Unknown lathe

[dwhite]

Hello, I just got this lathe off of ebay.  I'm wondering if anyone knows who made it.  Notice the oil caps at the base of the headstock.  Why would they be there and how would the oil get to the bearing surfaces?  Also, the tailstock doesn't have any kind of lock to hold whatever you put into it.  How does this work?  It was listed as a Boley because the only marker is on the base which is a Boley base but I'm almost sure Boley never made anything like it.  I searched the UK site listing manufacturers, looked at most and couldn't find a match.  Thanks in advance, Dan.

[jdrichard]

I saw this on on line and was curious. I think it is a Boley. Is it perfectly aligned?

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[dwhite]

Wow!  That would be something if it were a Boley.  As far as the alignment, I haven't gotten it yet so I don't know.  Are you referring to the headstock/tailstock alignment?  Thanks!

[jdrichard]

Wow!  That would be something if it were a Boley.  As far as the alignment, I haven't gotten it yet so I don't know.  Are you referring to the headstock/tailstock alignment?  Thanks!

Yes I am. Plus the bed, head and tail should all have the same serial number and that could give us a better hint


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[jdrichard]

Those lower oil caps are funky? Does not seem to have any oiling points up top.


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[jdrichard]

This lathe could have ball bearings vs cone bearings


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[dwhite]

Thanks for all the info!  I hope to have it in a week.  Would ball bearings be a bad thing?  The only thing I could think of regarding the oil caps is to provide lubrication for the headstock to travel over the bed although I can't imagine doing it that way.  I spent hours last night looking at pictures of lathes and the closest thing I could come up with is a Leinen &Boley or just plain Boley Reform lathe.  It doesn't look exactly like those but it's closer than any other I have looked at.  The seller says there are no markings anywhere.  Oddly enough, there is another one for sale on ebay minus the tail stock.  That seller also says it has no markings.  I don't know much about lathes.  I have an ancient Wolf Jahn and that's the only one I've ever used and not much at that.

[jdrichard]

I have a boley and a boley leinen reform and it is Not a leinen reform


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[dwhite]

Thanks.  Like I said I had a better match on that model than any other I looked at but it wasn't the same.  BTW, what does the term "reform" refer to?

[jdrichard]

It was when the Boley relative joined the Leinen company and they designed wanted to design a lathe that had the WW aspects yet still had the quality of the European lathes. Here is my lathe.


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[dwhite]

I see!  That is a beautiful lathe.

[jdrichard]

I see!  That is a beautiful lathe.

Thanks


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[jdrichard]

My three lathes


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[measuretwice]

You bought a Perton....or at least the heastock is

 

http://www.lathes.co.uk/perton/

 

I never owned one, but I would speculate that the low oil cups might feed the bearings via wicks

 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2018 by measuretwice

[dwhite]

1 hour ago, measuretwice said:

You bought a Perton....or at least the heastock is

 

http://www.lathes.co.uk/perton/

 

I never owned one, but I would speculate that the low oil cups might feed the bearings via wicks

 

Thanks, you nailed it!  How in the world did you find out what it was?  I thought I looked everywhere.  According to your link, my tailpiece has a part that is broken off which is a shame because the reason I bought it was because my Wolf Jahn didn't have a tailpiece.  I might be able to get a welder to repair it assuming the metal is good enough to take a weld.

 

 

[dwhite]

jdrichard:  beautiful lathes!  You have given me an idea on a motor mount based on one of your lathes.

[dwhite]

I got the lathe yesterday and it has a couple of issues.  First, the base plate got broken in shipping.  I have ordered a new one.  Second, and more serious, is that the lock on the tailpiece is broken off.  This is the lock that holds a spindle or whatever you call them into the tailpiece.  I have the broken off piece.  I'm thinking about getting it welded back on but am worried that it will be too brittle.  Instead, could I drill and tap a hole at the top of the tailpiece for a screw or setscrew to lock down on the spindle?  The metal thickness is probably 2-3mm at that point.  Has anyone seen this done or know a reason why it shouldn't be done?  Thanks in advance, Dan.

[measuretwice]

That's too bad.  

My first thought was to make the broken base the sellers problem and return it, but you did ok on the purchase and the lathe is certainly uncommon, rare even.

On the tailstock, if you're keeping it, I would do nothing.   There is, imo, not enough meat there to tap/pin it together.  Brazing rather than welding would be how to reattached a bit of likely cast iron or cast steel, but putting that much heat into the part will likely damage the chrome and more importantly carries the risk of the metal to moving.  When at heat, stresses in the metal readjust and new equilibrium is reached - this carries the real risk of upsetting the very carefully done fit and alignment of the tail stock quill.   You can't isolate the heat either when brazing CI, you have to kind of bring the whole thing up

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 14, 2018 by measuretwice

[measuretwice]

PS.....you've got an added challenge in that it didn't come with collets.   8mm is far from universal, there is some variance lathe to lathe, threads, length etc, so you might want to get some different 8mm collets and try them

Edited January 14, 2018 by measuretwice

[dwhite]

Thanks.  I share your concern about heating the piece.  I could possibly get by with an external clamp for the quill (glad now that I know the proper name).  The quill and the headstock allign perfectly.   It did come with a collet installed that I almost had to hammer out.  It was really stuck.  Upon examination it was distorted.  I tried some of my collets, boley and others, and they worked.  Someday I will own a lathe with a functioning tailpiece.  Dan.

[jdrichard]

jdrichard:  beautiful lathes!  You have given me an idea on a motor mount based on one of your lathes.

What is the idea and thanks.


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[dwhite]

It's the l-bracket adjustable motor mount for the lathe in the lower left corner.  I really like that setup and may do something similar.

[jdrichard]

It's the l-bracket adjustable motor mount for the lathe in the lower left corner.  I really like that setup and may do something similar.

Go to a fastener store and get Screws with Plastic grips on one end and wing nuts on the other end. That was NO tools are need to assemble and disassemble.


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[dwhite]

Thanks jdrichard!

[Lenj]

A beautiful lathe..