Wood Light & Co lathe/CL Boston

May be a cheap one for someone to save.Wood, light & co antique railroad lathe

Hi, Thanks for posting this. I may be interested in some of this machinery. I called the seller and left a message, but have not heard back so far. Tom from Mass

Have also been in touch with the gentleman - he appears to tender offers.

I will probably pass as size-wise it's the duplicate of my Shepard, Lathe & Co. lathe.

He sent along the below photo attachment of the full lathe.

It seems to have a "rise & fall" saddle on steroids - perhaps the "railroad" part of this lathe? - It could be adapted to any custom machining work including accomondating large size? The handle for the rise & fall is missing?

The half nuts would normally appear on the back of the apron with the handle poking out from behind. Notice the empty hole in the face of the apron probably for the bolt that holds the half nut device.

Note the "railroad carriage" obscures and overhangs the apron "cutout" originally made by W,L& Co. to allow the cross feed handle to clear the apron - a Wood, Light & Co. constructional convention which seemingly only they (or slightly later Blaisdell & Wood) utilized. I would say the lathe has been modified over what might be Wood, Light & Co. design - but the modification might have been made in the WL&Co. shops for a specialized buyer (such as the railroad?)

I would date this perhaps 1860s and possibly later in that range. The flat top tailstocks were practically done by 1870 and in 1871 everyone suddenly needed a "shelf" on the backside of the tailstock (a patented convention which seemingly everyone infringed.) This lathe probably fits just between these perhaps 1869?

Here is probably NEARLY this lathe. Little different and DOES show the typical Wood, Light & Co. weighted cross slide.

Pix removed by web-owner. See woodcut below.

If anyone here steps up to this plate (the world NEEDS more 19th century machinists - Sarc.) be sure to bring us more pictures and discussion of your discoveries of this machine.

Joe in NH

Lathe back on Boston Craigslist.

Joe in NH

Lathe back on Boston Craigslist

Antique metal lathe - tools - by owner - sale

Joe in NH

Now gone.

That was quick.

Joe in NH

Now watch as it will be re listed without its legs.

cncFireman said:

Now watch as it will be re listed without its legs.

Click to expand...

It was only there for about a day. Its unlikely after a two year hiatus he would have given up on it.

My previous communication with him asked for the dimensions and a hope it was not the same as my SL&Co lathe - of which I enclosed a pix - to encourage dialog?

From the answer back it seemed he couldn't even be troubled to get out a ruler and measure swing for comparison.

So I let it slide.

Its apparent from the position in the garage that it had not moved in two years.

One can only hope that it might be saved. Wood & Light were one of the early Worcester builders.

Joe in NH

Seller apparently having trouble getting the buyer to pick this one up.

Location map shows same location mentioned earlier (Somewhat off Tupper Rd. in Sandwich, MA)

Antique metal lathe- to the guy that needs to pick it up - tools - by owner - sale

I hope buyer is not a "leg stealer" who got a little lazy - to him this may be just a "Craigslist Lathe."

Joe in NH