28-10-2024, 08:19 PM
(26-10-2024, 10:10 AM)Dave Mann Wrote: I think Tony is referring to my Sheldon which I recovered from a skip and which has been used to repair all manner of Seven bits and is nearly as old as our Sevens
Sheldon made some excellent lathes and numbers of them were brought over in WW2 https://www.lathes.co.uk/sheldon. Dave's model is a "High Countershaft" type that went out of production in 1941. South Bend 9-inch lathes (4.5-inch centre height) and "Heavy Ten" models were also imported from the USA at the time.
The South Bend 9-inch has an interesting history dating back to 1932 - and production running into the 1980s in the Boxford version. It was widely copied in many countries and, if you can find, in decent condition, a Model A with a screwcutting gearbox and power cross-feed, you won't be disappointed. https://www.lathes.co.uk/southbend9-inch/
The Heavy Ten is even better, though it does take up more room. https://www.lathes.co.uk/southbend/page4.html
I once found an unused 1942 Heavy Ten. It had been dropped off at a machine shop in Manchester together with three larger South Bend lathes. Upon protesting that he had not ordered a Heavy Ten, the lorry driver said to the new owner, "It's on the list, and I'm leaving it," and off he drove. The 'reluctant ' owner took it home and parked it at the back of his small garage—where I found it in 1995, complete with a thick layer of dust, two chucks, faceplate, catchplate, taper turning, collets, tools and various ministry tags and paperwork.
Knowing a very experienced and successful local vintage car restorer who wanted such a lathe for his home workshop, I phoned him and said I had what he wanted, a new 1942 lathe. He shot round and I pulled the cover off. "But, that's not new. Wait. Oh my goodness. It is! I'll take it." Of course, I should have kept it....