lathe

[bill m]

A lucky find Mike,
the fact it is 1940's and in very good condition is outstanding. These machine tools are collectible in their own right. I like the 1940 inspection slip!
I am planning on a lathe purchase in the not too distant future. Nothing like the smell of machine shop coolant
I currently work at Redline Engineering near Moorabbin airport managing and building aircraft components for local concerns.
The workshop is all CNC machines with just one turret milling machine and a Colchester lathe.
The CNC's are fascinating but are not with the character of the older manual machines.
cheers
Bill.

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by bill m

A lucky find Mike,
the fact it is 1940's and in very good condition is outstanding. These machine tools are collectible in their own right. I like the 1940 inspection slip!
I am planning on a lathe purchase in the not too distant future. Nothing like the smell of machine shop coolant
I currently work at Redline Engineering near Moorabbin airport managing and building aircraft components for local concerns.
The workshop is all CNC machines with just one turret milling machine and a Colchester lathe.
The CNC's are fascinating but are not with the character of the older manual machines.
cheers
Bill.

OK Bill

Colchesters are excellent lathes , but spares cost a small fortune , they used special bearings in the headstock and these are thousands of $ to replace .

Many people buy the new Chinese machines , they have improved greatly in the past ten years , but I still don't like them .

At the moment, there is a glut of older used lathes on the market , manufacturing has mostly died here and many companies get rid of their machinery .

You can pick up beautiful quality old lathes for around 2000$ . These days cheap phase converters ( called VFD's ) are available on EBAY ..you can run 3 phase motors from single phase with ease

A good first lathe is a Hercus 260 , made in Adelaide . Hercus still supplies spares for them

Big tip , try to find a lathe with heaps of accessories , these cost more than the lathe itself does

Go to this site and clik on HERCUS http://www.lathes.co.uk/page21.html

Mike

[bill m]

Thanks Mike,
I am already familiar with Lathes.uk, it is a fantastic resource for those interested in machine tool history. You seem to be well placed when these jewels come up for new ownership title!
You mentioned a Paris based sales order? In 1940 Australia was desperate for machine tools and with this lathe possibly bound for France it may have been diverted to a destination more able to use it other than the foreign regime on French soil at that time!
Speculation can run wild!
cheers
Bill.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Here you go Mike, a little toy most of us like to get our hands on.....and complete with military provenance, what more could you possibly want.
Rich.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

I suppose this GenSet would come in handy as well. Found this on the same site, different owner and not a cherished item like the lathe box.
Rich.

[Mike K]

Richard

Yes quite a beast . Imagine what it would weigh

Would it have been mounted on a trailer at some point ? They would have had a 3 phase generator for it somewhere .

Mike

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Not sure how it would have travelled in the day Mike, only ever seen this one. At the moment it is being shipped back via Semi. and after cramming the box full of other site paraphenalia a Franna was needed for the lift.
The front of the box is hinged at the top, so it can be propped open for easier access and all is still in regular use.
My kind offer of looking after this unit has been knocked back.....
Rich.