# Delta 46-612 Lathe



## jomarra (Nov 7, 2012)

Any thoughts, good or bad? Thanks


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

All depends on condition and price.


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## jomarra (Nov 7, 2012)

Like new condition, early 90's machine


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

Got pics? That always helps


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## jomarra (Nov 7, 2012)

*photo*


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## jomarra (Nov 7, 2012)

*photo*


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

thats a nice big machine
how much they askingh for it?


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## fboyles (Nov 7, 2012)

Sure hope that's local. I would hate to see what shipping would cost. But it does look like a lathe that I would love to have in my shop.


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## jomarra (Nov 7, 2012)

The RPM is 340 - 3200. Is 340 to fast on the low end to turn bowls?


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

jomarra said:


> The RPM is 340 - 3200. Is 340 to fast on the low end to turn bowls?


340 low end is pretty good


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

jomarra said:


> The RPM is 340 - 3200. Is 340 to fast on the low end to turn bowls?


It depends on the size of the bowl and how out of round the blank is.

This machine certainly has the weight to minimize vibration, but I would not want to start a bowl blank at 340 rpm.


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## jomarra (Nov 7, 2012)

Wonder if I could change a the pulley?


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## jomarra (Nov 7, 2012)

Or get a slower motor?


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

Dave Paine said:


> It depends on the size of the bowl and how out of round the blank is.
> 
> This machine certainly has the weight to minimize vibration, but I would not want to start a bowl blank at 340 rpm.


Dave how slow does your lathe go?
mine is about 250 rpm and alot of the time i can speed it up some on a bad out of round blank
i would have thought 340 would not have been to fast on such a heavy lathe


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Is this manual belt change on a pulley with several settings, or a Reeves drive for speed control?


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

robert421960 said:


> Dave how slow does your lathe go?
> mine is about 250 rpm and alot of the time i can speed it up some on a bad out of round blank
> i would have thought 340 would not have been to fast on such a heavy lathe


My lathe goes down to 100 rom. I will try a blank at 250 rpm which is my lowest programmed setting. If it feels too out of balance I will slow down.

I am likely more conservative than others, just my own learning/comfort curve.

For a 4in bowl, I would be comfortable at 340 rpm, but larger blanks, I am not yet comfortable starting fast.

I have a 12in diam platter and even though this is only 2in thick, I was surprised at how much vibration this caused when initially roughing. I had cut this close to round on the bandsaw.


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## jomarra (Nov 7, 2012)

Dave Paine said:


> Is this manual belt change on a pulley with several settings, or a Reeves drive for speed control?


Variable speed pulley.


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## bticif2981 (Nov 12, 2014)

*Delta 46-612 lathe*

I recently took over a workshop and inherited a delta 46-612 lathe and it is very loud and makes squeling noises. Also the lever to adjust the speed does not work that well. Can someone please help me


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## Syd Sellers (Feb 2, 2013)

I drove from Alberta to Kentucky to pick up one of these.....Man what a lathe!!! All you need to do is keep the Drive slides well lubricated and you have one of the best. I changed mine to a 46-613 which is just a motor change to 3 Phase then added VFD now I go from 0 rpm up to over 3200 RPM and I get enough power to drill 3" holes into end grain as fast as you want to go... This one looks new as compared to mine...


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## Syd Sellers (Feb 2, 2013)

The one item that seems to be lost from these lathes is the Gap Block. It's a block that fits into the Gap in the bed so the bed goes all the way to the headstock when you want to do smaller spindle work.
Anybody seen one??? I had to make mine.


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