New Lathe

[Curt Fuller]

After 3+ years of turning on the Ridgid WL1200 I finally bit the bullet this afternoon and bought a new lathe. Well actually an old lathe, but a very sweet old lathe. I'll pick it up this weekend when I can hustle up the manpower to get it into the back of my truck, back out of my truck and into my garage. I've got to do a little wiring to get 220 to where I need it, move a few things around to make it fit, and get a new insert for my chuck and some MT2 accessories. Then I have a feeling I'm going to have to re-learn to turn with a machine that isn't doing the shimmy shimmy shake across the floor. I won't need to wear roller skates to keep up with it anymore.

It's a 1954 Oliver 159. 14" swing, 5 foot bed. About 450 lbs of good old American iron. It's all original except for new bearings, new paint and 1.5 hp 220 single phase motor.

I've tried a lot of different lathes in the last few months but I turned on this one at my turning club meeting and I just couldn't find anything as smooth and solid. Clead Christensen rebuilt it and I happened to bug him about selling it at just the right time when he was trying to come up with a way to convince his wife to let him buy a 16' (yes that's feet) Oliver pattern lathe that he wanted for his business. I'm pretty excited about it, if you can't tell yet.

I'll post pictures when it gets to the garage. Until then here's an Oliver file picture.

[Mark Cothren]

That is sweet, Curt!!!! Looks great! Congrats!

[John Hart]

Wow! Can't wait to see the actual pics. That is sooo cool Curt!!! Congratulations!:)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Congrats Curt on a sweet old lathe. I think that is the one I watched David Marks turn on a couple of weeks ago when he turned a bowl on his show. Looks great Curt. Enjoy.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Alright Curt, congratulations!!! Looks like a good one.

Ernie

[Travis Stinson]

Awesome Curt! Congratulations.:D

[Jim Ketron]

Congrats Curt!
Can't wait to see what you make with it!

[Andy Hoyt]

Far Out!!!

[Corey Hallagan]

Wow, congrats. I think Bernie is right, one of Davids 2 or three lathes!

Corey

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Great!!

I'd love to fine a nice old lathe like that!

Cheers!

[Jeff Horton]

I love old iron! Thats even cooler than my old j-line lathe. You gonna love it.

[Dick Parr]

Congrats Curt, from what I have heard you are going to enjoy yourself. Can't wait to see the pictures.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hey Curt, the WL 1200 is essentially the same as the old Craftsman I recently got....... right?

Any "Extra" bits you would not mind parting with for a reasonable price? :D

Face plates, chucks, adaptors...? shorter tool rests...?

:D

Cheers!

[Keith Burns]

Great gloat Curt, I know you will enjoy it. :) :)

[Don Orr]

Hot Dog !! Great gloat !! Hope you enjoy this for a very long time .

[Paul Douglass]

Man what fun, wish I was there to help you move it!

[Mike Ramsey]

Congratulations on the new/old lathe! Fine looking piece of Iron!

[Jeff Singleton]

Way to go Curt. I have been turning on Oliver lathes for 30 years starting in my Grandfather's pattern shop and as a patternmaker myself. Oliver are solid and usually on the heavy side. Is your's a motorhead or belt drive? You can even get the machines birth certificate from Eagle Machine if your interested. Good luck and start making sawdust.

Jeff Singleton:)

[Curt Fuller]

Got the lathe home today. My back may never be the same. With it he threw in a couple face plates, a couple drive spurs and tail centers, it has 2 banjos and a 36" tool rest that sits in both banjos (for those extra long stemmed goblets), a 12 tool rest, and a 4" tool rest. I need to get a new insert for my chuck. It has a 1 1/8 x 8 tpi spindle which is a little different than the more modern lathes. I've sent off e-mails to Oneway and Craft Supplies to see if they can fix me up. Oneway lists one on their web site but it says R/L thread and I'm not sure if you have to specify which or if the insert is cross threaded to fit either. As soon as I get some kilowatts flowing to it I'm going to try some spindle and face plate work while I wait for the chuck insert.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Yep, that is a major gloat......

Paint me GREEN with envy! :D

[Corey Hallagan]

That is sweet Curt and looks very fine! Congrats!

Corey

[Shannon Johnson]

SWEET! I have an Oliver Table saw, and if that's any indication of how nice that lathe is, you should be a VERY happy fella! Congratulations!