Age of Boley lathe?

JST · Aug 25, 2007

Would it be fair to say that a G Boley watchmaker's lathe that says only "Germany" as the country of origin would have to be substantially pre-war?

Obviously post-war would likely have "W Germany" on it. I think that was pretty universal.

But I wonder if it can be additionally dated as pre-Nazi from the lack of any added adjectives before or after the word "Germany"?

Not a big issue, but a matter of curiosity. I went to the UK site, but information is sparse. It should be a "1A" type, that's about all I got from it.

I just picked up one in decent shape (worn plating in some areas) with a toolbox full of stuff, tools, watch parts, etc. 40 or so WW collets, brass wax faceplates, wheel chucks, drills reamers, etc. Have not yet classified the stuff as "fits lathe" or not. I'll probably have a few questions later.

JST · Aug 27, 2007

any thoughts?

Toolroomclassics · Aug 28, 2007

Maybe these guys can help:

antique watchmaking machinery

Lorch site (with lots of manuals)

Uhrmachermaschinen (=watchmaking machinery)

Regards,

Gerrit

JST · Aug 29, 2007

Danke... aber mein Deutsch sehr schlect ist... Uhrmaschinen Seite ? Ich nicht verstehen kann. Ich hab nur ein bisschen Worter auf Deutsch. Alles vergesst.

J Grainger · Aug 29, 2007

Sounds like one of my own, marked only "Germany" with maching numbers on the main parts.

The first thing I wondered was it's age, before "I wonder how easy it will be to take appart".

Sorry I can't be of any help but I'm glad you've raised the question.

J Grainger

L Vanice · Aug 29, 2007

I have five G. Boley WW pattern watch lathes that I judge to be post-war and pre-wall-fall. One even has the painted finish. I have a couple more that could be pre-war, based upon condition. All are stamped, "GERMANY." So I guess they did not use the "West" qualifier, for some reason. As far as I know, country of origin labeling is required on all imports by the US government, and I suspect a simple "Germany" would not have been sufficient before the wall-fall. Maybe the packaging had the West part on it. I have never seen a G. Boley lathe new in the box.

Larry

JST · Aug 30, 2007

What are the numbers?

This one has the "G Boley" in a half-round shape (others seem to be straight), with the number 7607 under that, and "Germany" below the number.

Maybe it isn't as old as I think. However, condition makes me suspect it is at least back to the 50's, if not pre-war. it is in good condition, but has plating worn off. possibly that could be from use over a shorter time. but the spindle etc do not seem worn to any significant degree.

As far as taking it apart, I removed the removable parts for cleaning up the various parts, but have not investigated dis-assembling the bits.

The clamping levers don't seem to want to come apart, so it's just as well that they don't need to.

Probably you would have to push up against a spring, but I am leaving well enough alone. I'll have enough trouble making it a cross-slide and pivot polisher, assuming the seller does not find them around anywhere (he is looking, and has found some more stuff).

J Grainger · Aug 30, 2007

disassembly is easier than it sounds really..

The clamping levers are cam locks, the exposed part with the lever should pull out with some turning and a bit of pressure on the claming part.

The spindle should have plain cone bearings with the back one adjusted with a split nut which will be very accessible, (not hidden away). The rear bearing should slide off but certainly on mine.. having that kind of less than shiney look to it, took a few hits to the spindle with a leather faced hammer, after applying a liberal amount of penetrating oil.
The pulley should have a grub screw in one of the grooves, possibly with a locking screw (it's been a while).

I'm not sure whether your bearings will be steel or bronze but the steel bearings work nicely with sewing machine oil.

You might tbe able to find an ariticle on the BHI website under hits and tips.

I'll be able to post a picture of my own lathe when I get home and I'll check the numbers if I have time - the lathe being kept elsewhere.

J Grainger

J Grainger · Aug 30, 2007

Just put it on photobucket, luckily I'm the kind of guy that keeps pictures of lathes on his phone as I didnt have chance to go and look for the numbers or take more pictures,

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b243/beautgrainger147/BoleyWW.Lathe.jpg

Here is a link to the article on the BHI website..

BHI article on adjusting watchmakers lathe bearings

J Grainger

L Vanice · Sep 3, 2007

OK, for what it may be worth, here are the numbers from my G. Boley watch lathes. All of my Boley lathes are copies of the American Watch Tool Co. (Waltham, MA) Webster-Whitcomb lathe. Boley called them WW style lathes in their catalog. G. Boley also made copies of the Moseley (Elgin, IL) watch lathes, but not recently. The name and number is found on the right hand end of the bed. None of my Boleys have serial numbers on the headstock or tailstock. The late 20th century watch tool catalogs often listed Boley tailstocks for sale by themselves. The implication is that they are perfectly interchangeable, as were the original AWT WW tailstocks.

