Bught an interesting 1944 Monarch lathe 16x54

This is a 16 (16 inch real swing) by 54 inch Monarch lathe.

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What is interesting about it is that it has very little wear. So little, in fact, that I could not discern any significant amount of wear. Bedways near the chuck look just like bedways near the tailstock. So does the cross-slide bed.

In addition, it is pretty loaded with tooling, tailstock, steady rest,

3 jaw chuck, collet set with collet closer, etc. I also bought a 4 jaw on the same auction. And, it also has a complete taper attachment.

I have not 100% decided, but I may keep this one for us and sell my Clausing, which is a much lesser lathe.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus11086
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Monarchs are tough. What do you mean by "real swing"? Diameter clear of the bed, or clear of the saddle? Or something else?

FWIW, the Brits measure lathe swing by radius, so it's half of our measure.

Reply to
Ed Huntress

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Also, the paint usually gets chipped off the front right corner of the headstock, from just regular use and banging it with tools over the years. And on this one, it is only a little bit chipped. Same for the carriage.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus11086

The data plate says "Swing 14 inches, actual 16 inches"

Reply to
Ignoramus11086

Why not keep both? Something you evidently didnt look real hard at..is the top speed of the (very nice) Monarch. It has what...a 500 or 1000 rpm top speed? 1500?

Try cutting something thats .250 with it before you toss the Clausing.

Just a heads up......

Gunner

Reply to
Gunner Asch

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Its been repainted sometime in its life span. Nicely..but tis a repaint. It may have been rebuilt at least once.

Reply to
Gunner Asch

Hmm. I'm curious about what they mean by that. Maybe they mean that a cutting tool can cut 7 inches from center. Or maybe not.

Anyway, the capacity is nice for a home shop. The mass of the machine might be a little hefty. Monarchs were well-regarded production machines.

Reply to
Ed Huntress

I only want to have one lathe, not too worried that once in a great while I spend extra time turning something.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus11086

It is for my work, I no longer have a home shop.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus11086

I have a similar Monarch, a series 61 that's one or two generations newer than yours, which appears to be a CK. Top speed on mine is 900 RPM, yours is probably 450-500 RPM. For my uses, I'd feel quite limited if I had only the Monarch. BTW, the nameplate on mine says

13", but it'll swing nearly 17".
Reply to
Ned Simmons

So the big question is...will you be turning big stuff more than little stuff? Or will you turn something that the Monarch can run once in a decade?

So what was the top speed of that sweet old Monarch again?

Reply to
Gunner Asch

Blink blink....why the hell not? You now live at the business????

Reply to
Gunner Asch

All things that we turned last several months were over 1/2 inch, most were above 1 inch.

I forgot, I guess 500 RPM.

It looks just like this one:

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I actually scrapped a very similar lathe a year ago, that one was worn to death. The compound slide from it, I sold 4 minutes after I listed it for $250.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus11086

Well, it is my business, so why should I have two shops?

Reply to
Ignoramus11086

Your wife must be very happy :)

Reply to
Pete C.

Yes, now the mess in the garage is her fault

Reply to
Ignoramus11086

You'll probably also get a rather poor finish at such low speeds with such small workpieces.

However -- perhaps get something like a 9" South Bend for the smaller stuff (what RPM can you expect from that?). But I know that if I got a 16" (and had somewhere to put it), I would still keep the

12" Clausing, and the little Taig, and the Compact-5/CNC. Each has its resons for existing. I would also keep the Unimat SL-1000, except that it got damaged in the fire. :-(

Enjoy, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

Oh..it IS a very nice lathe! Im really sure of that..and I myself would love to have it!! Not that Id have a lot of use for it...unfortunately..but it is a dream machine for somebody.

And as you mentioned the max RPM is 500 rpm...that gonna be a problem for you with carbide insert tooling and parts under 1"

Im sure you can make room for the both of them. Its too nice a lathe to sell off..you are not likely to get all that much for it..even as nice as it is...but it will do you good duty on your bigger work.

Gunner

Reply to
Gunner Asch

One for work..and one for hobby stuff in the evening. Or do you build model airplanes, stuff for the house, etc etc..when the mood strikes you, you get in the truck and drive how many miles to the shop?

Reply to
Gunner Asch

I thought Wifey said "Get that shit outta my garage, Ig!"

Reply to
Larry Jaques

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