Looking for Info on Clausing lathe

I'm looking for information on a Clausing lathe I recently picked up pretty cheap. It's my first and I need to learn how to use and maintain the thing properly. It's a model 5320.

I haven't been able to locate any info on the 5300 series, so I'd also appreciate it if anyone knows if the 5400 or any other model is similar. I'd really love to locate a manual for the lathe, or if not, then one as close as I can get. I did try calling Clausing a few minutes ago but they were closed and their website says they don't have the stuff so I'm not holding out hope.

I do already have the atlas book from the 30's and the south bend "how to run a lathe" but I'm not sure if everything carries over. Right now I'm trying to decide what kind of oil to put in the thing, then I need to figure out how to cut 10 tpi threads.

Thanks for any help, Scott

Reply to
scottebehrens
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Hard to believe you can't get a manual from Clausing. They sell manuals for Atlas lathes from the 1930's still.

Have you tried the Yahoo group?

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I have some Clausing files at home, I'll check tonight

Reply to
Rex B

Contact Clausing - they still supply manuals at pretty nominal prices ($25 or so) and even a few parts. Google should turn up a link in short order.

DoN. Nichols has a 5300, I think, and will probably weigh in a little later this evening.

Mike

Reply to
Mike Henry

I've got a 5310 and Clausing had the manual for it. Twenty something dollars. Give them a try.

Garrett Fulton

Reply to
Garrett Fulton

Nope! it is a 5418, not a 5300 series.

A few years ago, Clausing would happily sell a photocopied manual tailored to your model number and serial number for a quite reasonable amount. They can also tell you when yours was made.

That is the best bet, overall.

If that fails (e.g. they've stopped selling manual reprints), drop me an e-mail and I'll see what I can do about a duplicate of mine

Good Luck, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

Sorry - I always get the model number of yours confused, it seems.

Still do as of a few months ago.

Reply to
Mike Henry

replying to scottebehrens, Warren Oatley wrote: If u look on ebay there are usually all the manuals for sale like 40 bucs

Reply to
Warren Oatley

replying to Rex B, Rick wrote: Hello I was wondering if you know if the 5320 can be used for woodworking or is it just a metal lathe

Reply to
Rick

replying to Mike Henry, Rick wrote: Hello I was wondering if you know if the 5320 can be used for woodworking or is it just a metal lathe

Reply to
Rick

replying to Rex B, Rick wrote: Hello I was wondering if you know if the 5320 can be used for woodworking or is it just a metal lathe

Reply to
Rick

replying to Mike Henry, Rick wrote: Hello I was wondering if you know if the 5320 can be used for woodworking or is it just a metal lathe

Reply to
Rick

Any metalworking lathe can be used to turn wood. Some don't have high enough spindle speed to do it properly, so you get some tearing of the surface.

You do need to protect the ways from the wood dust, as some woods can be corrosive.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Elson

A lathe is a lathe is a lathe whether you are turning titanium or marshmallow

Reply to
Gerry

I found cheap second-hand Morse #2 cup and spur centers to hold wood in my 10" South Bend metal lathe, though a chuck holds as well or better. The standard conical tailstock center is likely to split the wood. HSS bits cut wood easily if not very smoothly. You may have to make your own tool rest to support wood turning chisels. If the wood isn't dry the chips can discolor the exposed bare steel in minutes.

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-jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

First, I think that Rex's lathe is a lot newer than he thinks. Clausing was making the 5300-series, including the 5320, at least until the mid-'50s.

It has a roller-rearing or ball-bearing spindle, which is better for turning wood than our plain-bearing SBs, Jim. BTW, SB recommends loosening the spindle-bearing caps if you're going to turn wood with it. I never did so with mine, because I don't want to screw up its near-perfect clearnaces for metalworking.

Rex, I turn wood and other materials in my SB, and it works fine. It was once a popular machine for patternmakers, who make very accurate pieces out of wood to use in casting patterns.

As others have said, it doesn't turn fast enough to get really clean cuts in wood. I've ground some HSS tools to skew-cut wood (and cork; I've used them for turning fishing-rod grips) and they cut pretty clean, but they're limited in the geometry they'll cut.

Keep your cutting tools very sharp and just anticipate that you're going to have to do some sanding to get a good finish.

Reply to
Ed Huntress

I'd use my metal lathe to fit a wooden tool handle to a shop-made ferrule, for example, but not to make furniture. For that I would reassemble my Shopsmith.

-jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

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