Watchmakers Lathe Question

[Shaun ChurchillParticipant @shaunchurchill54517]

I have just finished refurbishing this neat little watchmakers lathe and wondered if anyone can advise me what type of collets are likely to fit in the headstock spindle and similarly what type of tooling fits in the tailstock – not even sure if there is a taper in the tailstock bore?

Also any advice about what kind motor rpm I would require to drive the lathe.

The main aspect of the refurb was making a complete new lathe bed out of gauge plate. Most of the milling was done on my Tormach CNC which just goes to show these hobby machines are capable of milling more than just plastics and aluminium!

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

That looks like a nice job, I think watchmakers collets go by the largest capacity ie 6mm/8mm 10mm but overall dims must be avail somewhere try lathes.co.uk site. If you look up COLLETS on that site theres quite a bit of info and diagrams.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Watchmaker collets are defied by the diameter of the parallel portion of the collet body.  While many makers made 6/8/10 mm collets, the head angles and draw tube threads can be subtly different so careful measurement is necessary to determine the correct collet.  Have you any idea who made the original headstock/spindle?

Rod

[Shaun ChurchillParticipant @shaunchurchill54517]

Thanks for the replies thus far.

All I have measured is the bore of the headstock spindle and its clearance on 8mm diameter. I can make a draw tube in due course. There is a key in the spindle bore as one would expect to see.

Alas, there is nothing to identify the maker of the lathe.

I will get my loupe out and look up the bore of the tailstock barrel.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

That appears to be a homemade bed for a common mfr’s headstock. The maker’s name is often on the back end of the headstock. If missing all I can say is it is not Boley-leinen.
The tailstock barrel is often interchangeable ie a watchmaker might have several with and without taper.

[Shaun ChurchillParticipant @shaunchurchill54517]

The original lathe bed was very home made so to speak and although its outer surfaces were all ground, the standard of milling on the underside was like a first year apprentice had been let loose with a mill. Bazyle you are most probably right, the other bronze parts are of extremely high quality which suggests they were professionally made. I didnt for one minute think it was a Boley Leinen lathe, but happy to have got it for little money and have the opportunity to put it back into use. So if the tailstock barrel doesnt have a taper fit, what kind of tooling will fit the barrel?

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

By the way have you checked whether the current item in the tailstock fits the headstock – it might be the draw tube if it is internally threaded.

In the tailstock instead of a taper into which you insert eg a pointed centre since it takes little metal you might have dedicated rods finished with centres of different sizes, half centres, cups, threaded ones for a chuck, holder for Jacot tool etc.

Check https://www.lathes.co.uk/watchmaker/

 

[DellParticipant @dell]

If the bore of the spindle is 8mm then check the bore at the back of the spindle because for an 8mm headstock the spindle bore should be slightly larger I would think, it so for my Pultra tailstock I can’t measure the headstock as it takes 10mm in the headstock.

[Shaun ChurchillParticipant @shaunchurchill54517]

The spindle bore where the collet key is situated is about 8.03 / 8.04 mm in diameter. Beyond this section the diameter increases to around 8.75mm which I assume is for the register portion of the collet tube to engage in. I have since poked various imperial, metric and number size drill blanks into the bore of the tailstock barrel and there is most definitely a shallow taper in the bore.

[Shaun Churchill]

On Shaun Churchill Said:

The original lathe bed was very home made so to speak and although its outer surfaces were all ground, the standard of milling on the underside was like a first year apprentice had been let loose with a mill. Bazyle you are most probably right, the other bronze parts are of extremely high quality which suggests they were professionally made. I didnt for one minute think it was a Boley Leinen lathe, but happy to have got it for little money and have the opportunity to put it back into use. So if the tailstock barrel doesnt have a taper fit, what kind of tooling will fit the barrel?

The tailstock might take “runners” which are just straight shanked tools usually held in place by clamping a lever on the tailstock.

[DellParticipant @dell]

Sounds like the headstock takes 8mm collets & the tailstock is just for runners , if you use the tailstock for drilling then you would need something like this.

the runner usually has a 2 deg taper

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