Hendey 16x54

[Doug H]

Just closed the deal on a Hendey 16x54 lathe. It looks a little rough in areas, but in others, it is amazingly clean. I had/have some major reservations about closing the deal without seeing the machine under power, but it simply was not possible to do so. I did take care to inspect/verify everything possible. The first thing I noted was the ways look absolutely pristine. I assume they are hardened, but I found no tags to say so like I am accustomed to seeing on machines. I could literally find not a single scratch, scrape or ding along the entire length. The apron seems tight, the feed and cross slide clutches engage with authority, as do the split nuts. I examined the split nuts as well as I could with a mirror and a light and they have lots of life left in them. The lead screw has no appreciable wear, tho I am sure it isn't perfect either. The cross slide has very little backlash, probably less that 10 degrees of rotation. Not perfect, but far better than what I am working with now.

The spindle clutch engages with authority, and the brake sort of works, depending on what gear the headstock is in. Not sure how effective it was when new. I know some are better than others.

I shifted the headstock into every gear, and turned the belts by hand. Not a perfect solution, but the best I could manage at the time. Took a look in the gearbox and examined the gears that I could see. The interior of the headstock was painted a light?offwhite color, and there was no discoloration or corrosion visible and the oil looked clean and clear.
I tightened a machined bar into the chuck, and ran the tailstock up to it with a dead center, and checked for runout next to the chuck and at various locations along the length. even with the wretched looking 3 jaw that was mounted, runout was 2-3 thousandths, and there is no guarantee that the bar I found was perfectly true, so it looks pretty good to me.

Will be making another trip to inspect the headstock gears before money exchanges hands, but I will have to do a considerable amount of cleaning before I do, to keep from contaminating the oil. Is there anything else to be aware of or inspect closely that I might not be aware of?

 

[johnoder]

Just closed the deal on a Hendey 16x54 lathe. It looks a little rough in areas, but in others, it is amazingly clean. I had/have some major reservations about closing the deal without seeing the machine under power, but it simply was not possible to do so. I did take care to inspect/verify everything possible. The first thing I noted was the ways look absolutely pristine. I assume they are hardened, but I found no tags to say so like I am accustomed to seeing on machines. I could literally find not a single scratch, scrape or ding along the entire length. The apron seems tight, the feed and cross slide clutches engage with authority, as do the split nuts. I examined the split nuts as well as I could with a mirror and a light and they have lots of life left in them. The lead screw has no appreciable wear, tho I am sure it isn't perfect either. The cross slide has very little backlash, probably less that 10 degrees of rotation. Not perfect, but far better than what I am working with now.

The spindle clutch engages with authority, and the brake sort of works, depending on what gear the headstock is in. Not sure how effective it was when new. I know some are better than others.

I shifted the headstock into every gear, and turned the belts by hand. Not a perfect solution, but the best I could manage at the time. Took a look in the gearbox and examined the gears that I could see. The interior of the headstock was painted a light?offwhite color, and there was no discoloration or corrosion visible and the oil looked clean and clear.
I tightened a machined bar into the chuck, and ran the tailstock up to it with a dead center, and checked for runout next to the chuck and at various locations along the length. even with the wretched looking 3 jaw that was mounted, runout was 2-3 thousandths, and there is no guarantee that the bar I found was perfectly true, so it looks pretty good to me.

Will be making another trip to inspect the headstock gears before money exchanges hands, but I will have to do a considerable amount of cleaning before I do, to keep from contaminating the oil. Is there anything else to be aware of or inspect closely that I might not be aware of?

Its an 18 speed from early fifties. Here is a "manual" that addresses both 12 and 18 speed

http://pounceatron.dreamhosters.com/docs/hendey/1940-Hendey-Op-Man.pdf

 

[kduffy]

I have had an 18x54 for nearing 30 years. Good running machine and works as well and as hard as any Monarch or Lodge and Shipley I have run in similar size.

 

[Doug H]

Its an 18 speed from early fifties. Here is a "manual" that addresses both 12 and 18 speed

http://pounceatron.dreamhosters.com/docs/hendey/1940-Hendey-Op-Man.pdf

Thanks. I had already downloaded and studied the manual before I closed the deal. I had done quite a bit of studying up on Hendey lathes in the past, when considering an old tie-bar. I would have loved to have it but there is no way I could fit it in the shop. The 16X54 will fit, but I will have to do some rearranging, and put my Logan up for sale.

 

[old_dave]

I see its serial number is 38465H1441. It's my understanding that the "H" in the serial number indicates the bed was hardened. More details will probably be forthcoming from hendyman.

Looks like a nice machine.

David

 

[Froneck]

SN indicates it was a 1952 vintage Hendey. Probably has Hard ways. Hendeyman can give you the best info on the lathe. I curently have 4 Hendeys, great lathes, easy to operate. I did have a 5th. a 16" Hendey but sold it to make room for a New C model P&W 16". Other than the lead screw reverse able to operate at any spindle speed including 1000rpm I like running the Hendey better. I suggest you look for a micrometer carriage stop, I use them all the time and have 2 for each machine. Before you start cleaning and painting check the lead screw reverse to see if it will stay engaged in both right and left direction, if it disengages it will ruin any threading even if your using the clock I see attached. It's an easy fix but the headstock must be removed to get at the drive mechanism. If you intend to do any metric threading it must work because the clock will not.

