Lathe ID

[Paul99]

I've been keeping half an eye out for a small lathe for a long time but they either crop up the other end of the country, are half knackered or local ones go for silly money. Well out of the blue today I got call from someone who knew I was looking for one - he was left it by an uncle who was an engineer - he didn't have any idea about other than there was "old but had a lot of bits with it" I went for a look just in case.

Although dirty it was in unbelievable condition for its age and the lots of bits amounted to boxes and boxes of cutters, drill bits, taps dies, parallels dial gauges, micrometers (moore&wright and mitutoyo), v blocks, boring bars, 5 or 6 4 jaw / 3 jaw chucks, 5 or 6 Jacobs chucks etc etc -basically an engineers lifetime collection for the price I couldn't really refuse it - the extra bits would have added up to more than that I expect.

The only real shame is missing change gears (apparently stolen presumably for scrap in a garage break in) - but at this point in time it will be more than good enough for me to learn on:

It has a Pfeil label on but that's not the original badge - holes don't line up so it's something else but what? a label on the carriage is all in German:

There are no names in the castings and looking through all the German made lathes on lathes.co.uk doesn't reveal anything that could be so does any one have any ideas on id?

 

[Shox Dr]

myford?

 

[eil]

Saw a very similar one to that in a barn today but had no makers name on it. Headstock looks like the IXL, Ehrlich http://www.lathes.co.uk/ehrlich/

 

[Wedg1e]

Saw a very similar one to that in a barn today but had no makers name on it. Headstock looks like the IXL, Ehrlich http://www.lathes.co.uk/ehrlich/

That tailstock locking lever is a bit distinctive too, I can only see it on Ehrlich's machines...

 

[Paul99]

Saw a very similar one to that in a barn today but had no makers name on it. Headstock looks like the IXL, Ehrlich http://www.lathes.co.uk/ehrlich/

That tailstock locking lever is a bit distinctive too, I can only see it on Ehrlich's machines...

Yep interesting thank you both - definitely German. An hour or so clicking through the unknowns throws up this: http://www.lathes.co.uk/unknown68/
By far the closest I can find so far - and has the distinctive tailstock clamp you noticed though has some distinct differences too. Looks like a positive ID might be a harder proposition than I first thought.

 

[Paul99]

OK got it now I think:
http://www.lathes.co.uk/aster/

Thanks for the heads up on Erlich - I followed a few links and up pops George Adams (UK) and Aster (Australia).

 

[grandads_shed]

ohh a foot paddle operated lathe, do you have the stand for it ?? would be great to have it complete

 

[Paul99]

ohh a foot paddle operated lathe, do you have the stand for it ?? would be great to have it complete

No it's just the top half converted to an electric drive & countershaft. I'll have to make a stand for it before I get it set up.

There were also a couple of separate countershafts + pillowblocks connected to the main countershaft via v belts that were threaded each end to accept grinding wheels of all sorts of sizes and shapes I'm guessing to grind cutters to shape unfortunately it was all removed and chucked in boxes in no order by the nephew who wanted rid of it and had no idea about what went where - there's so much stuff it's going to be a marathon task working out what it all is and how it was all set up.

Had it not been for the extras and price I'm not sure I would have considered buying it taken down and piled in boxes as it was TBH a modern lathe with built in gearbox, drive etc would have been easier proposition altogether - I do have very basic experience with the old Harrisons and Boxfords at school but having had a quick look and twiddle it should still be capable to do a lot more than I need at the moment and should be fine to learn on at least.

 

[Wedg1e]

OK got it now I think:
http://www.lathes.co.uk/aster/

Thanks for the heads up on Erlich - I followed a few links and up pops George Adams (UK) and Aster (Australia).

Well done, it's a lovely little thing, would look nice polished up.

 

[Paul99]

Well done, it's a lovely little thing, would look nice polished up.

Yep I always admire those who have the patience to strip old gear right down and restore it to as new / better than new condition. Me - I'm a function over form person I look after my tools and always like to keep them well maintained and in good order but their there to do a job and often look pretty scruffy. This lathe for the time being will be no different the years of caked on cutting fluid, oil and grease that looks like surface rust in the photo can stay put - I reckon it'll stop the rust . Maybe one day when I get more time I'll make an effort to tart it up a bit.

 

[grandads_shed]

i dont like the idea of having a grinding stone fitted to a lathe, the grains from it can get mixed in with the oiled bits and over time grind parts down, i might be wrong though, but the thought is too much for me,

i love the lathe though m8 ,, its a classic and once done and set up will last for years

 

[Paul99]

i dont like the idea of having a grinding stone fitted to a lathe, the grains from it can get mixed in with the oiled bits and over time grind parts down, i might be wrong though, but the thought is too much for me,

i love the lathe though m8 ,, its a classic and once done and set up will last for years

Yep your dead right - I know just about enough to keep bench grinders and dust well away from the lathe

Ah sorry I didn't make it clear the grinding jigs aren't attached to the lathe but are completely independent part just driven off the same motor driven countershaft the lathe uses via separate v belts as far as I can tell anyway. I think there was likely to be a longer countershaft in the mix somewhere to take the drive well away from the lathe itself. I have enough work to do getting just the lathe setup so all the other bits can wait for another day.

And now the research starts on a suitable stand for it...