Hi There my name is Fred and I just joined the group. I am looking at purchasing a metal lathe and came across a Dalton B-4 metal lathe that has had a restoration done. It may have been cosmetic but not quite sure yet. Url from where it can be found is as follows:
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Juts wondering if there are major wear parts that tend to need replacement (since I suppose this was manufactured about 100 years ago and whether replacement parts are available , e.g. bearings, bushings, etc.
The first question I have is : Do you mean to actually use this lathe much , or is it a conversation piece ? Some things you might not know , but maybe you do . It has poured Babbitt bearings , which can be fun when it comes time to refresh them . It's pretty small , unless you're into miniatures . Change gears , I don't see any in the pictures and without them the lathe is very limited in what you can do . No powered cross feed as far as I can tell . Power source ? This machine looks like it's driven from a line shaft with a flat belt . I'm opinionated by ownership , but I think you'd be better off looking for a South Bend or a Logan . My preference is Logan , I've had mine over 20 years and it keeps on keepin' on . The big plus for Logan is that they still have original manufacturer support . Mine is 70 years old and I can still buy parts from the mfr .
I got to hang with Snag . At least get a machine with some sort of support . Support with Logan may be a bit better , but there's a ka-zillion South Bend lathes out there to source parts from . That Dalton is sure pretty but like Sang said has babbitt bearings & it looks like a pretty short bed . I noticed the seller mentions the swing , but no mention of between centers . That real estate starts getting small when you install a chuck . Maybe that's why the chuck wasn't installed for the full view pic ? animal
The first question I have is : Do you mean to actually use this lathe much , or is it a conversation piece ? Some things you might not know , but maybe you do . It has poured Babbitt bearings , which can be fun when it comes time to refresh them . It's pretty small , unless you're into miniatures . Change gears , I don't see any in the pictures and without them the lathe is very limited in what you can do . No powered cross feed as far as I can tell . Power source ? This machine looks like it's driven from a line shaft with a flat belt . I'm opinionated by ownership , but I think you'd be better off looking for a South Bend or a Logan . My preference is Logan , I've had mine over 20 years and it keeps on keepin' on . The big plus for Logan is that they still have original manufacturer support . Mine is 70 years old and I can still buy parts from the mfr . Snag
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I'm also a big fan of half-century-old American iron but it can be hard to find and evaluate, expensive if in good condition, and parts aren't that easy to find anymore, thanks to restorers like me. Their wear and damage can be an extra complication if you are new to machining and lack experience troubleshooting problems.
Personally I'd look in the 9-10" range if you want to make custom tools and machinery and repair parts for outdoor power equipment etc, though a smaller lathe may be enough for model engines. The only common job my 10" South Bend can't handle is turning brake drums and rotors, but they are probably better being replaced instead. It was large enough to help build a sawmill and a hydraulic bucket loader for my small tractor.
Can we see reviews from owners of current production hobby-sized machines? jsw
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