 

[Doug H]

SN indicates it was a 1952 vintage Hendey. Probably has Hard ways. Hendeyman can give you the best info on the lathe. I curently have 4 Hendeys, great lathes, easy to operate. I did have a 5th. a 16" Hendey but sold it to make room for a New C model P&W 16". Other than the lead screw reverse able to operate at any spindle speed including 1000rpm I like running the Hendey better. I suggest you look for a micrometer carriage stop, I use them all the time and have 2 for each machine. Before you start cleaning and painting check the lead screw reverse to see if it will stay engaged in both right and left direction, if it disengages it will ruin any threading even if your using the clock I see attached. It's an easy fix but the headstock must be removed to get at the drive mechanism. If you intend to do any metric threading it must work because the clock will not.

Thanks for the heads up about the lead screw reverse. Obviously, without testing it under power and under a load, I can't be sure, but I was at least able to verify that it engages in either direction while turning the spindle.

 

[mmarquette]

That’s a nice machine . Nice size/ length. Not to heavy . And hard ways . Love the 18 speed too. Got a 12/30 18 speed and a 24/60 12 speed . Niether have good or hard ways but I make do

 

[Peroni]

Dough you're going to love that machine! I have a 1953 version of the exact same lathe, right down to the USAF tags and speed range. Not a mark on the ways, everything tight just the way it left the factory. It gets used daily here and is a fantastic lathe. Glad to see you got it and it didn't end up as scrap or sent off to a 3rd world country to die a slow death as many unsold HGR machines do.

 

[Doug H]

Dough you're going to love that machine! I have a 1953 version of the exact same lathe, right down to the USAF tags and speed range. Not a mark on the ways, everything tight just the way it left the factory. It gets used daily here and is a fantastic lathe. Glad to see you got it and it didn't end up as scrap or sent off to a 3rd world country to die a slow death as many unsold HGR machines do.

Yeah, I have been watching closely for something like it, and it had only been on the floor for a day before I got out to see it. Had looked at a few others including a Reed-Prentice and a P&W Model C, but they were just all used up with wear that I was not willing to overlook on the ways. I had expected the same with this one, and was pleasantly surprised to find it in such good condition, particularly considering the listed price. I try to get to HGR a couple of times a month, and pretty much watch all the new arrivals, and have just been shocked at how random the pricing can be. It is nice when the pricing discrepancies come out in your favor. I went by on Friday to talk to Chris and give it a good lookover, including the tests I mentioned being able to run. as far as checking the runout and such. Don't know how I am gong to fit it in the garage/shop with a mill, surface grinder, and a couple of other essentials taking up floor space. Might just have to build a new shop if I keep this up.

Since you have the same machine, have you ever ran into issues with the low top speed. In truth, I hardly turn my Logan faster than that so I probably won't notice, but that seemed to be the one compromise that I will have to learn to work around.

Also, Is that a D1-6 or a D1-8 spindle. I didn't take the time to measure it when I was there, because I assumed it was a 6, but further reflection convinced me that I might have been mistaken.

 

[johnoder]

Also, Is that a D1-6 or a D1-8 spindle

The smaller ... and the older 12 (like my 1950) had the D1-5"

 

[Peroni]

Since you have the same machine, have you ever ran into issues with the low top speed. In truth, I hardly turn my Logan faster than that so I probably won't notice, but that seemed to be the one compromise that I will have to learn to work around.

Also, Is that a D1-6 or a D1-8 spindle. I didn't take the time to measure it when I was there, because I assumed it was a 6, but further reflection convinced me that I might have been mistaken.

I immediately changed the pulley on the motor to get the higher speed range that tops out at 1000rpm. Very glad I did as I end up using the top 3 speeds quite often.

Spindle is a D1-6

 

[Froneck]

Thanks for the heads up about the lead screw reverse. Obviously, without testing it under power and under a load, I can't be sure, but I was at least able to verify that it engages in either direction while turning the spindle.

I understand it was not testable because the lathe was not under power. But before you do any clean-up and painting I would be sure the lead screw reverse works! The "clutch" faces can easily be re-machined but it will require lifting the headstock off the ways. Read the owners manual and Do Not use lead screw reverse at speeds above recommended! When using the feed also do not use above listed speeds when the lead screw reverse lever to engage the lead screw since Hendey uses the lead screw as the feed rod unlike other top makers that use a separate rod. When I need to change direction or engage the feed if the leads screw in in neutral I operate the spindle clutch, allow the spindle to drop below recommended speed and shift the feed reverse lever so that the slow speed will allow the lead screw reverse clutch to engage and rotate the lead screw before engaging the spindle clutch. That is one of the few engineering flaws in a Hendey lathe! Amother is the screw driver slot in the bolt attaching the carriage to the apron on the left side of the cross slide ways. It will trap ships and eventually score the ways.