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Calling monarch model A owners

rusty old tools

Hot Rolled
Joined
Jun 13, 2010
Location
Pomona CA USA
Well I'll be ringing in the new year with a new old lathe, after much effort on this rainy day I managed to get this machine home, without getting it too wet!

I've found little information on it so far, and it seems to have some interesting features, a two speed back gear? Feed reverse on the apron, plus a feed reversing gear box, and the fairly standard reversing tumbler on the end gears! Seems a bit redundant but ok, there's a plunger on the apron that disengages the rack pinion, I'm assuming for threading? I recall reading somewhere that these were equipped with automatic stops? Not sure about that but this machine does not seem so equipped, though perhaps I'm missing something. It came with a ton of tooling, some of which is still back at the lady's house from whom I acquired this beautiful piece of iron. Everything seems in excellent condition for a lathe of this vintage, still see scraping on much of the bed which is always nice.

I'm asking for any info I can get with regards to these machines, their features and their quirks, pics are always nice. Johnoder posted a scan in another thread of an early manual/parts list which I believe is incomplete though a handy resource to have.

Here are some photos of the machine as it now sits in my shop.

image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg

While I wasn't looking for another lathe, I could not possibly pass up this one, it cost exactly $0.00 and my boss helped me move it over to my shop, so I know a few obligatory "you sucks" are in order.
 
Hey Rusty: Congrats on the "new" lathe. Uh, maybe you can do something with the pics, too small and far away. Looks like this is a good New Year for you. Best wishes.

JH
 
image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgI'm not sure what to do about the pictures, I just uploaded and posted from my iPhone, but I went on my laptop and checked and your right, they were not nearly the quality of size I was expecting, it must be something in the forum upload settings? I'm not sure if I can change it or not, perhaps someone can guide me?

I noticed that what I thought was a reversing gear on the lead and feed screws I found in cleaning and playing with the machine is actually a selector to change from power feed to threading, which makes more sense, that must leaves a feed reverse on the headstock and on the apron, more typical such as on a leblond. The plunger to disengage the rack pinion though it still a bit of a mystery to me as to what it's intended purpose was. I have tomorrow and Monday off to explore the machine and assess it so I'm sure I will discover more in the process. I was looking in the gear box and thought there was one missing, probably removed due to damage, then I looked at the numbers on the box, imagine my suppise!
 
The photo size problem is on your end as your photos look to be in the 17 kb size. Pm will take up to 139 kb and may resize that. 100 to 70 kb are a good size for uploading.
Congrats on the accessories! That is a bonus score. You suck!
John
 
the rack disengagement feature is nice to have when threading and reduces the tendency for the carriage to "lurch" as the handwheel falls over center on that final cleanup pass.

Nice score!!
 
The photo size problem is on your end as your photos look to be in the 17 kb size. Pm will take up to 139 kb and may resize that. 100 to 70 kb are a good size for uploading.
Congrats on the accessories! That is a bonus score. You suck!
John

John,
I'm not 100% sure about that. A few months ago I've decided that it is worthless to upload pictures and I'm now hosting them on my website (I, know, I will have to make sure the addressed don't change in order to remain visible, that's the reason I don't rely on any web-hosting service).
Since several months, uploading a picture properly sized for viewing (i.e. 800-1200x4-700 pixels) resulted in a tiny post stamp. Not to speak about the software not recognizing rotation information from most digital cameras.

Paolo
 
After some cleaning I found the lot number, tail end of the bed on the front flat tail stock way.

Inspected by K
Lot no. A755
Machine no. 8 between the front v and flat ways there is also stamped "40"

Anyone know when it was made? Best I've determined so far in my research is 1916-1924, would monarch possibly still have records on a machine this old? I've yet to look up the dealer to see if they're still in business, if so I'll contact them and see if they have any records.

Thanks John for posting the scan again, I have it saved on my phone for future reference, I was hoping I might find some sales literature on these but so far have little other than a couple of 1 or 2 page ads in some of the old machinist publications.

I've yet to be able to solve the photo problem, but I posted a video last night to YouTube showing the lathe, so here's that for now.

16" monarch model A finally comes home, a new old lathe for the new year! - YouTube
 
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Mine looks closest to the 1919 but still a few differences, the apron hand wheel, and the selector next to the gear box that changes from threads to feeds is not shown in the 1919 cut, there are several more differences from mine in the 1917 cut, lack of the cabinet leg, the gear guards, lacking feed/thread selector the tail stock binding lever and apron hand wheels are different styles from mine, so I think it's safe to say that it's at least after 1917 and probably after 1919.

The machinery dealer who at one point sold the lathe looks to still be in business, which is supprising, the website says they were founded in 1937 so the machine was at least 13 years old when they resold it, I'll be contacting them later today (if they're not closed for the holiday) to see if they have any record of when the machine was sold, who it came from, and who it went to. I called monarch and their office is not open until tomorrow.
 
I hope that we can revive this thread.

I recently purchased a Monarch Model A and I am doing a few "repairs". I have done one small project on it and it seems to be in reasonably decent condition.

I think it is has a 14 inch swing. It is 10 feet overall. It has a Turner Uni-Drive 4 speed gear box on the spindle drive.

I have been playing with the various controls to learn how the unit works (no manual available.

I can't find a lot of information about the operation and or rebuild of this fun new toy. Hopefully others will join in with more information.

Jim
 
I want to do a bit of documenting, but I need to test uploading of photos. If this works, this photo shows the Model A on the trailer waiting to be unloaded.

Ready to unload.jpg

Update: well that seemed to work. I will add more detail in the next few days.

Jim
 
Our former 1919 Monarch geared head A. Parked out in the shed pending it being sold on, September 1982. Morse silent chain drive. As a small child in the early seventies the induction/repulsion motor on this would scare the daylights out of me when it started up with a ring of blue fire, ripping sound of calico, and smell of ozone. In fact I suspect the old man would wait until I was passing by and flip the switch on just for the hell of it! Later on when I was twelve or so I started running it. It was very, very worn!
 

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Monarch Model A owner here... I would love to see more activity and information on this subject.
I have only had mine a few months and I am trying to restore it. If anyone is following this thread and is intrested I can post pictures. I would love to have other owners to talk to about it.
 








 
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