The quest for a small 2nd lathe continues.

I drove 350 miles total to get this yesterday.

Worst thing was I couldn't find much wrong with it to knock the price down.

Slightly better shot of the lathe

Even more shots here

**LINK**.

A Supa Dupa Adept would be no good for me so thought I would give this one a try. It's 27" long 3 1/2" centre height and came with steadies and change wheels. Even a 127 it seems. The makers name is also cast into the legs of the stand.

Not much info about the maker but there was a company called Crosthwaite Furnaces who later joined up with a tool making company. There is also the place itself in Cumbria. If anyone has seen add's in old Model Engineer etc I would be interested in any details. I do want it to use though. Spured on by JS's comment that we used to make crap here. I used an old large Victorian lathe briefly once and it was one of the better lathes I have used. Be interesting to see if the small ones are as good but I suspect these are newer.

John

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All part of being a paid up member of the model engineer nuthouse

I did a non-stop 950 mile 17 hour round trip to pick up a lathe at one point

Congratulations and enjoy btw

Looks interesting, John

... I hope you are very happy together.

MichaelG.

Is that the exact same lathe and stand as pictured on lathes.co.uk? If so it may be unique, with you in charge of the Owners Club!

It'll be interesting to hear how you get on with it, warts and all (if any!)

Dave

It is the same lathe. Initially owned by a doctor then a chiropodist. The motor drive stuff is also with it. Hefty cast iron again. Motor full of dust so I suspect that will have to go. Going on the cost of some of the motor drives mentioned on lathes co the doctor must have been rich and bought the lot including the steadies and purpose cast mounting for the lathe itself. Some one also made a myford style dividing attachment for it and the plates. There is a lot of bits to sort out.

Think I'll call it a Super ML1A. the version they should have done. I mean, it's got tumbler reverse built in. Centres look to be circa 15 - 16". The bed is unusual. It's an I beam. I did wonder if it was made out of an old cast I beam but the base frame is cast as well with the same name on it.

I didn't have much luck finding warts. The tail stock quill is very loose so will need to fix that. Maybe it comes on centre when clamped. It does lock solid. The bed may be a bit looser in the centre. Hard to tell so maybe not. Next to no play on the lead screws - as new I would say. No dial on the screw cutting lead screw. The saddle is reasonably wide compared with the width of the bed - better than many. No gap bed and for some reason the V finishes short of the headstock. Looks like it was cast like that.

It should have bronze bearings. Rear definitely is. Can't see the front one and sometimes people remove them and make a new spindle to run in the cast iron. If anything needs doing with these I may change the arrangement completely or try and use sintered bronze. None destructive I suppose if I change the arrangement

The last owner also had a Coronette diamond. This one

**LINK**

Maybe he bought that 1st or 2nd ??? No way of knowing but I would have thought 1st. Some of me bits went with it when it was sold but nothing too serious and it may be possible to sort it out. One was the dummy spindle nose for the tail stock. I would have liked to have that.

Also need to check that the spare chucks fit. And the face plate. That is the correct colour though.

When buying something substantial I usually say no more than 1 1/2 drive each way. It was twice that but called in to see my brother for a few hours. He lives in a part of Yarm and so did the lathe. I don't mind driving for 3 or 4 hours but the same returning on the same day was pushing it a bit.

John

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Looks a good price for something unique in working order.

Neil

I don't think the unique aspect matters Neil. Working order, have to see really. It's only possible to find out about that when it's running and cutting.

I don't think anyone will make money collecting old machine tools. Price wise I couldn't really make my mind up. I'd say it is a bargain compared with some old ones I have seen sell on ebay but still more expensive. I negotiated a bit of a reduction before going and a little while I was there. Might have saved enough for a new motor. All of the ancillaries make pricing difficult. So if it can be sorted a great price.

I need to clear some space to get it up and running but suspect it will be a strip and clean first. The roof came of the garage today. That's what the hourly rate question was about. That task is best done in the garage. My wife would say nothing but would pull a very long face if I did it in the house.

The electrics built into the bench are the type that might have been found in old houses in the 1950's. 2 pin plugs fabric covered wire etc. There is a little seized up compressor bolted to the stand. At least that is what I think it is.

There is no hope for me - I actually like using small lathes. Something along the lines of this lathe has been on my bucket list for some time.

John

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I mean that many sellers would have tripled the price on rarity value alone.

Neil

Wow, that's a keeper, John. The lathe too, maybe ...

Enjoy,

Roger

Hi,

Motor full of dust so I suspect that will have to go. and later. might have saved enough for a new motor

What makes you think the motor needs anything more than cleaning? Or is the dust from the windings insulation? Or are you just needing to justify fitting an larger alternative?

It looks like a good deal, to me. If you got it at a reasonable price you should never lose money on the deal. It has already lasted longer than the expected life span of most new products offered nowadays.

I don't know Not Done'. What I could see looked like it might grinding dust and etc. It may clean up ok but I might want to change it to a modern smaller frame size motor because of where it will be going. There isn't much depth available.

Old motors often have a certain amount of leakage too. Not that this worries me too much as I can measure it with a DMM in the earth lead.

I may be inclined to change the drive pulleys at some point. When I had the Taig I was surprised just how much cutting power the tiny belts they use can transmit. Those need to be pretty tight but something like an 8mm VB might be ideal and allow more speeds. Don't think the pulleys are original anyway so some one did something similar.

John

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I've found a Crosthwaite parting off tool holder. Interesting idea,

The round thingy is for thread pitches etc. Dated 1938 and includes metric coarse and fine. It reckons 3/16 for M6. (Thread engagement posts) There is also a well made vertical slide fitted with a toolmakers vice.

John

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