Can anyone identify this lathe?

[Johnnypf]

Someone is selling this lathe on a local facebook group but atm know nothing about it, I have asked if there is a nameplate.

Ad: Metal turning leith has a stand and motor with a few other bits nd bobs for it. Just didn't have the time to take a picture of them too. £100

Would it be worth buying as a first lathe?

 

[octo0072000]

worth a punt go look make a offer go from there looks small not much rust on it but someone will be along with more knowlage than me

 

[Keith 66]

It resembles an early Myford like the ML3, at a hundred quid its not too bad if its got some bits with it. I had an ML3 some years ago & the plain spindle bearings were knackered, i cleaned the spindle up & tinned the bronze bearings heavily with solder. Ran it in with lots of oil & it ran for years!

 

[MattF]

That looks like an early 20th century gap bed lathe. Probably the type with a large wingnut underneath the bed for clamping the tailstock. Could be one of any number of manufacturers, but it's worth checking against the Britannia models for that style of lathe.

http://www.lathes.co.uk/britannia/index.html

What extras he has for it will determine worth more than owt, but I'd be offering around £50 to £75 max., working just from that photo. See if you can get a photo of the other bits he has for it.

 

[DAPPH]

To me looks like it will be a PIA , for to move the saddle you have to turn the wheel at the right hand end whilst trying to keep your eye on the work piece . It seems to be a back gear lathe with pulley's for speed variations and possibly some sort of auto feed for thread cutting provided by the gears on the LH end of the lathe .

Perhaps you'd do well to have a look on Tony's " Lathes . co .UK . There are loads of back gear lathes on it ..that model might just be there

 

[MattF]

To me looks like it will be a PIA , for to move the saddle you have to turn the wheel at the right hand end whilst trying to keep your eye on the work piece . It seems to be a back gear lathe with pulley's for speed variations and possibly some sort of auto feed for thread cutting provided by the gears on the LH end of the lathe .

Welcome to the world of old changewheel lathes. The lack of an apron handwheel and rack on something of that size isn't a big thing.

 

[doubleboost]

If you want to "refurbish" a lathe this would be a great candidate
If you just want to make the "odd bush & shorten the odd nut"
It would be no good

 

[MattF]

If you just want to make the "odd bush & shorten the odd nut"
It would be no good

Personally, (honestly, I'm not just disagreeing with Doubleboost on something lathe related out of masochism ), I'd disagree on that point. It'd be perfectly functional for tasks like that. It's mostly in the technique rather than purely reliant on the machine.

 

[doubleboost]

You have got me wrong
No doubt the lathe would be up to the job
But it has no motor no counter shaft
I used a ML4 lathe to make model steam engines
Unless you want to "play lathes" you just need something to plug in and use

 

[MattF]

Ah, right. I totally misinterpreted what you meant there. My apologies. It definitely needs some more money spending and attention if none of that is in the other bits list, but where's the fun if not in the sorting.

 

[doubleboost]

Ah, right. I totally misinterpreted what you meant there. My apologies. It definitely needs some more money spending and attention if none of that is in the other bits list, but where's the fun if not in the sorting.

Once you start with a old lathe it never stops

 

[MattF]

Once you start with a old lathe it never stops

You're preaching to the choir here, on that point. What's my current count; I think it's 7, and only two of them, at a push, currently in an almost usable condition. Come to think of it, your advice to literally run away from it does start sounding better now.

 

[Rig Pig]

It looks basically complete however if the change wheels are missing then you will have to improvise a set. For £100 it looks like a handy addition to the workshop.

 

[TAITSIE]

You're preaching to the choir here, on that point. What's my current count; I think it's 7, and only two of them, at a push, currently in an almost usable condition. Come to think of it, your advice to literally run away from it does start sounding better now.

Only 7 lathes Matt, you need another

 

[roofman]

Imho its worth 50 notes tops as it sits there...plenty more lathes out there for £250 as this would be the final price of the one listed here from buying it and being cut ready

 

[DAPPH]

I had a look at the " lathes UK site earlier today a Myford ML2 seems quite close .

Matt,
You said, " Welcome to the world of old change wheel lathes. . "

I'm already well immersed ..... & enjoying it tremendously . It's about 73 years old and was intended for munitions work ( torpedo timing ??) but the second world war ended before it was taken out the packing case ..it's in great nick . I'm the third owner ,the others were the father who originally purchased it in Feb 1946 at a war stock release auction and his son who came to have it upon his dads demise .


The QCTP plus four spare holders & a set of nine indexable tipped tools is a very recent addition and well worth the dosh . It has an original 3 & 4 jaw chuck set with a face plate & plenty of tooling , though I can easily spend another £1,200 or so on a " few essential bit's & bobs ". ( Well that's what I've been telling my lass . )