here's one way to do it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-Watch-Jewelr...item23042cca0d

or just search eBay for "Peerless lathe". Item #150393899533

headstock replaced by some sort of piston. LOL

I own a book I purchased years ago from Lindsay I think. Explains how to build a vertical mill from mill stock (mostly). I think it was called the Ramah mill. He had you slicing a truck piston across it's width, then drilling the hole for the spindle (or maybe that came first), filing everything nice and flush, then bolting it back together, or some nonsense. But the dude on eBay bypassed most of that. It seems.

Something tells me this is a popular way of replacing a headstock. In some regions anyhoo.

Quibble: A Peerless is not a WW type lathe.

I too saw that thing and was amazed. At least the Borel base is worth $25, so the starting price + s&h is OK. Marshall (Peerless) serial numbered their headstock, tailstock and bed because they were hand fitted and not able to mix and match. Thus a Peerless bed and tailstock are not much use without the matching headstock.

And to complete the story, American Watch Tool Co. Webster-Whitcomb (the real WW) lathes only have a serial number on the headstock because you can mix and match the headstock, tailstock and bed.

Larry

Hey... it may be worth the price for the entertainment value of the thing?

I think in the that old Popular Mechanics book about building your own power tools there was one that used pistons......

That brought back memories - I once saw a 10" ish polisher - wirebrush - grinder in an old blacksmiths shop that used old CI pistons as bearings with built in support, 3HP motor.

Apparently it had run over 15years on the original pistons.
''oh yeah'' said a sceptical and green Sami,..the old timer tapped the side of his nose and took the cover off one of the pistons.

The inside was filled with cotton waste and oil,....... as near as no play in the bearings either - red face time

That old timer knew a thing or two,.......... strapped for cash after the war, he'd used his skill and knowledge......... though he had the grace to admit that when he built it, he told himself ''it would do until something better turned up''