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Help identify this old lathe

Steadfast

Plastic
Joined
Sep 23, 2017
Hello I'm new to the forum but not to vintage machinery . I bought this a few months ago for my shop to do odd jobs that I got tired of farming out.
Thanks Ed

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More photos, please. Here's a "sticky" thread with suggestions for taking "mug shots" to identify unknowns.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...ug-shots-identify-lathe-other-machine-258416/

The hole in the top of the tailstock where the chuck key is presently stored is supposed to be a small reservoir of White Lead used to lubricate the tip of the dead center. There's supposed to be a cap with a dauber on that hole. You will find a forum thread which shows a quick and elegant way to make a dauber out of a ball-topped pin from a door hinge.
 
Here is a few more pics ,let me know if these help. I'll drag it out to get some better pics from a distance
 

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A few more pics
 

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I cannot identify it, but I can say that the top half of the compound, and probably the three spoke apron handwheel are South Bend parts. The rest of the lathe is not SB. The changewheel guard is very distinctive.

allan
 
The plate with both colon and dash (:-) says it's pretty old, as that style has been gone from North American Standard English for at least 80 years. The hyphenated usage, "Screw-cutting," is British or British Colonial style; in the US we would not hyphenate the term unless it were used as a compound adjective, e.g., "Screw Cutting" meaning the operation, versus "Screw-cutting" as a description, e.g., a screw-cutting lathe. The numbers 1-2-3 on the gearbox are a foundry typeface I don't recognize, but it's old.

This thing is a pretty straightforward minimalist design with none of the curlicues typical of something as old as I think it is. If it were a turret lathe I'd almost think 1890s Warner & Swasey. Sure hope somebody can identify it.

On edit: Those numerals are serif style, so I think the numeral 1 is actually a capital I. Their draft has been pretty much sanded down flat. Maybe a prototype machine tool built on a tight budget using salvaged letters on the pattern. Or hand cut from sheet wax. BTDT.
 
Well thanks so far ! Its a neat old piece and works very well. I hope you guys can determine what make this old girl is as I would like to get some info. on it. It is amazing how silent she runs while cutting .

Hoping to hear from others

Thanks again Ed
 
I went through Cope's book without much success. However, that served to convince myself more and more that this lathe is not as old as it would appear. I'd say that it is no older than 1915-1920.
The headstock casting is definitely modern-looking, especially near the bearings. The detents for the leadscsrew reversing tumbler either have been added later, or it resembles more modern lathes.
It's definitely true that the carters for the gears could have been added later. However they look like too much factory and, on my opinion, something that, again, it would hint 1900s, more than late 1800s.
Two questions:
1) As pointed out by Allan, the compound and, possibly, the carriage wheel come from a South Bend: are there other major pieces "borrowed" from other lathes, or is everything else authentic?
2) Is it American made? Maybe not.

Paolo
 
Yes, clearly the same lathe. Also both have the same 3 spoke handwheel, so that is probably original.

This lathe is strange to me. It looks like a 1900ish design that was slightly modernized, with guards and full circle handwheels and nicely printed tags. The design of the end gear guard appears to make gear changes very difficult, like it was intended for production work. All that makes me think this is a WW1 era expedient.

allan
 
IMG_1752.jpgIMG_1757.jpgIMG_2039.jpgIt's a Worcester Lathe Company lathe. I thought Paolo would name it off right away. When I bought my Worcester he and two other members of Tuckahoe moved it out of the owners basement and loaded it in my truck, which I greatly appreciate. I will try to post more information soon.
 
It's a Worcester Lathe Company lathe. I thought Paolo would name it off right away. When I bought my Worcester he and two other members of Tuckahoe moved it out of the owners basement and loaded it in my truck, which I greatly appreciate. I will try to post more information soon.

(Blush) ...With all the time I've looked at it, commented its unusual features, etc. I should have recognized right away!

Tom: I hope you're enjoying it!

Paolo
 








 
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