Lathe identification and value

[LynnMarie]

Inherited this lathe and know nothing about it except that it was owned by my great great grandfather. On one of the handles it says 800 Williams and Made in the USA. It’s in working condition but has no motor. Anyone have any idea with regards to Maker and value? Thanks in advance.

 

[Kevin J.]

Not familiar with any lathe with the Williams name. It appears to have the ability to cut tapers. I'm guessing it is a jewelers or watchmakers lathe. Try this site----http://www.lathes.co.uk/page21.html----. Comprehensive collection of information about old machine tools.

No idea on value but I would consider it a family treasure.

Hope this helps,
Kevin J.

 

[RTM]

With that monster belt, it was possibly made to be powered off a line shaft, not an individual motor. (One big motor for a shop full of machines). I’d guess it’s age about 1920 or earlier, just based on that.

Does the Williams logo look like the one in this catalog?

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/10932/24832.pdf

More later

 

[Joe Huld]

If the "Williams" marked "handle" is the wrench on the tool post it probably does not indicate the lathe manufacturer

 

[Joe Huld]

If the "Williams" marked "handle" is the wrench on the tool post it probably does not indicate the lathe manufacturer

To continue: It is definitely a counter shaft machine but missing the overhead counter shaft assembly. The chuck may well be marked but that also is not indicative of the lathe maker. It has back gears but lacks the lead screw and change gears so wouldn't cut threads. The dimensions are not given but I suspect it is a small jeweler's lathe dating from the late nineteenth or early twentieth century.

 

[rdenney]

Seems to me far too big for a jeweler's or watchmaker's lathe, which need to support collets and chucks for pins down to a tenth of a millimeter, with runout performance to match. Maybe a lathe for clockmakers, or for similar small machines.

The last watchmaker's lathe I saw in use was a foot and a half long all in and was run by a 1/4" round-section rubber belt. This one is on the larger side, roughly 2x12 inches:



This one is more typical, 40mm swing and a 7mm through bore:




Here's a modern jeweler's lathe, about the same nominal size as the watchmaker's lathes above, but set up for different duties:



The OP's lathe seems much bigger than these. It might be a good size for some musical instrument repair--some supply houses sell the import 7x14 mini-lathes for that duty, with the usual caveats.

I'm thinking this was a standard lathe for making small industrial parts in a production shop back in the deeps of time. Here's a South Bend lathe from before WWII that seems to be similar in concept and general size (though with more features, like the powered lead screw) to the OP's lathe:



Rick "neat to look at" Denney

 

[Maui]

That lathe looks homemade.

 

[paulsomlo]

That lathe looks homemade.

Parts of it, possibly, maybe a franken-lathe, thrown together with parts from here and there, but well executed. But very limited, in terms of usefulness.

I can't imagine you getting more than $150 for that, and even that may be a stretch by 2x.

 

[Farmer J.]

LynnMarie, welcome to the GJ.
That old lathe you have inherited may not be worth much in $$ it seems, but as a family heirloom it may be desirable to some other relative of yours, assuming you don't want it yourself. Quite understandable, if you don't happen to be 'in to' lathes! It's not exactly as easy or convenient to store or display as some inherited jewellery or china is it! Do you have or know of any cousins, 2nd cousins, or 3rd cousins all descended from your Great Great Grandfather? They might appreciate it being passed along to them, if you don't want it.
You say that you don't have any history of the Lathe, but if you want to know there are ways to research the life of your ancestor, and that could likely give information to what he used it for and where... Some people enjoy doing that, other's prefer to get on with their own lives. I'm lucky in that it happens to be an interest of mine, and exciting stories of the family adventures have been handed down for hundreds of years over generations, making the research relatively easy.
As so often it's the stories linked to an object which can give it desirability, 'value' or attachment to it.

 

[BombShelter]

I like it! It's hard to tell how big it is without a beer can in front of it. It looks like it had some power to it with that big belt. During the industrial golden age when this was put out it could have been built for a specific job. I can see a line of these all making the same part at some factory.

Personally I think equipment like this would make great shelf queens or display pieces, yours has great patina, one of these days I'm going to mount my little Sears Dunlap on the wall.

