LATHE OBSESSION

by John

I have a disease, and I do not know its official name, but it involves a compulsion to buy and collect lathes.  At last count, I had 9.  Varying from a 6mm Boley jewellers lathe, to a 2 tonne 400mm swing behemoth which occupies a large space in my workshop.

Well, now it is 10.

I noticed this one on Ebay, and thought that restoring it might be a nice project.  (that is, after finishing the triple expansion marine engine, the Burrell traction engine, the beam engine and the Bolton 7 horizontal engine.  Plus tidying up the workshop.  Plus selling off the remaining farm machinery.  And all of the jobs which SWMBO has lined up for me.)

It is an Australian made (I believe), TNC lathe with 6″ between centres, and a swing of about 3″ (centre about 1.5″ above the bed).  I paid the “Buy It Now” price of $A150, because I lusted after it and did not want to risk missing out in auction bidding.  Plus $A40 rather exorbitant postage, considering that it weighs only a kilo or so.

It needs mounting on a base, a new handle, a drive pulley cluster, possibly a new headstock shaft, a 3 jaw chuck, a motor, and repainting.  The paint looks original and is a horrible job.  I will give it a new colour, suggestions welcome.  The tailstock centre needs regrinding.  It is a tiny taper, about 1/4″ diameter.

Lathes.co.uk is not currently available so I do not have much information about the provenance, age, etc.  My guess is that it would be 1950’s 1960’s.

(lathes.co.uk is again online, thank you Tony!  The TNC was made in Australia under licence, a close copy of the Super Adept which was made in the UK.  Still not sure about the age.  The Super Adept was made as early as 1937.  The Australian TNC was listed after WW2).  The brass handles on my lathe are probably not original.

The cup of coffee is for scale.

The cup of coffee is for scale. (for sale if the price is right!)

4 jaw chuck. Not sure what the gears are for.

4 jaw chuck.  I have a nice 3 jaw TOS which will be installed.
Not sure what the gears are for or even if they belong to the lathe.

 

The muddy yellow-green-grey paint was revealed after an initial de-greasing. The handles are brass. All of the slides work, and there is no discernible wear. The gibs are brass. One handle is broken.

The muddy yellow-grey paint was revealed after an initial de-greasing. The handles are brass. All of the slides work, and there is no discernible wear. The gibs are brass.
One handle is broken.