01-06-2013, 08:38 AM
(10-20-2012, 09:46 AM)wrustle Wrote: We discussed the TL-1 a little more in detail, and he explained to me how he eventually got interested in a Cnc lathe and took the plunge in acquiring one. He continued to talk as we walked to another section of the shop and stopping to pause for added emphasis in his tale, he asked if I would interested in buying this, and pointed to the machine next to us.
To be continued................
So to continue where I left off..........
There she sat..........not the prettiest one I had ever seen, but attractive nonetheless.
Despite her tired and worn look, I could see her true beauty under the piles of oily chips and razor sharp stringy strands of unbroken turnings,....and I was excited!
Now to the layman that may sound perverse, but us machinists know that feeling, and I had it now, and I wanted her then! And in that brief moment, I imagined my hands grasping at her handles and levers, pushing all the right buttons to bring her to life and she would sing to me beautiful harmonics as hot chips showered down around our naked intertwined bodies.........WAIT A MINUTE!!!!.......HOLD ON!!!!......WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING????.............ok.....so I guess it was perverse.........
As I stated.......I was excited..........
Snapping out of my semi-erotic state of mind, I quickly realized how this machine would improve my life and my business.
Firing up the machine was a simple press of the green button on the headstock. As she whirred to life the soft green glow inside the depressed "ON" button signified she was indeed under power.
A large lever on top of the head was pushed to the left and the spindle began turning. He gave me a quick demonstration of all the handles and levers to show all was in working order, and asked if I was interested in buying her.
"Are you frigging joking? Of course I am interested!!", is what I was thinking to myself........but I simply inquired, "How much?"
"Well", he replied, looking away from me and staring at the machine as if in doubt he really wanted to follow through with this. "How about $1,500.00, and I'll throw in all the collets and tooling that goes with it?"
Not wanting to seem foolish, and desperate, I waited for at least a quarter of a second and proclaimed, "I'll take it!"
With smiles from both and a good hearty handshake the deal was done!
I was now the proud new owner of a Warner & Swasey #3 Turret Lathe!
Man was I excited!!.........and yet in that moment, dread crept in......like a cold wintry breeze into a nice warm house when the outside door is left open for just a tad too long.............how the hell am I going to get this monster into my basement?
To be continued...................