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Doc's Machine- the Mad Scientist of Paintball
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Saving a 1943 Springfield Engine Lathe, Part 25:

Springfield Lathe

Most parts on this build needed little more than cleaning and a fresh coat of paint.
The headstock cover simply needed stripping and cleaning...

Springfield Lathe

A thin wash of Bondo to smooth out the casting a bit...

Springfield Lathe

And paint. Done!

Springfield Lathe

To save time, I'd spread out as many parts as possible for a wash/strip/rinse cycle,
even if I wasn't able to get to painting it all right away.

Springfield Lathe

The big belt cover casting was cleaned and sanded...

Springfield Lathe

And once cleaned, the little tag that had so much paint on it I'd thought it was part
of the casting, turned out to be a separate riveted copper label.

Springfield Lathe

I popped it off, cleaned it and under it, and tried to smooth and straighten it as best I could.

Springfield Lathe

And to reinstall it, in leiu of the original rivets, I've been tapping the holes to 4-40, and
replacing them with tiny 3/16" long button-head stainless allen screws.

Springfield Lathe

Then the motor cover- which I suspect may be a replacement, although based only on the somewhat rough
edges seen when I stripped the old paint off. That and the fact I'm kind of surprised the upper belt cover is
a huge iron casting, but this lower plate is just sheetmetal. I've been wondering if the stock plate wasn't
iron, and broken at some point, or had gone missing like the compound did.

Springfield Lathe

The rather simple upper mounts for the heavy belt cover, whidh still need to be painted...

Springfield Lathe

And the cover plate for the clutch adjustment:

Springfield Lathe

Again, more paint stripper, a bit of sanding, and a couple more screws.

Springfield Lathe

And installed.

Springfield Lathe

The inner dust cover plates had been held on by a motley collection of five or six different types and
lengths of bolts, many of which were bent, partially stripped or rounded, so I picked up some new
1/4"-20 wide-flange screws and replaced 'em all.

Springfield Lathe

And ta-daa! Now she's starting to look like a real lathe again. :) The QCGB is
still empty and just set there to get it out of the way, but we're getting there.


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Information contained in these pages is for reference and entertainment purposes only.  Our methods are not always the best,
quickest, safest, or even the correct ones. It's up to you to know how to use your own machines and tools.
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