Hello and... have you got any parts for this...

Hello,

I'm Richard from Yorkshire.
I mainly make things for electric guitars.. from phosphor bronze nuts to effects pedals. I used to be a light engineer, and for a spell, a plater/welder but these days I'm a software guy.

Anyway.. onto the matter at hand.
I came into possession of this :

It's a Drummond 3.5" flatbed circa 1904/1906

The headstock bearing really needs replacing...
I'm guessing it's some sort of white metal, or oil impregnated bronze bush.

Does anyone know what size it's likely to be, or where I might get such a thing?

Thank you

Richard

Hi Richard welcome to the forum. Have a look at lathes.co.uk you may find some useful information there. I am sure a Drummond owner will be along soon and give you some help.

regards

Thank you.
Yes.. that's how I know what model it is.. Tony from lathes.co.uk.
He kindly responded to my mail very quickly.
Sadly he also said that parts for this ceased manufacture in the 30's.

If necessary I'll turn the bush myself.. but I was hoping that someone might know better.

Hi Richard, yes I'm a Drummond lathe owner (several) but none of that model I'm afraid.

Have you joined the io groups Drummond group yet https://groups.io/g/drummondlathe lots of helpful folk on there and often you find someone has the bit that you need.

There were at lease a couple of versions of the headstock bearings for that model but I'm pretty sure they were all solid bronze bushes pulled into tapered housings, but the means of pulling changed during the run of that model.

If the lathe isn't totally worn out you should be able to make the new bushes from bronze stock on the machine itself, you'll just need the dimensions. Someone on the Drummond group can probably tell you that straight off.

Keith,

Thanks I'll join that now..
There's a sort of 10 thou movement of the chuck under heavy load.
So when taking a large cut it's fine, because the chuck settles in place.. and when taking a very small cut the same.
So knowing it's little quirks I can compensate enough to turn the bush myself I think.
But if at all possible.. I'd like something off the shelf.

Keith,

Thanks I'll join that now..
There's a sort of 10 thou movement of the chuck under heavy load.
So when taking a large cut it's fine, because the chuck settles in place.. and when taking a very small cut the same.
So knowing it's little quirks I can compensate enough to turn the bush myself I think.
But if at all possible.. I'd like something off the shelf.

Keith,

Thanks I'll join that now..
There's a sort of 10 thou movement of the chuck under heavy load.
So when taking a large cut it's fine, because the chuck settles in place.. and when taking a very small cut the same.
So knowing it's little quirks I can compensate enough to turn the bush myself I think.
But if at all possible.. I'd like something off the shelf.