Back in 1968 when I was 14 years old I worked for a friend's father who owned a machine shop! His name was Bert Lewis.

He had a lathe that had a 72" throw YES! 72"s!!!

He told me that there was a job out for bids and he'd figured that from what the work would provide he could buy the lathe to do the work and still turn a little profit! He'd then have the lathe for future jobs and turn more profit!!

He said he submitted his bid and was told that the job was his so he purchased the lathe only to be told later that the job was given to someone else!!

I only saw him use that lathe once and I was scared to death! He was turning down the pivots of the hydraulic cylinders from a Caterpillar Dozer. Those huge rams were spinning and he was just calmly standing on the platform working away!

While he didn't get the job he was later able to use it for other project! I doubt that the lathe ever paid for itself but it did on occasion provide income for Bert!

When I look back and remember Bert telling me about how he had acquired that huge lathe I think that what impressed me was that he didn't sound 'Bitter' he was telling me the history of the lathe!: