Another old one "saved" - but now where do I put it?

Found on Craigslist (They're out there) and a three hour each way drive to go get it.

Lathe & Morse Maker. A virtual clone of my 1860ish Shepard, Lathe & Co. Lathe already occupying shop room.

Lathe & Morse Tool Co. - History | VintageMachinery.org Date range by the name seems from 1864 to 1871.

Will be kept "whole" but needs attention and tooling. The single chuck you see is all there was, missing the cross-slide weight, missing various other tooling.

Some parts are intact on this lathe which are broken on the SL&Co. Machine. So it's nice to have a pattern.

But, the wife is talking about an addition for HER lathe, er, sewing room.

Joe in NH

Nice machine.

A little investigation:

The tapers on both headstock and tailstock are Morse Taper No. 2 (The earlier SL&Co parts are identical but some off standard taper.)

The headstock spindle of the SL&Co. lathe had been "holed" for insertion of a rod to extract the center - the headstock spindle of this one is not "holed" and appears virgin.

The tailstock quill when removed shows on the innermost flat surface "1866 - 45" which I take to mean the 45th lathe made in 1866. We'll see if the 45 is repeated on any other parts as I get there.

And now I have to check the SL&Co. lathe to see if it has a similar marking - I've never looked.

By the time this lathe was made by Lathe & Morse, the shop was sizable - like 50 people?

I'm having a little trouble getting the headstock taper arbor out - the former owner(s) seemingly used a Morse Center, cut the end off, welded a circle and mounted the small chuck to that. So I have something to pull against or "tap" against. But there is a fair amount of rust and I expect the center-arbor is rusted in place. Working with PB Blaster/tap-tap-tap as we speak.

Funny, in many ways this later lathe is actually in BETTER condition than the earlier SL&Co. machine - less broken parts, and what remains is generally less worn. This one shows someone "cared" about it until late in its service life. It probably was outside less than 5 years.

The SL&Co. lathe was originally painted green bed with red highlights, and the legs inside web/cross stretcher sort of "tan" with the leg verticals in the same green as the bed.

This Lathe & Morse Maker was originally all green, including the bed, with a black band around the lower moulding of the bed. Not much paint left here though.

I bought this as parts, or possibly "yard art" - but I can see this is worth more than that.

A fool and his available shop space are soon parted...

Joe in NH

Steel Mezzanines and Work Platforms | Panel Built

and the underneath area can now sport a small travelling bridge (underslung) crane.....

I know what you mean about "room"....My shop has machines all the way around and the wife has her own cottage for her sewing and crafts....Now we BOTH are at a loss for room.. Too much stuff? NEVER.. lol.. Cheers; Ramsay 1

That looks to be the same as my Lathe & Morse. Mine is an 18" swing with 3MT centers. The top of my tailstock is stamped with a 66 and a 7.

enginebill said:

That looks to be the same as my Lathe & Morse. Mine is an 18" swing with 3MT centers. The top of my tailstock is stamped with a 66 and a 7.

Click to expand...

Check your tailstock spindle on the surface facing the ball-crank. I would guess your number as 1866 year and No. 7 of that year.

Mine one would be the next smaller size. About 15" swing.

I just checked the same numbering spot on the SL&Co. lathe - it shows 4 - 23, which MAY mean 1864, No. 23. Hard to know on this one since the possible year digit is singular and not adjacent/inline with a sequence number. It is VERY possible that only two years separate the two lathes since they are obvious "peas in a pod."

Funny, a Lathe & Morse Tool Co. lathe of my former ownership was about 16" swing - and had ways slightly wider than either of these two. Obviously "new & improved" over the L&M maker production previously.

The LMTC lathe was verified as 1874 (came out of a woolen mill in Haverhill, MA and bought as original equipment for the mill.) Had "more modern" legs (!) incorporated a "reverse tumbler" in the headstock, and had a more conventional apron than the L&M Maker of my OP.

It also was a lot less ornate, was originally painted a sort of Turquoise/Blue - and now resides with a buyer Sampson who hails from down Nova Scotia, POQ. But it too was a "weighted lathe" which by 1874 was not passe - but passing away certainly.

Joe in NH

Joe, the tailstock spindle of my lathe is only stamped with a 7, no date.

Nice job on saving another from the scrap pile destiny.

The gentleman who sold me the lathe reports that he has found the counterweight hidden in the leaves below where the lathe had sat for the last five years.

This is good. I sent him pix of a few more items that might be connected with "this" lathe. Steady-Rest, tail stock nuts wrench (which on the originals is hand-forged), and change gears.

Long way to go back for a weight - but maybe we can set something up with my son who looks for excuse to drive his truck.

Joe K

Joe, I could use some pictures of the carriage weight also how it hangs on the carriage. Mine does not have one and with the crossmembers in the center of the bed, I didn't think it used one.

I would agree on your thought. The lathe hangs on a hook which is attached to the T part of the carriage. If there are "obstructions" - then a weight was not used.

Anyway, below find the two pix of the weight. These the seller sent to me.

The weight is cast iron and has a SERIOUS affinity for the ground. Probably 75 or 100 lbs.

Your lathe may be of the ilk where you have an actual "dovetail" on the top of saddle/carriage.

I have pix of this on your lathe. See the third pix.

Looking at your lathe I think you have "gibs" on the saddle/carriage. No rise & fall. This was done on "larger" lathes which I think your L&M Maker qualifies.

There is a Lathe & Morse possibly 18" but maybe more likely 24" over in front of a machine shop in Maine. Not a far drive from here. This one is a "gibbed" lathe also - no rise & fall. 4th pix. (Thanks Humphrey Machine) I like the "dovetail slots" on the saddle for bolting things down for machining.

Joe in NH

Yes, no room for that weight on my lathe. It has been a while since I looked at my lathe and I thought it was gibbed but when you said yours was weighted, I second guessed myself. The lathe in your 4th pic looks like a cylinder boring lathe, I have a Betts that is very similar. It never had a cross slide, just T slots in the carriage.