Another "what is it lathe"

Our club was given this lathe, much in need of some TLC and is missing a few parts. Does anyone know what it is and where I can find a user manual, drawings, etc.

Paul

Edited By Paul Lousick on 23/07/2019 09:11:16

Dont know, time about the First War, perhaps a little later most surprised if you find a manual or drawings. So many were very similar in looks and basic, but people must have worked wonders in the back shop. I have a 'Patrick' lathe of about the same era. Not much to learn really. Like me you need a modern slide and so on.

Best wishes to all readers.

PS Someone is bound to know they always do on the Forum..

If you put "Site:lathes.co.uk lathe" into Google Image Search (without quotes) you get an easy way to search through old machines.

Strangely enough the first picture that came up here is this one, a Grayson. Spooky eh?

Neil

Actually, it's possibly the cruder Winfield, from the same company, Gray & Son, whichever it is, the four+two lathe bed style suggests it's one of theirs.

Thanks Neil, gives me a starting point to look for info.

Paul

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... although the non-slotted bed suggests otherwise

Interesting !!

MichaelG.

It looks like a great demonstration model for teaching restoration to the younger club members.

Otherwise it could be a useful boat anchor.

In the between wars period, a number of UK foundries produced lathe bed castings that with a bit of ingenuity the model engineer, or engineer wanting a lathe could produce a serviceable machine, not saying that that is one of them, just saying that there is possibility of an unnamed lathe turning up.

Ian S C

Hi, could be one of many the different types at the time of the RandA A or B type lathes.

**LINK**

Basically I think the actual lathe bed castings came from the same foundry and were configured for each individual marketer.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 23/07/2019 15:01:57

One model of the Randa lathe, also sold by Grayson seems to have an infill in the bed slot. The first photograph seems to show parallel lines along the bed which could mark the slot infill piece.

Regards. Mike Potts.

The RandA lathes were made by Gray & Son as well.

Neil

I think it's basically the Winfield, the shallow groove along the bed, tailstock style and remains of the apron all look right, but yes it could well be a variation.

Neil

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It could indeed, Mike

I am intrigued to know how such an infill is fitted and whether the material matches the bed casting.

... It seems like it could be a tricky job

Hopefully, Paul can check that detail and advise

MichaelG.

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Sorry, I hadn't noticed that the Winfield was only 'grooved'

Paul's looks much shallower than the [presumably] catalogue image though; so I'm interested to kow the actual dimensions.

MichaelG.

There's actually some inscription (or 'exscription' ) on the LH side of the bed below the leadscrew Where "WINFIELD" is in Neil's second picture. I can bring it almost up to the point of legibility by fooling around in a graphics program - but not quite. Except that it doesn't appear to say "WINFIELD". It might say " ---- MADE "

Perhaps Paul could let us know.

Don't worry about identity or hving a user manual, any good scrap yard will probably take it

Bought A Super Adept for 5 pounds NZ in 1962 while still at school, set it up to work about 20 years ago. In 1986 bought a Taiwanese Wey Yii TY-1324 BH lathe, its been used to build hot air motors ranging from 3/8" x 1/2" motor to 2 1/4" x 1 3/8", and bits for vintage tractors, and the latest repairs on a set of bag pipes. Toward the end of last year I bought an Emco Unimat SL1, and set that up, it has a fretsaw, and a router, the extended bed and toolrest for wood turning. The motor can be mounted on a column to make a drill press or even "very" light milling, there is a little table with T slots, and a wee vise. It also has a flexible drive that may yet come in useful. The main thing it has is a shortage of belts, I'v made up some with fusable plastic belting, seems to be working. The lathe has two belt banjos, one with compound reduction.

The Unimat is (even without the extras) twice ++ the Super Adept, and it gets a few little jobs.

I almost forgot, I still have my wood lathe, although it rarely gets used.

This post seems to have got in the wrong spot, it was supposed to be in "What lathes have you had"

Ian S C

Edited By Ian S C on 24/07/2019 12:09:50