Watchmaker Lathe (unknown)

I picked up this watchmaker lathe a week ago and have little information on it as well as not knowing the manufacturer. There is no stamping on it besides some numbering on the end underneath the headstock. I did some research on Tony’s website lathes.co.uk saw a lot of machines that looked similar but not quite. Lathe came with a unique slide rest, which moves freely by the lever and cylinder tool-post rotates and is grooved by activating the spring loaded lever. Jeweller style tail stock, and some kind of polishing tailstock I’m assuming?? Any help identifying this lathe or anything with is greatly appreciated.

Center height 55 mm
Bed length just under 37mm
Tail stock thread 9.7mm/.371
Collet body dia 8.102/.319
Collet thread dia 6.35/.250
Collet OAL vary depending 1.6”- 1.695” depending on style

Danny

I don't know the maker, even after 60 years of collecting watch lathes. I can tell you that it is old, circa 1870-80 and is what I call an American style watch lathe made before the design became sort of standardized. It was a period of small makers making small quantities and either giving up soon or going with a more popular style to stay competitive. Some of these type machines were made for use in the several USA watch factories and were designed for specific tasks rather than the all-purpose equipment meant for repair shops. The watch factory machines generally have no helpful names on them.

Look at each collet to see if there is a name on them.

I advise anyone wanting a watch lathe to actually use to get one of the mid-20th century lathes by a major maker that uses easily-found 8mm WW collets.

Larry

L Vanice said:

I advise anyone wanting a watch lathe to actually use to get one of the mid-20th century lathes by a major maker that uses easily-found 8mm WW collets.

Larry

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I understand this 100% , this is my 1st watchmaker lathe and I have no complaints for what I paid for it. I find it very interesting, and it’s giving me something to do for the mean time.

This was very likely a semi-production machine made in house late 1800s. Keep it as a beautiful curio but if the collets measure what you've described it's a real oddball (center height too).

Bulova was making machines in house up to mid 20th century. They had their own version of a Schaublin 70, Schaublin head and tailstocks fit the bed, but the spindle axis was like 4mm different. They made some killer grinders too.

Majority of the collets that came with the lathe have the numeric size stamped on the top. A few others were stamped around the slot on the body with letters.

1) trio 63,70,21 B S on top
2) 12 M W on side
3) 12 S on side
4) 16 R C on top
5) DALF on side

I don’t know if these signify anything.

Dale is the mark used by Hardinge Brothers on watch lathe collets for some years around 1895-1910. Mr. Dale was a partner for a while. Hardinge made collets for any small machine, along with watch lathe accessories for any watch lathe.

Sizes for watch lathe collets may be in tenths of a mm or may be steel wire gage (same as number drills). In recent times, Hardinge calls the hole size the "order hole." You can order the hole in increments of .001 inch, metric, fractions of an inch or drill sizes.

Here is a list of collets available from Hardinge from their 1907 catalog. Sometimes the collet dimensions can be used to identify an old machine.

Larry

Larry those collet charts are impressive, my collets match up to Springfield no.2 chuck. Is there any further information that would lead to a manufacturer? Possible pictures?

dgmoto said:

Larry those collet charts are impressive, my collets match up to Springfield no.2 chuck. Is there any further information that would lead to a manufacturer? Possible pictures?

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There is a Springfield in every state. Cope's lathe book has no clue.

One possibility is:
Illinois Watch Company - Wikipedia

Larry