pressbrake1
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God mode restorations
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I like this
God mode restorations
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Could bewell i fought my way to the back of the workshop looking for something the other day and found my lathe again and its in pretty much the same condition it was when i got it post 173 Dec 4th 2013
View attachment 114797
well i dont think ill ever get around to sorting it out so if any one is looking for a projectit would probably take a week just to get it out
dobbslc
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Reman
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I had to go to the freezer in the garage earlier. I had my phone on me, and as my little lathe is one of the few things that isn't buried IN junk (Just surrounded by junk. 
), I got a couple quick pics to put on here.....
It's a pretty little 1930's/40's "Willmott Ideal" that I got last year. It's officially got a 3 1/2" swing and 18" bed, But you could easily get an 8" face plate spinning in that gap. So far it's only has a light recommissioning, mainly just the bearings and ways checked for trouble, and a couple of little tweeks. The biggest change was to kludge together a countershaft and swinging motor mount to hang off the back of the stands legs. I didn't like the looks of the original motor (A 1hp single phase monster made by "Higgs Motors"), To me it looks way too much like something the fire brigade would eventually pull out of the smoldering remnants of the garage saying "Well, That's what started it all mate", So I didn't even bother testing it. I just went out and bought a new 3/4hp jobby to make the spinny bit's turn. It needed a couple of wick oilers, So I made some cheap and cheerful ones from plumbing pipe caps, some heating pipe, and copper brake pipe. The mounting pipes go up through the middle so the fiberglass wick goes around in the chamber then loops up and through the center turret to sort of slow motion syphons the oil into the bearings. They slightly over oil, But they work fine for now.
As I didn't get any change gears with this I've also started adding a wiper motor to the lead screw to have at least some power feed......
I've built a control box for it with a PWM speed controller, reverse switch, and as it's a wiper motor, another switch so I can choose to run it using the high or low speed windings. Haven't used that in anger yet as I've found that I've got a rather annoying unforseen problem with the 12v wiper motor doing all kinds of weirdness when the lathes motor earth is connected. Haven't a clue WHY it does this, But I'm not going to do the simplest fix of running the motor without a ground!!! It would probably be easy enough to make some nylon top hats and washers to isolate the wiper motor from it's mounting plate, But I just haven't got around to trying that out yet.
It's got some wear I need to address in the top slide, The half nut handle needs fixing, And the compound slides bearing mount is in need of a little TLC, But all in all, I still think it was a pretty good buy. Once it's all back to 100% I'll strip it down and give it some cosmetic love.
Reman.
), I got a couple quick pics to put on here.....
It's a pretty little 1930's/40's "Willmott Ideal" that I got last year. It's officially got a 3 1/2" swing and 18" bed, But you could easily get an 8" face plate spinning in that gap. So far it's only has a light recommissioning, mainly just the bearings and ways checked for trouble, and a couple of little tweeks. The biggest change was to kludge together a countershaft and swinging motor mount to hang off the back of the stands legs. I didn't like the looks of the original motor (A 1hp single phase monster made by "Higgs Motors"), To me it looks way too much like something the fire brigade would eventually pull out of the smoldering remnants of the garage saying "Well, That's what started it all mate", So I didn't even bother testing it. I just went out and bought a new 3/4hp jobby to make the spinny bit's turn. It needed a couple of wick oilers, So I made some cheap and cheerful ones from plumbing pipe caps, some heating pipe, and copper brake pipe. The mounting pipes go up through the middle so the fiberglass wick goes around in the chamber then loops up and through the center turret to sort of slow motion syphons the oil into the bearings. They slightly over oil, But they work fine for now.
As I didn't get any change gears with this I've also started adding a wiper motor to the lead screw to have at least some power feed......
I've built a control box for it with a PWM speed controller, reverse switch, and as it's a wiper motor, another switch so I can choose to run it using the high or low speed windings. Haven't used that in anger yet as I've found that I've got a rather annoying unforseen problem with the 12v wiper motor doing all kinds of weirdness when the lathes motor earth is connected. Haven't a clue WHY it does this, But I'm not going to do the simplest fix of running the motor without a ground!!! It would probably be easy enough to make some nylon top hats and washers to isolate the wiper motor from it's mounting plate, But I just haven't got around to trying that out yet.
It's got some wear I need to address in the top slide, The half nut handle needs fixing, And the compound slides bearing mount is in need of a little TLC, But all in all, I still think it was a pretty good buy. Once it's all back to 100% I'll strip it down and give it some cosmetic love.
Reman.
mr migwire
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further to post 397 i moved the boxford under drive lathe on and kept the rear drive A model, i have cleaned up the workings and the ways etc and the lathe sees ocasional use, the problem i had was the compound slide slot for the tool post had been damaged and repaired and so the tool post height was off meaning you could only use small tools etc. happily i have now purchased a replacement compound slide so i may get the finger out and and start on the restoration / repaint.
next on the shopping list will be a quick change tool post and i will be pestering the membership here for advice....
next on the shopping list will be a quick change tool post and i will be pestering the membership here for advice....
George Erasmus
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My Myford ML10
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And a Fobco Star. Get a Tom Senior and you’ve got the three amigos!
George Erasmus
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I am in the market for Aciera F3 or F4 or Shaublin 13
redlig
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Something seems to be missing from the top photo . "thinks " Got it ! Swarf .Here's mine:
Atlas /Craftsman 12x36" lathe (12" swing diameter.)
1/2HP 3-phase motor powered by a Toshiba VFD. Came with 2 chucks, QCTP, milling attachment, steady rest, ball turning jig and a metal stand.
It is 70-years young. Needed minor maintenance of a few bearings and cleanup of sliding ways. Now used a few times a month.
