Another unknown lathe

Anyone recognize this one? It was picked up at a garage sale for $25 (not by me, unfortunately)

I think it's a Barnes. The headstock straps threw me off

Barnes for sure. They are nice lathes.

Barnes...also agreed...

Barnes 4-1/2 to be precise.

You may find a "4-1/2" in raised letters at the left hand end of the lower bed flange just below the left hand headstock bearing. One of my 4-1/2s has a number here, the other doesn't.

Commonly sold as a benchtop unit, the benchtop legs are in some demand due to other full height floor stand lathes being robbed of their full height legs to make, er, "elegant" tables for the historically unknowning (and uncaring.)

Of course when used as a benchtop unit, the lathe could be driven by an overhead countershaft (early trend) or by a separate electrically driven counter with an appropriately sized step pulley (smaller for the electric counter)

I see it may have the latter drive version, but if you're limited to a single plain drive pulley, I can give you the step sizes from my original electric motor pulley setup so you can turn a maple wood pulley for full speed complement.

For most common metal turning, the large gear would be used in the position of the lead screw. As you see the lathe, it was being used to cut a screw thread with the large gear as "idler" and the appropriate change gears on spindle and lead screw. Be careful of that large gear when placed on the lead screw as they're frequently broken when the lathe is inadvertently dropped when being carried by a single individual (a strong person CAN pick it up in its entirety and move it from the bench top) - and nobody is making a like original replacement.

Joe in NH

Bleargh, definately a 4 1/2... I want that center rest =D My 4 1/2 is gorgeously restored, with all sorts of original options, full velocipede, all change gears, wood turning options, v center, drill plate, original and optional compound crossslides etc... but I still dont have a 4 1/2 steady rest, just one for my #5 (and I plan on selling that whole lathe, as well as 1 and a half 4 1/2s) later this summer when I get around to taking photos =P

They're nice lathes, but if you want to actually use it, one of the first things I'd do is stick the original tool post in a box and get yourself a rocker tool post. The original ones dont have any height adjustment, and werent designed for using tool holders, but instead for using straight steel cutters without holders.

Some years ago I found a Barnes lathe with tall legs in a local junkyard for $100.00,in pretty good shape. All there except for the extra change gears. I posted it here and Irby Jones went there and got it.