antique lathe?

maka_ca · Feb 3, 2019

Hello
It is my first day here.
Could you help me identify the lathe? Producer or year? or any information?
I bought it couple days ago. Unusual thing. It is 3' long. The chuck about 3" and welded to the back plate. The tail stock base is broken and pieces missed. The bull gear badly damaged and a bracket from back gears is missed.
Not sure why i took it. Maybe it was cheap. I have no an answer.
More detailed pictures old lathe - Google Photos
Thank you
Maxim

Sorry for my English it is my second language.

m-lud · Feb 3, 2019

I can't identify it but if you have all the pieces of the tailstock base you may be able to repair it. Welcome

Metal-Masher · Feb 3, 2019

Bienvenue-

That is a great looking lathe. It looks very old, maybe late 1800's or early 1900's. Have fun with it!

kitno455 · Feb 4, 2019

It is a beautiful old lathe, please do not strip the paint, it may be original.

allan

maka_ca · Feb 4, 2019

I have a quarter of the tailstock rest is lost, but it helps me understand how it was located on the ways and how adjusted. But i still do not understand how to lock to the bed.
Thank you

maka_ca · Feb 4, 2019

I am not sure about it is original paint. At the back side under green paint i can see kind of a sticker. Now i am confused - sandblaster/ paint steeper/ wire wheel/ ultrasonic bath.

m-lud · Feb 4, 2019

The tailstock would have had a bar/clamp that went across the underside of the ways that was attached by a long bolt up through the tailstock. When you want to lock the tailstock you would tighten a nut on the tailstock that would pull the clamp up against the bottom of the ways clamping the tailstock in place.
Most other lathe's are similar to hold and lock the tailstock. Look at a South Bend and copy that method of attachment.

Google electrolosis for rust removal. It's fairly easy.

cncFireman · Feb 4, 2019

Based on the features it may be a 1860s-1880s or so lathe. Hard to say for certain. It has some basic lathe features that will make identification of the builder likely impossible if there are no markings. Nice lathe. Can be repaired don't scrap it.

Jim Christie · Feb 5, 2019

That’s an interesting little lathe.
Somehow I think I have seen a sketch of a lathe similar to this one in an old magazine or catalogue on archive.org or the Hathi Trust Library but can’t think of where I saw it.
The short feet under the bed are a little different than I remember seeing on many small lathes and the spindle bearing caps look similar to some I have seen on larger lathes.
If you are located in southern Ontario there is an off chance that maybe it was something that was made by one of the local machine builders like MacDougall in Galt or McKenzie in Guelph. etc.
Although most of the machines I have seen from them are larger.
I’ll try and post a link if I find anything .

maka_ca · Feb 5, 2019

mllud22 said:
The tailstock would have had Look at a South Bend and copy that method of attachment.

Google electrolosis for rust removal. It's fairly easy.

You are right - i have SB9A i will check on it. BTW do you know how check serial number of SB lathe
I know what is electrolysis - i did clean a gas tank on my vintage yamaha, but i do not have so big container.
Thank you

m-lud · Feb 5, 2019

maka_ca said:
You are right - i have SB9A i will check on it. BTW do you know how check serial number of SB lathe
I know what is electrolysis - i did clean a gas tank on my vintage yamaha, but i do not have so big container.
Thank you

SBL Serial Number File
I used a storage tub/container for electrolosis.with smaller parts. Old Bath tub?The SBL Workshop
There is a lot of south bend information to search through.
South Bend Lathe Works - Publication Reprints | VintageMachinery.org
There is a serial number page that south bend owners have sent to Steve wells.
If you want a detailed card showing the serial number information you can order the data card from Grizzley on your lathe. They bought south bend. It will Cost you $25.

I ordered this one for my S.B.
This is what you get. I'm not sure how old your 9a is. They only go back so many years.
You may be able to modify a S.B. or other tailstock base to fit your other old lathe. Try to match your ways.

iwananew10K · Feb 5, 2019

my iPad is all kinds of goofy right now so I can't post a link...but it sure looks like a Gardner...do a google image search for that.

m-lud · Feb 5, 2019

Credit Iwananew10k for this information about Gardner lathe

Lathe by R.Gardner & Son , Montreal Quebec.

