Tool identification - steady / collets / feed fingers

I need some assistance in identifying some of my father’s tools for eventual sale.

In the first picture, one part is a “steady”, but for what? A lathe, a mill..? Any idea what manufacturer?

That same picture also contains 3 types of collets. For one style, most of the collets were manufactured by Brown & Sharpe, but some of the same style are no-name. For another style, some of the collets were manufactured by Hardinge, but again some of the same style are no-name. The third style is manufactured by Porst. Bros. as well as F.M. Co. I want to sell the collets, but I don’t know how to identify them (the McMaster-Carr catalog I have has some names but it hasn‘t helped with the identification).

The second picture is from a box labeled “feed fingers”. These appear to be a variation of a collet. Feed fingers aren’t even mentioned in my McMaster-Carr catalog.

Thanks for any help.

Tom

Tom, I won't be of much help but at least it will bump your post back to the top. Your "steady rest" is a follow rest for a lathe.

A follow rest is very useful to counter deflection while turning a long slender piece. The lathe cutting tool supplies the 3rd leg for a sort of triangulation.

The follow rest attaches to the carriage and "follows" the cut.

A steady rest is affixed to the ways and of course doesn't move.

Sorry that I don't recognize the base configuration, on most small lathe follow rests that I'm farmiliar with, the rest is cross bolted through a single vertical flange, into tapped holes on the face of the carriage.

I'm sure that others will help with the collets.

Bob

Tom,

Could you provide me with a bit more information on the smaller collets in your first photo? Length, diameter of the straight end, max and min diameter of the tapered portion, sizes you have? They look like they might fit my old Pratt & Whitney #1 hand screw machine.

Stu Miller

Tom;

The collets across the top were used in small turret lathes, way back in the 1900-1940 era. I'm not sure what they're called these days, or who standardized the dimensions (probably Brown & Sharpe?). These are reverse-acting collets; the collet closer pushes them forward against a spindle nose cap.

My little 1905 Bardons & Oliver No.0 turret lathe uses the smallest No.0 size collets of this series. In my 1912 Bardons & Oliver catalog, these collets are called "Standard Collets", and are shown as being available in sizes from No.0 to No.10, including a No.4 1/2.

The collet sizes don't necessarily match up to the lathe size. The No.0 turret lathe uses the No.0 collet, but the No.2 lathe uses the No.4 collet, etc. The fact that Bardons & Oliver offers the collets in sizes that they don't make lathes to fit, indicates that it was some industry standard.

Does anyone know any more about what these are called, how long they were made, and what else they fit?

Judging by the tape measure in your picture, the two smaller ones appear to be No.0 size (5/8" dia at the back) and the other three are No.2 size (1" dia at the back).

I've already got a good set of the No.0 collets that came with my Bardons & Oliver. But, if nobody else needs them, I'll buy the two little ones from you.

Stu, they may fit your P & W #1. If your spindle bore is 5/8", that's a good indication. The No.0 size collets would hold up to 3/8" dia stock.

Bruce Johnson

Bruce,

Thanks for all the information. I just went out to the shop and measured one of my collets, and it is 3/4" diameter at the back. Mine are maybe #1's

Stu

Feed fingers suggest bar feeder.... friction feed, fingers grip hard enough on a particular size stock to push stock forward, but slide back after the spindle collet has gripped.

I suspect they are old, or for a simple machine, as I think most later ones actually have "grip and release" types.

Those "push collets" at top were used in a lot of places, including even on Logan for certain of the collet attachments for their manual turret lathes. They don't move the stock as they close, due to the closer type.

Push type collets most certainly do move the material in the closing action, that's why I use a feed stop on my turret lathes.
Harry

Someone told me via private message that the steady rest (or follow rest as identified above) is for a Lodge and Shipley .

The small collets in the top of the first picture have a base ¾” diameter and are 2 ¼” long. The minimum and maximum dimensions vary somewhat by the size of the collet, but 7/8” diameter on the wide part of the tip is pretty typical (some are “sprung” open wider than others). The inside of the collets have no threads. Sizes include two unlabeled (~3/32”), 5/32”, one stamped “2071 2072“ (I suspect this is decimal, [ex: 0.2071”] but I can‘t guarantee it - why would they list 2 sizes?), 17/64“, 3/8”, two @ ½”.

The larger ones across the top of the first picture that look like the smaller ones have a base 1 1/8” diameter and are 2 3/4” long. The minimum and maximum dimensions vary somewhat by the size of the collet, but 1 3/16” diameter on the wide part of the tip is pretty typical (some are “sprung” open wider than others). The inside of these collets also have no threads. Sizes include 1/8”, 4@ 3/16, 2@¼”, 5/16”, unlabeled (~5/16), 0.318” (6-1), 9/16, 11/16, 7/8. Stamped names include Porst Bros Chicago Il., Hardinge (?) Chicago, and F.M. Co. No.1. Curiously, one is stamped F.M. Co. No.“2” and overstamped with “1” (or visa versa). See the picture below.

I found that some of the feed fingers are labeled B&S Mfg. RI USA No.21, have 20 tpi and a thread diameter of 0.80”, about 4 3/8” long.

Two folks mentioned turret lathes. There is drawer labeled “turret lathe parts” which was near but not next to the collets. The second picture below shows its contents. It doesn’t look like any lathe I know of, and Googling turret lathe hasn’t helped me much either. Are these anything besides junk? Can anyone provide me with a link to a decent picture of what the rest of the turret lathe would likely look like in case I find in someplace in the basement?

Thanks,
Tom

I'm going a bit out on limb here.
The collet in the lower right corner of the first picture, and the feed fingers in the 2nd probably go together for use on a B&S screw machine. The collet and feed finger should match in size, ie: 1/2" #21 size collet & 1/2" #21 size fingers. B&S made these in several different sizes. If I understand the workings of a screw machine the collet is a dead length type, the type that JST was confusing with the push out style also shown in the picture.
In your last picture most of the parts look like repair parts for screw machines except for 4 pieces. The 2 on the upper right look like tool posts, and the one just under the right most toolpost, there is another one just under left center, go together as one tool, an adjustable toolholder for use in the turret of a screw machine or turret lathe.
I can't help with rest of the parts.
Harry

Someone told me via private message that the steady rest (or follow rest as identified above) is for a Lodge and Shipley .

Click to expand...

Nope- here's a picture showing what a L&S follow rest looks like (it's under the lathe to the right of the dog drive plate). They are different design from conventional style follow rests:



Andy

Can anyone identify this?

Can anyone identify this?

mkwasnie said:

Can anyone identify this?

Click to expand...

Looks like another flavor of feed finger. Has a spring grip on bar passed all the way through, not intended to hold the bar during actual machining operations.

The two collets on bottom of first picture are probably 5C on left and Brown and Sharpe #21 on right. Look those up and see if measurements agree.

The DM collet is another form of "push collet". Insread of pulling away from the feed stop, like 3C, 5C, etc, they push forward into a cone to close, or the cone may move back over the collet. In the first case, the work is pushed against the feed stop by the motion. In the second case, the collet closes without moving the stock. (that can also be done with 6C etc, but is much more difficult)

The one way above may be a "dead length" type, I am not too familiar with them Makes sens that the flat would hold it as a cone closed it. Have not used them.

Top right toolpost in second pic looks like a post to go on the crosslide of a turret lathe. The two part tool holder mwntioned above would fit the turret.