Here's my previous mistakes I was glad to get rid of:
Sherline 4000. Too small, too weak to do anything I needed.
Craftsman 109 Lathe. Probably one of the sloppiest lathes ever made. 1/2" spindle was just too weak and most have bent ones. Spent a year adding improvements like a better cross slide that had a graduated dial (old was 24 TPI) and mods to reduce carriage slop.
Barking Mat
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Nice thread resurection. Spelling ?
Hopefuldave
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Don't think I ever...
I'll have it finished, one day...
Dave H. (the other one
I'll have it finished, one day...
Dave H. (the other one
What make is it? Looks a sturdy beast. Can't expand name plate.
Hopefuldave
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Holbrook Model C, No. 13 - 13" swing" (actually about 6&7/8" centre height) by 28", a bit over 2 tons, 3 HP motor - but 415-volt-only 3-speed Dahlander-plus-a-winding to make things difficult! Especially when you want to run it with a VFD - I had to hack a 3-phase-in-415v to fool it into thinking it has 415 when I have only 240 to feed it, works surprisingly well but it also needs interlocks to turn the VFD off when switching motor windings... bit of a clod of grass, TBH! I also added a vintage (well, contemporary) "Silver Bullet" Trav-A-Dial, as the carriage handwheel does 1.025" per revolution - I think the idea was that you'd use the gauge tray on top of the way cover with slip gauges for accurate length measurements...
It was in a bit of a state when I got it, hence the slapping-on of finest red smoothrite (and primer, after taking it back to bare metal, a bit of filling on the headstock), replacing a few Unobtainium bearings in the QCGB (machined top-hat bushes for available replacement taper-rollers to fit into or machined circlip grooves into outer races - both making its own replacement parts), but the ways pretty much unworn thanks to the way covers and lubrication - worth the labour of love, and there's an interesting "I wonder" attached, almost spooky*
It has pretty much all the modern conveniences: metric/imperial threading, taper attachment, separate power feeds on both axes with =micrometer stops= that trip the feed, helical backgear for smoothness, speed-changes on the fly (the two levers sticking out the base) with clutch and brake, not bad for a machine older than I am!
Oh, it holds a tenth or two of a thou" when I'm being careful...
Dave H. (the other one)
* my grandad (mother's side) was a toolmaker before, during and after WW2, and worked until the early 60s at the Armament Research and Development Establishment, Fort Halstead - Holbrooks are toolroom lathes**, NOT production, and when cleaning it up I found the metal asset number plate (just to the right of the two speed-change levers) saying A.R.D.E. Fort Halstead, so there's more than a slight chance my grandad used it at work....
** It's said that the Colchesters on the factory floor cost as much as the boss's car, the Holbrook in the toolroom as much as his house - and having seen original invoices for its brother, yep, it would have bought a nice 4 bedroom detached in Surbiton in the 50s
No wonder only the government bought 'em.I am still kicking myself that I missed a nice Holbrook Minor before Christmas - I should have just hit that buy it nowHolbrook Model C, No. 13 - 13" swing" (actually about 6&7/8" centre height) by 28", a bit over 2 tons, 3 HP motor - but 415-volt-only 3-speed Dahlander-plus-a-winding to make things difficult! Especially when you want to run it with a VFD - I had to hack a 3-phase-in-415v to fool it into thinking it has 415 when I have only 240 to feed it, works surprisingly well but it also needs interlocks to turn the VFD off when switching motor windings... bit of a clod of grass, TBH! I also added a vintage (well, contemporary) "Silver Bullet" Trav-A-Dial, as the carriage handwheel does 1.025" per revolution - I think the idea was that you'd use the gauge tray on top of the way cover with slip gauges for accurate length measurements...
It was in a bit of a state when I got it, hence the slapping-on of finest red smoothrite (and primer, after taking it back to bare metal, a bit of filling on the headstock), replacing a few Unobtainium bearings in the QCGB (machined top-hat bushes for available replacement taper-rollers to fit into or machined circlip grooves into outer races - both making its own replacement parts), but the ways pretty much unworn thanks to the way covers and lubrication - worth the labour of love, and there's an interesting "I wonder" attached, almost spooky*
It has pretty much all the modern conveniences: metric/imperial threading, taper attachment, separate power feeds on both axes with =micrometer stops= that trip the feed, helical backgear for smoothness, speed-changes on the fly (the two levers sticking out the base) with clutch and brake, not bad for a machine older than I am!
Oh, it holds a tenth or two of a thou" when I'm being careful...
Dave H. (the other one)
* my grandad (mother's side) was a toolmaker before, during and after WW2, and worked until the early 60s at the Armament Research and Development Establishment, Fort Halstead - Holbrooks are toolroom lathes**, NOT production, and when cleaning it up I found the metal asset number plate (just to the right of the two speed-change levers) saying A.R.D.E. Fort Halstead, so there's more than a slight chance my grandad used it at work....
** It's said that the Colchesters on the factory floor cost as much as the boss's car, the Holbrook in the toolroom as much as his house - and having seen original invoices for its brother, yep, it would have bought a nice 4 bedroom detached in Surbiton in the 50s
My dream lathe - or perhaps a Smart and Brown 1024 or a CVA - or a smaller DSG.
Having said that my old Colchester Triumph is in very good nick and is a perfect size - not too big or too small. Just want something with a higher spindle speed.
As this is show us your lathe time - my new toy is probably the rarest lathe you can buy.
A Bryant screw correcting lathe - and no idea what I am going to use it for!
Apparently it also cost more than a house back in the 1930s. The quality is incredible and even though it is tiny it weighs a good 60kg or so.
A Bryant screw correcting lathe - and no idea what I am going to use it for!
Apparently it also cost more than a house back in the 1930s. The quality is incredible and even though it is tiny it weighs a good 60kg or so.
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