Dating a Sidney 15 Lathe

M

MaxfaxIII

Plastic

Joined

Jan 6, 2022

• Jan 6, 2022

• #1

My father got a new to him lathe today to compliment the 15" Sidney he's had for 50 some years.. It brought up the question of, just how old is the Sidney... With some digging around the web I found that since the tag reads "The Sidney Tool Co." versus "The Sidney Machine Tool Co." it would pre pre 1918. The stampings on the end of the bed past the tail stock are "Lot 225" and "Inspected" followed with 2701 which I assume is the serial number.. We do know that it originally came out of service from Standard Steel in Burnham PA.. At some point it had a speed control gear box and electric motor mounted to it..

 

johnoder

Diamond

Joined

Jul 16, 2004

Location

Houston, TX USA

• Jan 6, 2022

• #2

Early on those numbers were "shop" numbers, like here.

I'll suppose this is definitely teens since by 1930 the number was up to 5500

 

M

MaxfaxIII

Plastic

Joined

Jan 6, 2022

• Jan 6, 2022

• #3

I had been looking all over the thing for a tag such as your picture. I had stumbled across an obscure link that led me to find that number stamped on the bed, and they had made mention something about not using the serial, or rather shop number tags till late teens to early 20's.. The gear box, made by Drive All, appears to be a couple decades newer.. I would gather this originally had the the varying sized flat belt pullies mounted above it and connected to a line shaft?

 

9

99Panhard

Stainless

Joined

Feb 22, 2006

Location

Smithfield, Rhode Island

• Jan 6, 2022

• #4

It's practically identical to mine excepting the length of the bed. I'll check the number tomorrow but I've always guessed it was made around the end of WWI.

 

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M

MaxfaxIII

Plastic

Joined

Jan 6, 2022

• Jan 6, 2022

• #5

A friend of mine out in Detroit has one that is the spitting image of yours, he figured his to be about a 1941 model .. His is similar to mine other than the length and it has an actual number tag that reads "Sidney Machine Tool Company.. And it wasn't slathered in green paint at some point.. It was so nice when they could build something that worked and not change it every 5 years..

 

3

3v0

Plastic

Joined

Oct 18, 2017

Location

Oklahoma Panhandle USA

• Jan 7, 2022

• #6

Mine is similar to all the above.
It has the T slots on the cross slide.
Maybe a factory QCGB. The lead screw is one section that goes through the QCGB. Not installed in this image.
The top cone pulleys are installed on a tower. A very short line shaft.

 

J

jlegge

Stainless

Joined

Oct 7, 2004

Location

Grayslake, IL

• Jan 7, 2022

• #7

johnoder said:

Early on those numbers were "shop" numbers, like here.

I'll suppose this is definitely teens since by 1930 the number was up to 5500

View attachment 338835

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I would guess from the teens. Monarch Machine and Sidney has a lot of comingling of managers early on. Monarch used a system of lot numbers and machine numbers. They rolled over their 3 digit lot numbers at least 3 times. I suspect that Sidney used the same system until they went to serial numbers. Sidney start building lathes before Monarch and both companies built a lot of cone head lathes during WWI.

John

 

M

MaxfaxIII

Plastic

Joined

Jan 6, 2022

• Jan 7, 2022

• #8

From my reading I it seems that Sidney didn't make metal lathes till sometime in the teens. Some sources say early, some say late teens.
I'm no machinist so forgive my lack of the proper terminology.. I'm guessing the 4 jaw chuck was adapted to this one at one point. The original slotted face plate has always been with it here, be we never used it..

 

9

99Panhard

Stainless

Joined

Feb 22, 2006

Location

Smithfield, Rhode Island

• Jan 7, 2022

• #9

This is the serial number on mine.It's a little newer than yours.
I seriously doubt they were making this obsolete design machine as late as 1941. By the 1920s it was already pretty much out of date.

 

cyanidekid

Titanium

Joined

Jun 4, 2016

Location

Brooklyn NYC

• Jan 7, 2022

• #10

"DATING A SIDNEY 15 LATHE"

don't you know its impolite to ask a date how old they are?

 

M

MaxfaxIII

Plastic

Joined

Jan 6, 2022

• Jan 7, 2022

• #11

cyanidekid said:

"DATING A SIDNEY 15 LATHE"

don't you know its impolite to ask a date how old they are?

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So I guess I shouldn't bring up that she's got a little slop, but nothing too bad for the age...

 

C

ClappedOutBport

Cast Iron

Joined

Mar 30, 2016

• Jan 12, 2022

• #12

Interesting how though they changed pretty much everything else, the compound on my WWII Sidney is the same.

 

F

Flatbroke

Plastic

Joined

Feb 4, 2022

• Feb 4, 2022

• #13

The basics of you lathe are very similar to one I am trying to date. I can’t find any model or serial numbers anywhere and not for a lack of trying. Interesting yours had a speed control. This one still has the Turner Uni-Drive model 304. Has 4 speeds from 208-321-410-633. I believe this is a 17” with a 10’ bed. It does have the thread plate, which states “The Sidney Machine Tool Co.

 

C

ClappedOutBport

Cast Iron

Joined

Mar 30, 2016

• Feb 4, 2022

• #14

Unless the bed has been chopped off, serial number should be on the bed at the end between the V and flat way.

 

F

Flatbroke

Plastic

Joined

Feb 4, 2022

• Feb 5, 2022

• #15

Sidney

ClappedOutBport said:

Unless the bed has been chopped off, serial number should be on the bed at the end between the V and flat way.

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Thank you sir. I will take a look come Monday. Really appreciate the help!