Unkown small lathe

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Hi folks, hoping somebody might be able to identify this lathe I recently inherited. It has absolutely no makers marks that I can see, nor any serial numbers. Slowly working my way through each manufacturer on lathes.co.uk but it's a long job!

It appears to be simply, but sturdily made, there don't appear to be adjustable gibs on the slides.

Thanks for any suggestions.

(edited to get the text before the pictures…)

Edited By Grindstone Cowboy on 18/03/2020 20:55:22

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Can anyone help to identify this lathe?

[Pete.Participant @pete-2]

Looks like a nice old machine that hasn't been abused like so many of these old obscure little lathes, I can't help you with the model unfortunately.

When you start researching old machine tools like this, it's shocking just how much industry we used have making so many tools etc, so many small obscure companies making machinery in the first half of the 1900's.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Posted by Pete. on 18/03/2020 22:54:08:

Looks like a nice old machine that hasn't been abused like so many of these old obscure little lathes, I can't help you with the model unfortunately.

When you start researching old machine tools like this, it's shocking just how much industry we used have making so many tools etc, so many small obscure companies making machinery in the first half of the 1900's.

Makes you wonder now. If all the large companies go under. Lots of new small enterprise may spring up.

Steve.

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Certainly built to a price with the minimum of metal possible

It's not like pouring big lumps of cast iron back in "-t' good old days-" was expensive

The expense was in the level of machining in the product, but this one has quite careful, almost fragile, castings

Edited By Ady1 on 18/03/2020 23:44:58

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Thanks Pete – yes, it appears to be in excellent condition for it's age, with just a little rust on the chuck and on one spot on the bed, and no visible wear on the bed or leadscrew. I'll probably have to sell it as I now have six lathes and very little space left due to the passing of a close friend and acquiring the entire contents of his garage. But deciding what has to go is difficult.

There's also a hand shaper that I'm trying to identify, but it is in bits at the moment – I think it could be a Perfecto (there's a lot less shapers to look through on lathes.co.uk) – but hopefully it's all there so it can be got back into working order.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

You might try sending some pics to Tony at Lathes.co.uk if you can't find it on his site, He may be able to identify it.

Interesting old machine, especially the combination top/cross slide set up. Good to see the dog clutch on the leadscrew. Very handy and something Myford should have fitted to the ML7 etc.

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Hi Ady

Yes, it's neat little machine, but surprisingly heavy – the bed has (to my inexperienced eye at least) plenty of stiffening ribs underneath and I'm pretty sure it would cope with the type of work it was designed for. One interesting part is the handle for the dog clutch on the leadscrew – the castellated nuts holding the handle on put me in mind of an old lawnmower I have, and it almost looks like an afterthought.

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Thanks Hopper, I'll get some better pictures from all angles and see what Tony can do. The top slide swivels 360 degrees, the handwheel on it looks like something I could make myself – very plain, and cheap-looking when compared with the main castings, so it may not be original.

[RedsetterParticipant @redsetter]

Interestingly it seems to have a right handed leadscrew. Also packing blocks under the headstock, so it may be somewhat modified from the original.

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