked to the seller and it sounds like its in pretty rough condition. He says that it's had a hard life and basically sounds like its worn out. I guess that's a pass. Thanks for all the help Brass, I'm going to keep an eye on your threads as i'm interested in how your cnc job turns out.