FS: Dalton lathe, Lot 4 SN#119

Found this in the scrap pile of an old friend of mine, now passed. He'd started a toolmaker's apprenticeship at Pratt & Whitney and very quickly learned it wasn't for him. He was fond of his tools, though, but many of them passed through a fire or were stored in a barn for 40 years, with predictable results.

Dalton lathe Lot 4 sn 119. Missing countershaft/back gear assembly, tailstock quill lock handle, main gear cover, at minimum, most likely more.

It does have a clutched intermediate shaft with a cone pulley on it that appears to match that on the lathe's headstock. Can't quite tell if/how it is supposed to be attached to the lathe. And there's another section of lineshaft and pulleys, maybe related to the lathe, maybe not. The lineshaft items are in quite a bit better shape than the ways.

Rusty. Ways and top of tailstock quill probably have some pitting. The gears are all there, no teeth missing.

Spindle rotates, apron traverse wheel is free, crosslide and compound screws are free, cross slide is free, leadscrew is not, tailstock quill is not. I didn't force anything - the slides may or may not be easy to free.

$50 cash - if you show up here in Vershire, Vermont and take it away. I'm short on time these days, flat out with other things, so don't really want to store, retail and/or ship it, though part it out later is an option. I thought the knowledgable folks here should have a shot at it before the pagans.

Neil,
If you decide to part it out I would be interested in the compound or the entire cross slide and screw if they do not easily come apart.
spaeth

This really belongs in the antique section.

I wondered about that, but didn't find any guidance there. That'd be fine by me.

Thanks for moving it over.

At $50 for a part you say you got a hell of a doorstop for $50 - and the cross slide was thrown in for free.

Or - you part it down yourself, and advertise a $25 cone pulley and other parts. One way to get to a free cross slide.

Or - give away what remains and pat yourself on the back for "helping preserve a passing American expertise."

Its not always about the money either.

Joe in NH

Joe in NH said:

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Its not always about the money either.

Joe in NH

Click to expand...

Very true!

There's no money in this for me, by the time I count my labor. I just thought there might be an interest here, a way to honor my buddy, shame to scrap it at $40/a ton, etc, etc. I see quite a few small old machines come through the town scrap dumpster and mostly, mostly, mostly pass on 'em.

If anyone wants a Pratt and Whitney 7" bench lathe (with compound, just as rusty as the Dalton) or a P&W keyseater, there's one each in the pile, too and I'd be happy to pick them up if somebody has to have them. I'm keeping the Emmert Turtleback, though!

Geography is often against us. I definitely don't need another project, but I'm also the type to pick stuff like this up to broker it's forever-home, just to keep it out of the scrap yard.

Hope someone nearby picks it up.