Replies

1. 
   dgreen | Mar 05, 2009 11:21pm | #1

   I think the older one is a Rockwell 46-450 VS from the 70's. The variable speed and massive construction would push me towards that one. Is it missing the handwheel on the tailstock?

    

    

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   Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.
   ~ Denis Diderot

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Mar 06, 2009 05:28am | #2

   Go with age.  The mass really helps with a lathe.  I have the Heavy Study lathe very much like the one in your picture--though without the fresh paint.  In their day these were really top of the line beasts.  And, the moving parts--bearings, and even the arbor are replacable if there should be wear.  My HD Lathe managed a 35" diameter outboard turning. 

   By the way, the threads were the same as now on most Delta 1 x8, and there are many available accessories, some threaded 1 x8 LH and RH (simultaneously) for either inboard and outboard use. 

   Edited 3/5/2009 9:29 pm ET by SteveSchoene

1. 
   dgreen | Mar 06, 2009 05:38am | #3

   You're preaching to the choir again. 

    

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   Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.~ Denis Diderot

2. 
   SteveSchoene | Mar 06, 2009 06:14am | #4

   My comment should have been addressed to Quickstep.   I still think OLD is good.  (My Unisaw is a 1946 model.)

1. 
   dgreen | Mar 06, 2009 06:38am | #5

   I still think you are preaching to the choir. My recommendation to quickstep was the OLD one.

   Tee many martoonis tonight Steve? 

    

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   Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.~ Denis Diderot

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Mar 06, 2009 05:10pm | #6

   Yes, my recommendation was the old one too,  twice,  seconding your excellent judgement in the matter. 

3. 
   KeithNewton | Mar 07, 2009 02:40am | #7

   OK Quicky. I will settle the argument above. I choose the Old Lathe.

   However, you gave no information about how you plan to use it. If you plan to pick it up and take it outside to turn small pens or something, we may all be wrong. But if you ever plan to turn some bowls or hollow-forms, you will want the extra weight, and spread of the bearings, when you put a big out of balance blank on there.

4. 
   Thorvald | Mar 07, 2009 05:42am | #8

   If one more opinion is worth anything, I have to say -- as I've said before -- go for the weight.  My oft repeated view is that I'd bolt my lathe bed to a large block of concrete if I had the opportunity.  And, it isn't just for big pieces; every little bit of mass you can add is a plus even in small work. 

   Verne

   If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to cut it up and make something with it . . . what a waste!