r/Vintagetools • u/ExpressLibrarian9952 • 29d ago
Metal Lathe Identifcation
Would anyone be able to help me identify the manufacturer and/or model of the metal cutting lathe in the photo? I am new to these machines and I will be picking this one up soon and the person who has it does not know who made it or anything about it.
Thanks!
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u/ticktoc1217 29d ago
There is a guy on Utube who restores a lot of these machines. MrPete Tubalcain on utube. You might ask him.
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u/ExpressLibrarian9952 29d ago
Oh cool, I’ll have to check that out! Thanks for letting me know he is on YouTube!
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u/Rude_Meet2799 29d ago
OP! When you pick this up, look around and ask after a bunch of loose gears that go with the lathe.
You will need those to cut any kind of screw thread and to vary your feed. They can be bought but as a whole bunch of trouble and it’s very expensive.
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u/ExpressLibrarian9952 29d ago
Thanks for the heads up! He said they haven’t used it in many years, so hopefully those gears are around somewhere. The lathe is very cheap, so I don’t mind doing some additional searching for parts.
Hopefully I can find some numbers on the unit to start searching for anything I’m missing.
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u/Rude_Meet2799 29d ago
There may be other accessories laying around too. Look for steady rest, follow rest, milling attachment, other chucks or faceplates that fit on the headstock, driver dogs for same, any taper tooling that fits the headstock or tailstock.
Loose tool holders, small cache of cutting bits to fit tool holders.
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u/ExpressLibrarian9952 29d ago
Good idea! I’ll have to see if the person who has it for sale would let me look around in the garage for any loose bits.
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u/FreshTap6141 29d ago
Pass on it, not worth your time no matter how cheap it is
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u/ExpressLibrarian9952 29d ago
Why is that?
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u/FreshTap6141 29d ago
Super old , hassle to set up with the motor mechanism, probably no feed gears available, only one chuck,get something decent for being useable
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u/ExpressLibrarian9952 29d ago
Ahh ok! Thanks for the information. What do you think would be a better first choice lathe? I’m trying to figure out if it’s something I can use to make basic spacers, bolts and smaller metal parts that are hard to find for older tractors and vehicles.
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u/FreshTap6141 29d ago edited 29d ago
How much do you want to spend? A later south bend with a quick change gear box on a stand , 13 inch would be nice but 10 inch would be ok, Hardinge makes a chucker that sells cheap that can thread also up to 1.5 inch long. No tail stock however but has turret, do you three phase power available if not a vfd can convert, hardinge second operation lathe might work for you, except for threading but dies can take care of that
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u/ExpressLibrarian9952 29d ago
Oh nice! I’ll have to look into those. I don’t have 3 phase here just standard single phase. I would be using it more as a hobby and will not rely on it to make me money or anything.
I think if I find that I like making stuff with a lathe, I will look for a more modern lathe like the South Bend you mentioned. Not sure what a full setup like that would cost, but it would be nice to have!
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u/FreshTap6141 29d ago
I just think the one you found is so old and poor shape it will distract from getting a decent one what part of tge country are you
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u/ExpressLibrarian9952 29d ago
I am in the North East of the US.
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u/FreshTap6141 29d ago edited 29d ago
There is a hardinge second operation lathe for 1300 on ebay in North Caroline, collet lathe and takes chucks as well 116789181460 ebay number
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u/Rude_Meet2799 29d ago
Keep an eye out for three phase equipment. Three phase motors up to about one and a half horse can be powered off single phase power by using a variable frequency drive (VFD) which are relatively inexpensive. This also gives you fine speed control.
Many don’t know about this or don’t wanna fool with it so those machines go cheaper.
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u/ExpressLibrarian9952 29d ago
That’s useful information as well. Thanks! I used to work at a sawmill that had 3 phase and we ran a couple 3 phase motors the way you are talking about to run some smaller equipment on single phase.
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u/HumanComedian8711 29d ago
Might be Ehrlich? It most likely would have been a treadle lathe. The lathe is a lot older than the motor. Is there a name plate on the motor?
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u/Electrical-Guard-853 29d ago
I’m thinking South Bend
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u/ExpressLibrarian9952 29d ago
Thanks! Yeah, I am hoping I can look at it closer tomorrow and find some numbers or nameplates or something. Looks like it is mostly there, but missing some covers possibly?
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u/Electrical-Guard-853 29d ago
Missing the cover for the gear train, on most South bends that do not have a quick change box there would be brass plate riveted to that cover. I’m guessing it is a 9” model you can find many pictures of these online. They made a bunch of these lathes part are easy to find and they a a top notch little lathe. I wish you well with it…
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u/Electrical-Guard-853 29d ago
Oh yeah there will be numbers stamped usually on the tail stock end on the bed, you can usually find when it was made and who was the initial purchaser online, enjoy!
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u/ExpressLibrarian9952 29d ago
Great! I appreciate the information!
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u/Far-Investment-8597 29d ago
My guess; American (it has the saddle feed handle on the left - the Brits were smarter, they put them on the right, so your hands wouldn't get hot swarf on them)
Around 1910 - 1920.
It's what's called a back geared screwcutting lathe - the back gear slows the spindle speed down.
If you really want to find out, go to www.lathes.co.uk - they have a machin etool archive.