Old lathes, maker unknown

Hi All, I have had these 2 old lathes for many years, never been able to find a makers name, any info welcome.

Several more pictures of these lathes in my album.

Emgee

Edited By Emgee on 21/03/2014 10:21:55

Edited By Emgee on 21/03/2014 10:22:39

May be Britannias

By 1898 the company was known as "The Britannia Motor Carriage Company Ltd." and had moved its production facility to the Britannia Motor Mills, Woodstock Road in Shepherd's Bush, Middlesex. Company advertising of the time showed that the firm was not only able to manufacture over 250 different kinds of metal and wood-working machines etc

Edited By Ady1 on 21/03/2014 10:53:08

Thanks Ady, they do look like very similar design, still curious about the Tee slotted cross slide.

The T-slots like that are more common on larger lathes like Smart & Brown where they can mount things like the travelling steady.

The one in the background is a Britannia Wood Turning or Straight Turning Lathe either model No (I think 7 or 8) which should rest on a foot driven flywheel stand - The metal cutting tools were “T” shaped on the cutting end with an extended handle on the bottom of the T - the top arms of the T were sharpened and in use one arm was rested in grooves in the top of the rest and then guided along to form cuts on the revolving material. Date of manufacture about 1900 - One was in my family(and used) up until about 1960. Wish I still had it !!

Thanks to all for the info, will have to decide if I'm ever going to revive them.

Emgee