Hendey lathe - finding out more

[Dockcurator]

Hello,

I am hoping someone might take pity on me and help me on my quest to find out more about this wonderful lathe.

It is part of the museum collection I look after in the UK but the entry just says 'Hendey Lathe used in the shipyard'. I am afraid these are the only images I have at the moment but I will look for a serial number soon



Any information gratefully received!

 

[Dockcurator]

It's dimensions are:

Length: 1810mm, width: 700mm, height: 1210mm

 

[M.B. Naegle]

More pictures may help. Also post the serial number, which is located between the V-ways on the far right side, between the front ways.

With the serial number, member 'hendeman' can give you the most information, as long as it isn't too old.

 

[old_dave]

See here for historical information on the Hendey lathes: http://www.lathes.co.uk/hendey/page2.html#:~:text=During the early part of,1922); the Hendey Junior

The "tie bar" style headstock was introduced in 1905 so your lathe is earlier than that. See the above reference. W.P. Norton designed one of the earliest and most successful quick change gearboxes. Wendell Phillips Norton was born a Connecticut Yankee in 1861 so I think he must have been named after the abolitionist Wendell Phillips. He lived a long life, dying in 1955.

I think sometimes "Norton" has been used as a generic term, sort of like Kleenex, for any quick change gearbox, whether it follows the Norton design or not.

David

 

[johnoder]

Hello,

I am hoping someone might take pity on me and help me on my quest to find out more about this wonderful lathe.

It is part of the museum collection I look after in the UK but the entry just says 'Hendey Lathe used in the shipyard'. I am afraid these are the only images I have at the moment but I will look for a serial number soon
View attachment 403841
View attachment 403840

Any information gratefully received!

Lack of "range" gearing means its early enough to not have that "extension" of the QC gear box. In this oldie, you were obliged to put on or take off gears.
You will notice no tie bar so common later. This means it either has "hendey" spindle bearings - or even earlier plain straight spindle bearings with removable bearing caps. There is a drawing that applies - maybe I can find it. . Here you go - the plainest of the plain

 

[MrStretch]

What is going on with that first pic?
The tailstock end is an inch or 2 higher than the headstock. Almost as weird as the upside-down peas.

 

[hendeyman]

Dockcurator:

From the limited information you posted, it would appear that your lathe is 14 inch model built 1903 or prior. Without the Serial
Number, the easiest way to determine the circa of manufacture is the location of the Top Bevel, which on your machine is the
Back Bevel. It will take a few days of research to determine when the change was made. Photographs of the front of the lathe
would be very helpful.

Hendeyman