Closing down sale ,1930’s tool catalogue

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

I recently obtained a fascinating catalogue of George Adams, one of the biggest retailers of lathes & tools for several decades.

60 pages full of all kinds of tools, lathes, and everything in between, as well as producing G.A lathes ( has anyone got one?) they were agents for Von Pittler earlier in the century

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

George Adams died in 1930’s and the shop closed

[egaParticipant @ega]

Fascinating stuff! For some reason it reminds me that Gamages had an establishment there, too.

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Posted by ega on 12/08/2019 16:04:37:

Fascinating stuff! For some reason it reminds me that Gamages had an establishment there, too.

I think they sold own branded lathes as well.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Tony's site says the little lathe in the top picture was a very common one. Well it must be as I have one. Interestingly it has a MT1 headstock with an insert (from new) to take 8mm watchmakers collets. It is a good size for G1 and below modellers and clockmaking but I don't often see them on ebay so either they weren't that common or everyone likes them so much they don't want to sell them.

ps please could you post a pic of the countershafts perhaps on the preceding page.

Edited By Bazyle on 12/08/2019 18:54:56

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

Here you are Bazyle,

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

Another full page lathe add

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

Another page with countershafts

Edited By vic newey on 12/08/2019 20:33:00

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Superb, thanks Vic. I have the top part of the countershaft on the third page, less pulleys. I wondered why the support hole was angled and whether it was even supposed to go with the lathe. So now I could fabricate a support shoe as they call it.

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

Glad it was of use, I don't have a George Adams lathe but have a German Pittler which was probably sold via George Adams as UK agents.

Looking at those prices you have to take into account many workers were paid equal to £135 per year for a 50 hour week!

I remember my Grandad in 1951 only had electric light but no wall sockets, any electric items inc the wireless were plugged in there so many home engineers would use a treadle

[stephen goodbodyParticipant @stephengoodbody77352]

Hello Vic,

I have a George Adams round bed lathe from the early 1900's which is used regularly – it's my only lathe. Details and pictures are on Tony's lathes.co.uk website at: **LINK**

Does the catalogue have any round bed pictures or details? Is there any mention of a Eureka dividing head in the catalogue?

Thanks for posting,

Steve

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

Hello Stephen,

unfortunately neither is mentioned, possibly because they were no longer available in the 1930's or G.Adams had no stock at the closing date

That type of rotating carriage is very similar to the round bed Drummond, without doubt both are copied from the Pittler. i wish my Pittler had the option of a T slot table although it must be somewhat restricted in that it cannot move it two directions as would a cross-slide version ?

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