DoAll lathe

About a week ago at a local college sealed bid sale I saw 2 DoAll lathes. Both were 13" and one had a longer bed than the other but still only 36" or less. Tooling for each was a chuck and faceplate. The machines were very unimpressive, filthy dirty, peeling paint but the ways looked to be in good condition. I met the guy Friday that won them at $675.00 each and he said he doubled his money on them - sold already, he only had to pickup and deliver them. I asked if they were imports and he said NO they are too old to be anything other than American iron. I wasn't even awear DoAll made a lathe (vagely remember seeing a very large DoAll lathe - not sure I can trust my memory on that). How old might they have been? Where they a "good" lathe?

Highly unlikely DoAll ever made an engine late. In fact, I don't think DoAll ever made ~anything~ other than bandsaws...everything else was an import with a DoAll nameplate slapped on. Previous DoAll lathes were made in Spain, but a really old one...dunno. Keep in mind there were many European import machine tools in the USA even in the 1950's...got lottsa literature and magazine ads to prove it !

Depending on the vintage, those lathes could be rebadged Harrisons.

I have a Doall 13x40 circa 1978 that is simply a rebadged Harrison M300. I've seen one with 24" centers for sale on ebay recently also. It's as English as the Queen herself.

Quite a capable lathe indeed. Mine was also ugly when I got it (has flood coolant, messy!) but shined up just fine. It also came from an academic setting, in this case a high school shop.

There was some discussion here last summer about the time I bought this one.


Dick

There was an old thread run to death by me and Hackasaw about these machines a while back. The early 70's DoAlls were indeed Harrisons. The one that was on eBay for a while was at Gold Machinery in Providence (13x24"). It said "Made in England" on it. but I never was convinced that the heavy castings weren't of Taiwanese origin. At some point an exact knock-off? of it was sold by Super-Max that was definitely made in Taiwan. It inlcluded pressure lube to the carriage, just like the Harrison.

I've seen a couple other near knock-offs of Taiwanese origin as well, including one sold as a Southbend which is what I believe Hackasaw has. Reliable or mybe some one else, had one of the SB variants on ebay within the past few weeks.

I've always thought the carraige and a bunch of other parts on these machines were common to those used on the second generation Harrison AA.

http://www.lathes.co.uk/harrison-m/page2.html

http://www.lathes.co.uk/harrison-m/page11.html

So were the original ones really "Made in England" or just built/assembled there? Got me.

PS Is it me, or has it been a while since Hackasaw has put in an appearance?


[This message has been edited by BillSct (edited 12-22-2003).]

Thanks for your comments on DoAll.

I saw a nice 17 X 60 Acer there at the college shop (not for sale) that looked very fetching. That it is manufacturered in Taiwan wouldn't bother me that much if it was sitting in my shop.

Made by Industrias Romi S.A., Santa Barbara, D'oeste S.P. Brizil Sold and serviced by DoAll Company Des Plaines Illinois
The above info came off of my DoAll lathe I bought new 12 years ago from DoAll when they were at the Westec Show in California. it has been a very good machine tight running and accurate, but then to have that you must take care of it. I hope this helps.
Jim

as stated they were Harrisons badged for the North American ;
Harrison 13", 15" (Models 165 & 190) Lathe

Badged as a "DoAll 15"" for the North American market. The lathe was also sold as a "13""