(This image, like all the others in the Sherline 1000 area, are linked to very large, quite hi-res versions of the same picture. Just double-click to view them, but be prepared for a delay in downloading with dial-up connections. Once downloaded, your browser should shrink them to a manageable size. Use your browser's "back" button to return)
I did win item 39, described as
Sherline Horizontal Milling Machine Partswhich turned out to be a complete vertical mill with the horizontal adapter.
Bidding began on item 40, the old lathe, opening at $25.00 Well, at that price, my hand went up, followed by a bid at $35.00, whereupon I reread my catalog, saw the NO and ignored the rest of the proceedings.
Come checkout time, my total bill seemed a bit high, and upon having a look at their figures, it turned they thought I had bought the dusty Sherline lathe. I convinced them (much to their annoyance) that I had not bought lot 40, even though, at $35.00, it was surely a bargain. I was thinking that whoever DID win it would be more than a little upset to find that someone else had taken away their prize. It's happened to me before, and I didn't like it; I wasn't going to do that to someone else.
Even though I bought a whole bunch of stuff that day, I spent the rest of the weekend thinking about this old lathe. So back I went Monday morning and found .. the lathe and grinder still there. I went to the manager and told him my story, adding that I would now take the lathe. He informed that in his opinion, I did win the item, I should have taken it on Saturday, and he was a little upset that I hadn't.
Taking it home and cleaning off the grunge, I noticed for the first time the brass bed and saddle. I've seen a brass bed before, as I have an old Sherline milling attachment with brass bed. But I'd never seen a brass saddle and crosslide before. This was getting interesting.
I then turned the pulley to get a feel for what sort of wear the headstock bearings might have. It was at this time I noticed that the spindle did not seem to be turning at the same rate as the pulley. I thought that the pulley was maybe not firmly attached to the spindle, but I didn't see a setscrew anywhere. I started to take things apart and that's when I found the planetary gear arrangement. That's also when I noticed for the first time the Sherline 1000 label.
A bit of Internet investigation and questioning elicited a reply from Ron Sher himself, where he states
"If the main spindle pulley has a planetary gear system built into it, then you have a model that we only built about 100 pieces. (A collector's item)."For more of the story, see the Sherline History page.
It seems I have something of a classic. That's actually too bad, because now that I've cleaned it up, I kinda want to use it. But since it is something special, I don't want to wear it out in any way, especially since there is no wear that I can detect, on any of the sliding surfaces.
My friend Marcus suggests I turn one thing, just to say I have, and
then put it on my mantle. I think that's exactly what I'll do.
One last thing. I found out afterwards that the other bidder on the lathe (David) actually thought he'd won it when bidding concluded. I guess we'd bid more or less simultaneously and they got my bid second or missed his or something. At any rate, only once the auctioneer shouted
"Sold - $35.00 same way"
the "same way" indicating that the previous winner - me - had also won this one did David realize that he had not won it.
Last last thing. Many thanks to Craig Libuse at Sherline, who photocopied all the information he had on this machine and mailed it away to me the very next day. Fantastic service that I won't soon forget.
And now here's the pics.
Anything amiss on this web site or any comments, please let me know.
alan@sfu.ca