What have I got here, Wood or metal lathe?

[Randy Hart]

I bought this along with some related accys and I'm not sure what it is to tell the truth. Light duty like a wood lathe but has adjustable tailstock and compound and a hand crank feed screw. Anyone have a name for this critter while we are asking. Thanks for any insight! Randy Hart Ohio

[sqm1]

Randy
I would say it's a wood lathe by the type of face plate it has and it looks like it's a single speed head.

Joe

[deh375]

This is a hand feed metal lathe. The tool post is the old style rocker type with the Armstrong type tool holder supporting the actual cutting bit.

Doug Holmes

[Peter]

I would say usableable for both but not much good for either. A very low end hobby product. There should be a support for hand held tools on a wood working lathe and its got a really low end coarse manual feed and tool holder for metal and other turning.

You knew that already and too anwer your question, I am not aware of a special name. There might be, I just dont know.

[OTTO-Sawyer]

Can't say what brand it, could be any one of twenty or more different brands like that.

It is an econimical metal lathe for people or shops on a lower budget that didn't need one with power feed , quick change gear box for threading, or a compound cross slide. Small garages or repair shops would use these to turn starter or generater armatures, and maybe true up a shaft after welding worn areas. Not something you'ld want to do a lot of turning on with the manual feed lead screw, but it did the job when needed and saved taking small parts accross town to other shops.

It is a two speed with the double flat belt drive, Not a single speed head like someone else said earlier, and I see it has an adjustable tail stock that can be "set over" for turning a tapered shaft or pin if needed. That 'chuck' or 'face plate' that is on it is for turning shafts between centers with a lathe dog clamped on the shaft with the 'dog leg' fit into the slot that's in it.

A metal lathe can be used to turn wood, but it would be a little more difficult to turn metal on a wood lathe.

[Randy Hart]

Thanks all ! I kinda thought about the dual duty option.. But Like has been said, it's not a good one at metal or wood.

There was enough other stuff to make it a worth while buy so I guess I'll grease it up and put it on the shelf until I need something like it to do whatever lol ( I have a lot of those )
Would make a good lathe for a mini line shaft display but I'm not even going there

The face plate dose thread off and there is a taper in the spindle..fyi Thanks again, Randy Hart Ohio

[OldironJeff]

I have seen copy lathes like this,you jig up a table leg behind the lathe while wittling away at the stock in the lathe...or not?

[NAMPeters]

IMHO the lathe looks like a simple pattern makers lathe. Something one would find in a foundry's pattern shop.