Prentice Bros Co Lathe

blcksmth · Feb 28, 2012

I am in the process assembling a small line shaft driven machine shop that was donated to the Wood County Historical Society in Bowling Green, Ohio. It is in the blacksmith shop at the Wood County Museum.
Wood Co Historical Center & Museum

The lathe is a Prentice Bros from Worchester, Mass. It will probably swing 16" with about 30" between centers. There is also a cast tag with Strong, Carlisle & Hammond Machinery Suppliers of Cleveland, Ohio. There is a tag riveted to the headstock frame with number 1107. I don't know if this is a serial number or a property number tag. It also has a milling attachment with it.
It came from a small garage machine shop in Toledo, Ohio. There is also a floor standing drill press. It was powered by an electric motor but I had hoped to power this with a small steam engine but that will limit operating times to when the boiler for the oil drilling rig is fired so I am leaning to a gas engine. My goal is to have things rotating by June 9-10 for the Wood County Heritage Days festival.
I would be interested in any information on the lathe from members on this site.
Thank You.

Bob
WB8NQW

Sachmanram · Feb 28, 2012

Hello Bob,

I can't give you any info on your lathe, but if you are able to post some pics of the lathe, it would help immensely for others to chime in and discuss your lathe. I, for one, would love to see pics of the lathe as well as any other machines and setups that you have in your shop.

Brian

doc · Feb 28, 2012

Bob ,,,,,i have a prentice bros lathe that swings 15 in , i have tentatively dated at circa 1892 ...it is built somewhat lighter than my circa 1895 FEReed ..& considerably more so than my 14 in ( swings 15 ) Monarch A , circa 1018.......in 1912 prentice bros & FE Reed became Reed Prentice ,so yours wud predate that ....post some pics & maybe we can possible come up w/ a date
doc n8as
PS .IIRC no serial # , maybe a lot #....

Jim Christie · Feb 28, 2012

A Sample inspector's Report for a Prentice Bros. Lathe from 1900 shown here.
International Library of Technology
Gives an Idea of the accuracy expected when they were new .
You can scroll up a few pages to read more about a typical lathe assembly .
Regards,
Jim

99Panhard · Feb 29, 2012

From your description, I would guess that your P Bros lathe is very similar to mine. If you do a search on "Prentice Bros." you may find the thread where I adjusted the spindle bearings.
In any case, if you post some pictures there a quite a few people here that know those machines. Prentice Bros was a large maker of "middle-grade" lathes and drill presses.

blcksmth · Feb 29, 2012

Next time I am at the museum I will get some photos.

doc · Feb 29, 2012

memory is faulty .....my 15in prentice has no serial # that i have found & also no lot # found
docn8as

blcksmth · Mar 3, 2012

Prentice Bros Lathe

Here are 5 photos of the Prentice Lathe. I also have a photo of the reversing shaft above the lathe but the max is 5.

blcksmth · Mar 3, 2012

Prentice Bros Lathe

This is the reversing clutch shaft above the lathe. Still a lot more work to do.

Bob
WB8NQW

blcksmth · Mar 7, 2012

The photos are now up.

Bob
WB8NQW

blcksmth · Mar 8, 2012

Now I need to determine the range of spindle speeds so I can choose pulley sizes and line shaft speeds. The lathe will never be seriously used but I would like to be in the ball park for historic accuracy. I don't know if the milling attachment alters the recommended speed range or not.

Bob
WB8NQW

Joe in NH · Mar 8, 2012

200 or 250 RPM for the countershaft is usually about right. You can do some measuring and arithmetic and determine the 8 speeds resulting and throw them out here for comment.

To say "this ain't rocket science" does the subject no insult. Even in the day, if the shop was powered by waterpower (or even steam) there would be considerable variation in line shaft speed. We forget in our modern era what a remarkable thing a shaft or machine tool that turns at CONSTANT speed is. Before 1900 that would have been the exception rather than the rule. One of the legacies of 60hz grid power.

Joe

blcksmth · Jun 5, 2012

I have made some progress on this project - now ready for a power source. I will post a photo as soon as I figure out how I did it the first time.

carl baumgardt · May 19, 2018

Hi nice to meet you my name is Carl I have. A PB 16 in 7 ft bed duse your lathe have doors for the change gear cabinet can I see a picture please

Joe in NH · May 19, 2018

Um. I'm not seeing a "cabinet" Carl. And on Blcksmiths pix I don't see a "gear cover" either (if that is what you mean.)

Hmm. Is the "stretcher" on the left hand leg a door where the gears are kept?

There is another Prentice Bro. lathe on Ebay currently. A nice rig, well kept, and paint in a scheme matches yours - at first I thought this might be you.

See 1899 PRENTICE BROS. MAKERS VINTAGE METAL LATHE 15 INCH SWING X 42 INCH CENTERS | eBay

While it lasts and for reference. I have no stake in this other than the similarity.

I'll bring a pix up for permanence below.

Joe in NH

Ed Hobbs · May 20, 2018

Here is a link to a video on a line shaft we installed at the Tobacco Farm Life Museum in Kenly NC that we use to drive an old lathe. As I remember, line shaft speed was about 150 rpm's as all we wanted to do was show it run and the pulley sizes worked out.

One thing about line shafts is they will "speak to you" if you try to run them too fast or they are not in alignment. Check everything carefully before start up. Lube and she will be very nice to you.
Looks like great progress.

Installing and Operating a Traditional Line Shaft - YouTube

Thanks Ed

Robert Lang · May 20, 2018

Joe in NH said:
Um. I'm not seeing a "cabinet" Carl. And on Blcksmiths pix I don't see a "gear cover" either (if that is what you mean.)

Hmm. Is the "stretcher" on the left hand leg a door where the gears are kept?

Joe in NH

I think what Carl is talking about are the doors on both legs used to store the gears and other items.
The ebay one Joe posted has them. It looks like blcksmth's lathe has them. I can see the hinges on the headstock leg.

Rob

Prentice Bros Co Lathe

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