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Cute Little Watchmakers Lathes

rivett608

Diamond
Joined
Oct 25, 2002
Location
Kansas City, Mo.
Here are a couple of 18th century Watchmakers turns which are simple little lathes. These would have been held in a vise and powered by a little bow. In some cases the bows cord would have been wrapped around the work being turned as it was held between centers.

I am not real sure how the one with the 'barrel" was used....... all I know is they are really cute! Also note the nice thumb screws and engraving edging the Tee-rest of the older one....

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How the *heck* did they make those thumbscrews?!

All I can think of, is they were roughed out using square stock, the shank turned
and threaded. Then the upper portion heated, and split partway down, and then
the wing shapes forged while hot.

Truly a work of art.
 
Jim, I think those thumbscrews are forged. If I were making some I would start with some flat stock and draw a tenon on the end to become the shoulder and the screw; cut it off the bar and turn it around to hold the tenon in the tongs; flatten and spread the flat bar; finish by cutting out the wings and rounding up the tenon.

Now that I think about it a little, I'd use almost the same process if I had to to them cold. It's just a little more saw work.

Edited to add that those are some cool pictures, thanks for sharing. I had not realized how tiny those things are.
 
Tiny? Hold your hand up to the display showing Rivett608's thumb!

The whole bed is only about THREE INCHES long, if I'm doing my proportions correctly.

Why are modern thumbscrews just sooooo artless and dead when compared to these?

Thanks for posting these.

JRR
 
G'day Rivett608, Beautiful lathes, but I'm coming in late, and I've got a big PhotoBucket banner across all the photos. Is it possible to see the photos without it? I have several sets of watchmaker's turns, (I'm learning historical watchmaking), and am always on the lookout for different ways these tools were employed.
Thanks
Duncan
 








 
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