Identifying a vintage lathe

[Haydn CallowParticipant @haydncallow19480]

Hi, can anyone tell me anything about this lathe I have just bought to restore.

make,

age.

[Haydn CallowParticipant @haydncallow19480]

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

It looks in fair condition – at least, not a rust-bucket.

You may find it helpful to re-photograph the parts arranged logically even if not assembled; and the right way round (headstock to the left). As it is about the only part that may be identifiable by manufacturer in the picture, is the bed!

[Haydn CallowParticipant @haydncallow19480]

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Looks like a Drunnond M series from the piccy

Welcome to the nuthouse

(keep every teeny grubscrew/washer you can find if anything drops out, it all finds a home eventually)

Edited By Ady1 on 21/09/2022 17:59:31

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Or maybe a Pools? A number of pre-war small British lathes took that general form, a front view with all the bits in the right general place would help. At the moment hard to see many distinguishing features.

Dave

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

The leadscrew clutch handle is a significant identifying feature.

[Haydn CallowParticipant @haydncallow19480]

Thanks, yes it does seem to match a Drummond M…..I collect it tomorrow….

just hope it’s all there….

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Posted by Haydn Callow on 21/09/2022 18:30:31:

Thanks, yes it does seem to match a Drummond M…..I collect it tomorrow….

just hope it’s all there….

Then say yes to everything, and scan the floor for bits. Refuse nothing.

Look for a box of bits too, nuts, screws, washers, cogs, flat bits, funny looking metal bits, take it all

Good luck

Edit: The 4 studs for fitting the headstock to the bed? you can see the 4 holes

there must be a box somewhere with them in if they are missing

And where's the backgear? that's a solid shaft with 2 cogs attached that goes on the back of the headstock

The tailstock shaft has been withdrawn, that has parts to tie it to the bed

There's a box of bits somewhere and you really really need them

Edited By Ady1 on 21/09/2022 19:22:14

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi Haydn it is an M type Drummond Myford lathe. There are a few web sites with help with these.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/703113663087249

https://groups.io/g/drummondlathe

Here is a picture of my lathe.

Good luck and collect any bits that may evan may not look like it belongs.

David

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

How certain is the identification? The reason I guessed it might be a Pools is these wings on the headstock:

David's Drummond looks different to me.

Dave

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

Posted by Haydn Callow on 21/09/2022 17:20:16:

Hi, can anyone tell me anything about this lathe I have just bought to restore.

make,

age.

What I think is the tail-stock looks odd to me – has this photo been flipped left-to-right?

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Swarf, Mostly! on 22/09/2022 09:21:59:

What I think is the tail-stock looks odd to me – has this photo been flipped left-to-right?

.

It’s not sharp enough to check the handedness of the screw threads

… but there is probably a useful clue on that timber on the floor

MichaelG.

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

The headstock may not be a drummond at all, where are the holes for the backgear shaft?

Yet the catellated front nut and rear lug are there

But the rest of it looks Drummond

It looks like the headstock may have been "modified"

Edited By Ady1 on 22/09/2022 10:41:55

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, it could be like the unusual Myford one shown with serial J1102 dated 1944 Drummond M type on Tony's web site, which may explain the dog clutch lever at the headstock end of the bed shown in Haydn's photo.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 22/09/2022 11:01:42

[Haydn CallowParticipant @haydncallow19480]

Problems :-

Mod edit: rotated photos.

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 23/09/2022 08:52:36

[Haydn CallowParticipant @haydncallow19480]

Problems :- if you look at the photo that started this post you will see a plastic tub containing bits and bobs, bolts etc…this has gone missing. Does anyone know the bolt size to bolt the headstock to the base.. I will try and post pictures of other bits. In particular the rusty ( surface) cogs……how will I know if they belong to this machine ? Does it have loads of cogs….what drives the lead screw?

[Haydn CallowParticipant @haydncallow19480]

[Haydn CallowParticipant @haydncallow19480]

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

You've got quite severe headstock damage AND bed damage, this unit is not-looking-good

If you haven't paid yet I'd walk away

There's a few bits and bobs that will be useful but it's basically knackered

100 quid for spares tops kinda thing, but only if you already had a working Drummond

a lot of the parts you really need are missing

You can zoom into the picture using ctrl +

Edited By Ady1 on 22/09/2022 19:41:08

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

You can indeed zoom in with CTRL and +, and back…. Only it wipes out your part-written reply! Why are so many photos upside-down?

That apart…

.

The rusty cogs ("cogs" ?) do look like the lathe's change-wheels, well some of them anyway. I think there should be more of them to complete the set.

The fasteners, including the studs and nuts or machine-screws holding the headstock to the bed, are most likely of BSW and BSF threads, depending on their size and purpose on the machine. It may be possible to obtain new ones of appropriate size, though possibly not cheaply.

[Lee RogersParticipant @leerogers95060]

The bed is unmistakable Drummond , as for the rest of it a better pic would help.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, if you compare these two photos of Haydn's, which I've turned round, they look just like the headstock and tailstock of the picture of the unusual Myford lathe J1102 one that I mentioned in my previous post, even to the saddle rack just extending past the tapered shape of the bed at the tailstock end.

Haydn, the leadscrew is driven by change wheels between the leadscrew end to the left of the clutch lever and the headstock end at the left, the change gears being mounted on pins that fix onto the banjo that swings round at the left of the clutch lever, the change wheels you have do seem to be the correct ones for your machine, but you will probably need a few smaller and larger ones.

Regards Nick.

P.S. It does look like a Drummond type, but it's not a M type.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 23/09/2022 08:31:05

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

I think its an M series headstock with parts of the casting hacked/chiselled off

and we'll probably have the same sort of damage on the other side where the backgear should be

Edited By Ady1 on 23/09/2022 09:29:39

[Haydn CallowParticipant @haydncallow19480]

Ady1….hummm ! I see what you mean….the bed is not damaged, in fact most of this lathe seems in very good condition, all bearings/slides are nice.

sorry about the inverted photos…working on it.

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 23/09/2022 12:59:08

[Author]

Posts