</font>

Arranged in estimated order of age

Ser. No. Remarks
680........E under curved name; Oldest looking
1976.......E under curved name
3306.......G.Boley is stamped in a straight line starting with this one
10424
12157
12510
13523
19585
19774
20339......Boley on headstock; Nickel plate; new looking
8179.......Boley on headstock; Nickel plate; metal pulley; new looking
9045.......Boley on headstock; Hammertone paint; metal pulley; Newest looking</font>

The E under the curved G. Boley on the oldest two may stand for the name of the town where they were made, Esslingen. Those two could easily be pre-1941 or even pre-1914. I cannot explain the apparent break in the numbering system on the two newest lathes. But I conclude that the oldest ones have the E under the curved G. Boley name and the newest ones have the Boley name on the headstock. The very newest ones also have metal pulleys.

Boley is now owned by Citizen Watch of Japan, by the way. The name is now Citizen Machinery & Boley GmbH. I don't know if they still make the WW lathes and collets.

Larry

JST · Sep 3, 2007

This one does not seem to conform to your system. The Boley name is curved, but there is no "E". There is no name on the headstock, only on the bed.

BTW, the picture makes it look like a rustbucket...... it isn't, although some plating is worn off.

JST · Sep 6, 2007

One reason I am curious about this one is the "double strike" you can see on the "7" in the number.

It seems so "un-German" to allow that to get out of the factory. It made me wonder if it was the German equivalent to a "war finish" machine. However, I very much doubt that, as I can't see such a machine having "Germany" marked on it. It seems obviously an export.

And, Germans might have still preferred the traditional style with the headstock on the right, and a round bed.

Did the serial numbers get put on AFTER the units got over here?

jik · Jun 4, 2020

I've just acquired a 4ZP lathe so I would be I interested to know more about its history.. It's a screwcutting lathe, with a set of change gears, though I wouldn't know where to start with knowing what pitches they can cut..

I am told there is a manual available, but costing £40 (and German text)
I've always been used to colchesters in the past, so this is a bit of a departure..

Limy Sami · Jun 4, 2020

FYI Leinen lathes

jim rozen · Jun 4, 2020

L Vanice said:
O
9045.......Boley on headstock; Hammertone paint; metal pulley; Newest looking
Larry

Ooh. That's mine at work. Bought new from the Manhattan Supply Company about 35 years ago. Which went
on to become MSC.

True story: I could buy all the parts (headstock, slide rest, tailstock) from them on expense money, but evidently either they, or Boley, would not
sell the *bed* to me. Not available. So one of the shop modelmakers actually made a bed for me, to fit the rest.

JST · Jun 5, 2020

Limy Sami said:
FYI Leinen lathes

Yes, that, of course. But those are not the types that the OP (me) has.

Better to look here for "Boley" as opposed to "Boley & Leinen". Boley lathes

And better still here: Boley watchmakers' lathes for the 1A type.

Interesting thing there is mention made that "all known Boley" lathes have a bed diameter of 19-20 mm.

Mine has a bed diameter of 45 mm, but is stamped "G Boley" and "Germany"

JMP8562 · Jun 10, 2020

First Post Hello all, How can you tell the Model number of Boley Lathe

JMP8562 · Dec 17, 2023

JMP8562 said:
First Post Hello all, How can you tell the Model number of Boley Lathe View attachment 291328 View attachment 291329 View attachment 291330

Wanted to revive the question, Just Pulled it out again and Hoping to get some information about the Lathe

JST · Dec 17, 2023

No idea.

But the lathe in the original post may be an East German "copy". The botched stamping apparently is typical of E German units.

Dunno, don't particularly care. It makes good parts, and it has since been outfitted with a crosslide assy, probably made by Wolf Jahn.

Trenzel · Mar 7, 2024

JMP8562 said:
First Post Hello all, How can you tell the Model number of Boley Lathe

Hello! I think it is Boley Lathe № 2b (a longer version of the 2a). You can see № 2a on this page: http://www.lathes.co.uk/boley/page3.html
And this (scroll down to the "Boley Model 2HN 65 mm centre height...": http://www.lathes.co.uk/boleycapstan/
And a longer version of 2a on this page (look on the lathe bed): http://www.lathes.co.uk/boley/page7.html

I have the same one:

Age of Boley lathe?

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Cast Iron

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Plastic

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