Thread: Holbrook C10 #10411

Took delivery of serial number 10411 on Thursday.
I've never had any British iron (besides my first automobile which was a Triumph GT6+) and I'm impressed.
Needs the hydraulic oils changed and am going to disassemble the compound, cross slide and lift the saddle to clean out all the gunk and dried oil before I run it.
Has the optional turret compound.

I'm unfamiliar with that lathe but not the word "awesome". Striking machine and looking forward to your re vitalization.

The C series Holbrooks are very nice machines, …………….a prewar open flat belt Holbrook model T ( Holbrook Model T Lathes) was the first proper industrial lathe I used (<> age 14) .and despite its age and well used state, after the Colchesters YUK! of high school that Holly was both a revelation and love at first sight

Or as said by some, ''Holbrook ;- the thinking mans Dean Smith & Grace.''

Originally Posted by rustytool

Took delivery of serial number 10411 on Thursday.
I've never had any British iron (besides my first automobile which was a Triumph GT6+) and I'm impressed.
Needs the hydraulic oils changed and am going to disassemble the compound, cross slide and lift the saddle to clean out all the gunk and dried oil before I run it.
Has the optional turret compound.

You are going to love that lathe, I have a C13 and it is a wonderful machine. I like it more than my Lodge & Shipley and LeBlond. 10EE accuracy without all the crazy electric BS.

That is a beauty.

WOW! That just looks right.
"Holbrook ;- the thinking mans Dean Smith and Grace"
That should be on a Tshirt, Limy Sami

I pulled off the headstock hydraulic oil tank and pump and took off the headstock cover just to have a peek and see what's in there.

Originally Posted by rustytool

I pulled off the headstock hydraulic oil tank and pump and took off the headstock cover just to have a peek and see what's in there.

AKA some beautiful high class engineering.

Disassembled the compound, cross slide and taper attachment.
The spring loaded balls to keep tension on the micrometer dials is a nice touch.
The full length cross slide on top of another slide for the taper attachment is nice too.

Originally Posted by phm87

WOW! That just looks right.
"Holbrook ;- the thinking mans Dean Smith and Grace"
That should be on a Tshirt, Limy Sami

I like it!



Problem is ... so few would know whom either lot of names WERE these days ... a body might find "activists" throwing cement milkshakes at 'im on the public streets over proselytizing gay monogamy over a Menage a Trois.



Nice lathe.

But WTF? A 10EE is "complicated".

All those levers? Mindful of a B-36 cockpit. This bugger looks like it needs a co-pilot, crew chief, and a flight engineer as well as a pilot!

Mind.... simper than my HBX-360-BC. Still studying that complex creature. Its very quirks have quirks which in turn have eccentricities. Nobody does "weird" like the French.

The tailstock has ball oilers for the spindle and quill but no provision is provided for oiling the ways.

That is a beautiful machine! What is the top speed of it, if I may ask?

I, too, desire a 10EE, but also stay clear due to the complicated drive systems.

Originally Posted by hawkfan9

That is a beautiful machine! What is the top speed of it, if I may ask?

I, too, desire a 10EE, but also stay clear due to the complicated drive systems.

Looks like 2000

Some more specs here Holbrook Model 10 Lathe

The plain spindle bearing ones have a top speed of 2000 but the ones with roller bearings, like this one, top out at 3000.
It has a set of tiny collets that are a proprietary Holbrook size that fit into the spindle with an adapter.
Anyone know what the taper is in the spindle nose. Smaller that a 4mt and bigger that a 3mt.
Was there such a thing as a 3-1/2 morse taper ?

Originally Posted by hawkfan9

That is a beautiful machine! What is the top speed of it, if I may ask?

I, too, desire a 10EE, but also stay clear due to the complicated drive systems.

"Complicated" being a pair of Vee belts chosen in "A" section so they are inherently matched?

10EE isn't relevant, here.

The Holbook is a Helluva nice machine.

Originally Posted by rustytool

The plain spindle bearing ones have a top speed of 2000 but the ones with roller bearings, like this one, top out at 3000.
It has a set of tiny collets that are a proprietary Holbrook size that fit into the spindle with an adapter.
Anyone know what the taper is in the spindle nose. Smaller that a 4mt and bigger that a 3mt.
Was there such a thing as a 3-1/2 morse taper ?

Yes, "half" - or perhaps more accurately "partial" - MT, from moving the gage line so as to select a shorter length than a full run so as to fit the space available, are not uncommon.

That would support use of common calculations, setups, even stock reamers, where a fully-proprietary taper would not.

Browne & Sharpes "jarno" - again as a selective "partial" - is less likely on a non-US machine tool.

UNfortunately... jarno at least has the same rate of taper, all sizes, something B&S and Morse did NOT hold to.

"I could be wrong.." etc. Any way you go, you'll want to measure what you have as accurately as you can do, then browse the published data for a match. Or for NO match.

No law against a proprietary taper. Holbrook wore long pants, could do as they saw fit.

Lifted the saddle after blocking up the apron from underneath with wood blocks.
I don't know if the orange rubber gasket goop is original but I suspect not.
I like the lever operated oil pump for the saddle and apron. And those curved oil grooves are pretty cool.

Just a FWIW
The orange rubber gasket goop isn't original, Holbrooks would never entertain such a thing ………..and if your lathe left the UK after the mid to late 70's, it's every chance it's ''Hermatite Instant Gasket''****

Twitter to ban all political adverts | The Independent

**** AKA to us lads as ''gorilla snot''

Took the front cover off the apron. The deeper I go I see that this machine has suffered from years of neglect rendering oil turning to varnish and rust.
All three shafts running through the apron just don't seem to be running very smooth and there is definitely something up with the feed shaft in the gear box end.
So I'm going into the gear box and will remove the leadscrew, feed rod and start/stop rod.

I removed the gear box cover and didn't find any orange gasket like other places but did find evidence that someone was in there trying to remove the feed rod.
It's secured in the box by a taper pin through a collar on the end of the shaft. Without the cover off and the pump moved out of the way they would have needed a long pin punch but to reach the taper pin but I don't think they had one so they used a screwdriver and beat the hell out of everything. The pin, collar and shaft are pretty beat up. I'll apply some heat and let penetrating oil soak over night before I give it a few wacks.