Rockland Metal lathe

[ryanjones2150]

Any you guys have experience with a Rockland Lathe?

I have a chance to get a 19” x 80-something gap bed for little to nothing. Supposed to be in good shape too.

Not much info on the web I’ve been able to find.

[Meltedmetal]

Don't know anything about it but for that price snap it up if you have the room.

---Meltedmetal

[tarry99]

Old Lathes are all about being able to: 1) get replacement parts 2) tooling that comes with it......like a 3 -4 jaw chuck, faceplate, collet chuck. Etc........and finally how it's powered.........single or 3 phase and HP / amps needed related to your shops circuitry...19" swing by 80" is a big hunk of Iron......Good Luck.

[ryanjones2150]

I’m going to try and get down there in the next couple of days and take a look at it. Just a few small jobs in the shop and a few others that require nice weather outside to get on, so barring anything sliding in, I should be able to get down there for an in person viewing. He also has a 16” axelson bad mammerjammer, but it’s highly unlikely I can beat him out of that machine.

[aametalmaster]

Tawaiaan or China? Prob a nice lathe...Bob

[Meltedmetal]

This might be one like it. Looks nice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGBbgcYEgEA

Some specs on this pagehttps://www.theequipmenthub.com/buy-machinery/rockland-19-27-x-85-gap-bed-engine-lathe-inchmm-3-jaw-4-jaw-chuck/

2-11/16 spindle hole can be nice.6750 lbs shipping wt. might be a challenge or not.

[ryanjones2150]

I believe that’s the machine. I’ll have to rent a machine to move that machine. The guy told me it weighs over 6000 lbs.

[Tinker Joe 2]

I have hear that they are good machines, Ryan go for it, if not better watch me been know to sneak across the border and grab one or two, get used to a big machine won't want to back to a smaller one, you can do little things on a big lathe but you cannot do big things on a little lathe, pics I demand pics, hope you get it, have fun, Joe G.

[ryanjones2150]

Thanks Joe. I wish I had taken progress pictures of my 13” south bend rebuild. It’s coming out really nice. A lot of painting, which I hate.

I was rebuilding the 9” four jaw that came with it just yesterday and found it has several cracks in it. Not sure it’s going to be a keeper or not. I don’t know enough about it to make the decision yet. One thing I know for sure, I don’t want to have to buy a new one!

[MasterKwan]

Looks like a decent lathe. Likely overkill for hobby use. Lathes.co.uk doesn't have an entry for it which suggests Asian origin. My advice it to check it carefully for wear. It could have been worked to death in some production environment to the point it won't cut true. I bring a micrometer and a 1.5" drill rod to chuck in to measure bearing wear.

Thanks Joe. I wish I had taken progress pictures of my 13” south bend rebuild. It’s coming out really nice. A lot of painting, which I hate.

I have a Logan 1955. Nice thing is you can still buy parts for them. I wish it was more robust but it works for most of the projects I do. I tend to build new parts for my cars. It's like a welder, you don't realize how many projects you can use it for till you get one. For example, if I'm welding tubing, I'll chuck it into the lathe and scotchbrite the mill slag off each end before welding.

[ryanjones2150]

I like those little Logans.

For parts on my SB, I found a guy in North Carolina that’s pretty sharp and he can make pretty much any part I need. He’s already made several parts for me. Some of the hardware on those old lathes is very specific, so it’s not like you can run down to Ace hardware and get a compound gib retaining bolt, there’s no other bolt like it, at least not anything a hardware store will have.

[Tinker Joe 2]

My 21' South Bend is coming along slow but as I take each piece off, down to the bare metal, prime, Paint and in a container until ready to go back together, that 16' bed looks a mile long when on my knees cleaning one end, the fellow that I got it from has had a stroke and can't get around at all so I am stuck with getting rid of the estate, that has turned into a full time job, I got the antique trucks sold not starting on the Antique Tractors, he is the fellow that gave me the lathe and every item that could have been bought for the lathe, the Royersford Drill Press and still in the shop in a 9" Logan, its cute,