M979.87.366 | Montreal - R. Gardner & Sons' Novelty Works on Nazareth and Brennan Streets
| Print
| Eugene Haberer | McCord Museum

Here is a previous thread.

Maka_ca
There is a south bend forum here on P.M. also for your 9a
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/south-bend-lathes/

A gardner lathe. Tailstock base looks similar. From the broken piece maka_ca has.

maka_ca · Feb 5, 2019

mllud22 said:
Credit Iwananew10k for this information about Gardner lathe

Lathe by R.Gardner & Son , Montreal Quebec.

The lathe looks identical to mine - the tailstock and pulleys.The apron and cross slide a bit different. Thank you for help

iwananew10K · Feb 6, 2019

if it is in fact Gardner do not give me credit for anything other than googling, it was Jim Christies posts that prompted me to dig deeper....still can't get the links to work, but found one that really seems to be a dead ringer, likely googling in French(OPs first language?) will net much more.

Jim Christie · Feb 6, 2019

My image searches are only turning up the larger lathes in my older thread.
I had seen pictures of another I think small Gardner lathe on line some time ago perhaps on an other forum but can’t seem to get it to turn up now.
The tail stock looks similar on the larger lathe but the barrel clamp is centred over the barrel on the larger lathe but off to the back on the one that is the subject of this thread.
Maybe you can type in the link address to a post of the image you are seeing and we can search for it that way if you can’t get the link to work.
I’m thinking that I have seen an image of a lathe very similar to that somewhere but after looking at so many old pages over the years I’m be ginning to loose track of them.
I was thinking that the lathe might also have been a shop built machine either as a school project or apprentice project in one of the larger perhaps railway shops that had apprentice programs .
I noticed this pdf document about Canadian machine tools when I was searching last night that I don’t recall seeing earlier .
See link below
It would appear that there a lot of shops that made lathes in small quantities for their own use or limited sale but by what I can see most would have been in the 16” to 24” swing size.
Regards,
Jim
https://documents.techno-science.ca...ustry-MachineToolsinCanada-1809-1960-2000.pdf

P.S.
I tried a search in French
Here is another Gardner wood lathe that I may have seen before.
LaMortaise.com - Vieux tour - LaMortaise.com - La reference en ebenisterie
Still not the one I had in mind

Sirjeffrey · May 13, 2019

Inherited antique Railway Lathe

We recently inherited an antique F. E. Reed Co Railway Lathe from Manning, Maxwell, & Moore. We believe it is worth far more than just scrap.
We are looking for someone who will embrace it as much as it’s owner. I have pictures once I figure out how to post them.

fciron · May 14, 2019

You should definitely start a new thread for your lathe. Lots of folks might click on "Help with FE Reed lathe" who will barely glance at yet another "Identify an old lathe" thread.

michiganbuck · May 14, 2019

QT :[I have a quarter of the tailstock rest is lost, but it helps me understand how it was located on the ways]

From here it looks like the clamp for the tail is the second thing on the bench, and all you need is a bolt.
The flat bar with a hole at center.

Be sure both side of the spindle are getting oil, pick clean all chips and oil everything with a drip oil can and a rag...Not a spray can of WD or the like.

Don't wire brush numbered dials.

alum100k · May 14, 2019

Lathe ID

it looks like the backplate is a drum and the chuck was welded to it. Who does that? Automotive shops. Engine lathes were at one time part of a package of equipment. Can't say for certain but Bear, Armstrong and others made lathes which were not brake lathes.

antique lathe?

Plastic

Attachments

Stainless

Plastic

Titanium

Plastic

Plastic

Stainless

Hot Rolled

Titanium

Plastic

Stainless

Diamond

Stainless

Plastic

Diamond

Titanium

Plastic

Stainless

Diamond

Cast Iron

Similar threads