Vintage Craftsman Lathe

[bj383ss]

Hello all,

This is my first post in the woodturning section. I spend most of my time in the toy making section. I just acquired today a lathe my Grandpa bought used back in 1970. My Uncle has had it in his garage for the last 25 years. I spent sometime cleaning it up everything is in working order. I am not sure what year it is but a little bit of research it seems a 1930's era maybe? It has a 1/2 hp motor.

Anyways I have never turned anything. I will be teaching myself how to turn to make small parts for scale models. Wheels, tires, fuel tanks, and dowels. Thought you guys might like it.

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After I cleaned it up. It has a very good cross slide.
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Bret

[hughie]

Hi Bret, Welcome to the turning forum. :2tsup:

It looks like you have a fine old lathe there, although its not designed for wood turning. It actually a for turning metal.

Should do you fine for toy making, nice bit of history.

[Paul39]

Hi Bret, Welcome to the turning forum. :2tsup:

It looks like you have a fine old lathe there, although its not designed for wood turning. It actually a for turning metal.

Should do you fine for toy making, nice bit of history.

I think it is a wood lathe with an accessory compound, as the four speeds are a bit high for most metal work. It is provided with a wood working tool rest and the shop made long tool rest for spindles.

Delta had a similar arrangement in the 1950s, with the addition of a counter shaft to get the low speeds and torque to cut steel and cast iron.

See: Delta 1460 Wood Lathe (http://www.old-woodworking-tools.net/delta-1460-wood-lathe.html)

Pattern makers wood turning lathes also had carriages to make wooden patterns of hand wheels and other round things to make molds for making castings.

http://www.olivermachinery.com/ReferencePhotos/MachinePics/25.jpg

bj383ss,

Put a few drops of electric motor oil in the cups of the head stock before running it. If it slings oil at the ends of the spindle that is good. After running for a while feel the head stock just below the cups, if too warm to touch it is not getting enough oil.

If the 383 refers to a Chrysler engine, you probably know about lubrication.

[bj383ss]

Paul,

I think you are right. Here are 2 better pics of the wood tool rest.

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Also have a look at this link. At the bottom it shows an add for a convertable lathe.

VintageMachinery.org - Photo Index - Craftsman - 101.06241 (http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?ID=10698)

But I am not expert on it!

Bret

[cookie48]

Bret.
Welcome and good turning. Rekon you will have fun with that oldie.
Cookie

[wheelinround]

Hi and welcome

Nice score

Hughie a metal lathe ??? mind you lite metal maybe but the Ornamental turning you could do with that all you need is a cutting head.

[joe greiner]

Interesting hybrid. A full-blown metal lathe would have a lead screw, multi-speed transmission for the lead screw, thread dial, half nut etc. for cutting threads. I don't think you could cut accurate threads with this. Reversible, though. Nice score indeed.

Cheers,
Joe

[hughie]

Interesting hybrid. A full-blown metal lathe would have a lead screw, multi-speed transmission for the lead screw, thread dial, half nut etc. for cutting threads. I don't think you could cut accurate threads with this. Reversible, though. Nice score indeed.



I've got an old Jen-son from the 1930's or so as best as I can guess. Its has a in-board leadscrew, some of the very early lathes had some very unusal designs and configurations.

But as stated I suspect the cross slide was an extra, which could be very handy with toymaking.