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Clausing 5914 Variable Speed Lathe on Seattle CL

Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2017 10:14 pm
by Glenn Brooks
Not my machine, however looks like it's in pretty nice condition. If anyone is looking for a quality machine, this may be the one. Longview, Wa is north of Portland on I-5 maybe an hour by car, sort of along the Colombia River.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/search/t ... y=clausing
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Re: Clausing 5914 Variable Speed Lathe on Seattle CL

Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2017 6:24 am
by GlennW
It looks like it has just been re-painted using rattle cans.

Look at the gray over spray on the plywood it is sitting on and the splotchy overall finish.

Also no wear or marks on any of the painted surfaces.

It's a trap for Steve.

Re: Clausing 5914 Variable Speed Lathe on Seattle CL

Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2017 7:48 am
by SteveHGraham
BACK OFF! IT'S MINE!

Re: Clausing 5914 Variable Speed Lathe on Seattle CL

Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2017 8:17 am
by spro
Sure but also notice the wide saddle is parked right over the bed wear area. Total coincidence :)

Re: Clausing 5914 Variable Speed Lathe on Seattle CL

Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2017 3:52 pm
by Harold_V
spro wrote:Sure but also notice the wide saddle is parked right over the bed wear area. Total coincidence :)
That may not be an issue, as those machines have flame hardened beds. Wear may be minimal, at worst.

H

Re: Clausing 5914 Variable Speed Lathe on Seattle CL

Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2017 5:00 pm
by SteveHGraham
You can't go wrong with a Clausing.

Re: Clausing 5914 Variable Speed Lathe on Seattle CL

Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 1:30 am
by Harold_V
SteveHGraham wrote:You can't go wrong with a Clausing.
Heh!
Well, that all depends.
I've related this story before, but it's worth telling again.
The last job I held before starting my commercial shop was back in '67. I was with that shop (United Precision, in Salt Lake City, Utah) for 18 months. For about a year of that time, I chose to operate the sister to that machine, on which I performed some very precise work, often with a tolerance of less than a thou. I chose it because it had collets, a six jaw, and a spindle speed of 2,000 rpm, which was important, as the vast majority of the work was quite small, which was my specialty.

The machine I ran had been badly abused, rarely operated on a regular basis---it rarely got wiped and oiled, and was stiff to operate. In spite of that, by carefully wiping and oiling on a regular basis, within a few days it was free, and the way oil stayed clean with use. Because the bed ways are hardened, there was virtually no wear, in spite of the abuse.

So then, don't judge all Clausings by one with which a bad experience resulted. They were a decent machine for the price, and were capable of acceptable work, assuming one ran them within their design capabilities.

H

Re: Clausing 5914 Variable Speed Lathe on Seattle CL

Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 10:32 am
by SteveM
GlennW wrote:It looks like it has just been re-painted using rattle cans.
Look at the gray over spray on the plywood it is sitting on and the splotchy overall finish.
It looks like the base was painted with rattle cans, but if you look, they did a proper job of removing all the tags first, so I wouldn't throw it under the bus just yet.

Steve

Re: Clausing 5914 Variable Speed Lathe on Seattle CL

Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 4:36 pm
by spro
Of course I wouldn't dismiss it. Those hardened ways happened because of the earlier experiences with Clausing Colchester. Remarkable tough lathes but those tremendous beds didn't have hardened ways...back then. Something else goes on here which ties to clean bedways and proper oil.
In many cases the saddle is not as wide. In most cases the saddle surfaces are not hardened at all. They wear.

Re: Clausing 5914 Variable Speed Lathe on Seattle CL

Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 1:55 am
by Harold_V
spro wrote:In most cases the saddle surfaces are not hardened at all. They wear.
Indeed, but with very different results. So long as the carriage bears on the ways uniformly, the wear doesn't create issues the way it would if it was the same amount on the bed ways. Center height remains a constant, unlike wear of the ways.

H