Need help find out about this old metal lathe manufacturer and model

Buying this old lathe but the person doesn't know anything about it and he hasn't used it. if anyone can please help me find out this old lathes manufacturer and model it will be much appreciated. already searched google but know luck so far. Thank you....

MR.JAM said:

View attachment 300435View attachment 300436View attachment 300437View attachment 300438

Buying this old lathe but the person doesn't know anything about it and he hasn't used it. if anyone can please help me find out this old lathes manufacturer and model it will be much appreciated. already searched google but know luck so far. Thank you....

Click to expand...

Good news is you are coming in the door with the ability to post photos.

Now.. if you'd like to "know luck"? Let's see about taking more USEFUL photos.

Most important is from center of long-axis and far enough back we can see the shape of all of it.

Shapes of headstocks, tailstocks, beds, aprons, legs, or pedestals are often maker-distinctive and era-distinctive, even if no badges or data plates are still with it.

Next up as differentiators are headstock and control levers, position, shape, and arrangement. Also any data or threading chart plates. Same again, the apron.

"Head on" shots, not curious parakeet's eye view.

Getting the idea?

It's the same way maker's presented their goods in the surviving photos we can find to compare with.

Meanwhile.. rub-rag and strong maglite time.

Look at the front face of the bed casting, behind the leadscrew and rods and apron.

Not uncommon for makers to put their name right into that casting in raised letters.

We'll know more luck when you show more ____!

Suggestions for identification request pictures of lathes have been covered before.

Instructions for taking a set of "Mug Shots" to identify a lathe or other machine

Larry

Worcester gearhead had speed controls up there and very similar semi QC gear box

Tiny central image here from VM

Worcester Lathe Co. - 1920 Ad-Worcester Lathe Co., 12" & 14" Engine Lathes | VintageMachinery.org

have fun

johnoder said:

Worcester gearhead had speed controls up there and very similar semi QC gear box

Tiny central image here from VM

Worcester Lathe Co. - 1920 Ad-Worcester Lathe Co., 12" & 14" Engine Lathes | VintageMachinery.org

have fun

Click to expand...

And VM has a photo from a Canadian auction some years ago, before the legs were removed.

Photo Index - Worcester Lathe Co. - Gear Head Lathe | VintageMachinery.org



Larry

From the old paper pile here - I see it has another fun odd ball spindle nose - 2 1/8 - 8 - if the 14"

Thank you soo much guys for all your help. It is Worcester Lathe Co, now would anyone know where I can find the gear chart for threading as that is missing as well or a mu=anual of the lathe. again thanks a lot.

MR.JAM said:

Thank you soo much guys for all your help. It is Worcester Lathe Co, now would anyone know where I can find the gear chart for threading as that is missing as well or a mu=anual of the lathe. again thanks a lot.

Click to expand...

No manuals back then for low production makers - this Worcester is the only one I have heard of - in sixty plus years of being around lathes

As far as threading, you get to figure it out. It will involve lead screw pitch and what gears are used from spindle down to input to the "semi" QC gear box, and just what gear ratios are available inside that gear box. By "semi", it means it provides a few differing ratio selections instead of a whole bunch of them like a "full featured" QC gear box. The rest of the "selecting" is done with change gears on that left end train

If those change gears did not come with the lathe, that is another git-er-done effort

Here is the info page on the 14" - this can be emailed larger resolution if you would like to Private Message me that address with Worcester in the subject line. It answers a few question like the available ratios in the "feed box"

As a substitute for a Worcester manual, if you need basic how to run a lathe info, get the South Bend Lathe Co. book, How to Run a Lathe. They printed many editions over several decades. There are free online copies, so look at those first. There are also original old paper copies and new reprints on eBay. Atlas and Sheldon printed similar books. Lathes are generic enough that any of these books can get you started, but they will not cover things peculiar to only one brand of lathe, like that Worcester threading setup.

Here is a selection of South Bend manuals, including the How to Run a Lathe books: South Bend Lathe Works - Publication Reprints | VintageMachinery.org

Larry

How to Run a Lathe

Click to expand...

This is a jam packed one from 1927 or 1928

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/1617/5795.pdf

good luck

ON EDIT:

Here is page 92 from above - showing also 2 to 40 TPI mentioned on scan above in Post #6. Note the three "stud" gears (16, 32 and 64 teeth) - these would be replaced by ONE STUD GEAR using Worcester's 3 ratio "semi" QC. That is how they arranged it so you only change the "screw" gear. Note the gears shown in SB's illustration are not necessarily the ones Worcester used

Thank you John, that's the edition I had ''access to''** as a boy (55 + years ago) ...........and regarded its text as lore, treating it like The Bible


** I was ''promised it'' when it's owner died, but that never came to fruition