Is the Williams Handle the one on the top (maybe a square opening)? I'm pretty sure I've got one of those as well, it's not the lathe's name, it's just the wrench to tighten the tool post made by Williams.

 

[LynnMarie]

With that monster belt, it was possibly made to be powered off a line shaft, not an individual motor. (One big motor for a shop full of machines). I’d guess it’s age about 1920 or earlier, just based on that.

Does the Williams logo look like the one in this catalog?

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/10932/24832.pdf

More later

No, it looks different…I will take another picture. Thank you so much for the help.

 

[LynnMarie]

Not familiar with any lathe with the Williams name. It appears to have the ability to cut tapers. I'm guessing it is a jewelers or watchmakers lathe. Try this site----http://www.lathes.co.uk/page21.html----. Comprehensive collection of information about old machine tools.

No idea on value but I would consider it a family treasure.

Hope this helps,
Kevin J.

Thanks so much Kevin

 

[LynnMarie]

I like it! It's hard to tell how big it is without a beer can in front of it. It looks like it had some power to it with that big belt. During the industrial golden age when this was put out it could have been built for a specific job. I can see a line of these all making the same part at some factory.

Personally I think equipment like this would make great shelf queens or display pieces, yours has great patina, one of these days I'm going to mount my little Sears Dunlap on the wall.

Is the Williams Handle the one on the top (maybe a square opening)? I'm pretty sure I've got one of those as well, it's not the lathe's name, it's just the wrench to tighten the tool post made by Williams.

Oh, good idea! Will retake a picture with the beer can and also the Williams logo and it’s placement.

It’s soooo heavy I would be scared to wall mount it..haha!

I do know that my great grandfather used to make dental and medical instruments with it. I just found this out today. For its age I would say it’s in pretty good shape

 

[LynnMarie]

LynnMarie, welcome to the GJ.
That old lathe you have inherited may not be worth much in $$ it seems, but as a family heirloom it may be desirable to some other relative of yours, assuming you don't want it yourself. Quite understandable, if you don't happen to be 'in to' lathes! It's not exactly as easy or convenient to store or display as some inherited jewellery or china is it! Do you have or know of any cousins, 2nd cousins, or 3rd cousins all descended from your Great Great Grandfather? They might appreciate it being passed along to them, if you don't want it.
You say that you don't have any history of the Lathe, but if you want to know there are ways to research the life of your ancestor, and that could likely give information to what he used it for and where... Some people enjoy doing that, other's prefer to get on with their own lives. I'm lucky in that it happens to be an interest of mine, and exciting stories of the family adventures have been handed down for hundreds of years over generations, making the research relatively easy.
As so often it's the stories linked to an object which can give it desirability, 'value' or attachment to it.

Thank you

 

[LynnMarie]

LynnMarie, welcome to the GJ.
That old lathe you have inherited may not be worth much in $$ it seems, but as a family heirloom it may be desirable to some other relative of yours, assuming you don't want it yourself. Quite understandable, if you don't happen to be 'in to' lathes! It's not exactly as easy or convenient to store or display as some inherited jewellery or china is it! Do you have or know of any cousins, 2nd cousins, or 3rd cousins all descended from your Great Great Grandfather? They might appreciate it being passed along to them, if you don't want it.
You say that you don't have any history of the Lathe, but if you want to know there are ways to research the life of your ancestor, and that could likely give information to what he used it for and where... Some people enjoy doing that, other's prefer to get on with their own lives. I'm lucky in that it happens to be an interest of mine, and exciting stories of the family adventures have been handed down for hundreds of years over generations, making the research relatively easy.
As so often it's the stories linked to an object which can give it desirability, 'value' or attachment to it.

Thank you so much!

I just got some more info on it today and it turns out he used to make dental tools and medical tools with it which is pretty amazing The sad thing is no one in the family really wants it. I’m getting older and would like to pass it along to someone who would appreciate it. Also, wow is it heavy…lol

 

[LynnMarie]

Seems to me far too big for a jeweler's or watchmaker's lathe, which need to support collets and chucks for pins down to a tenth of a millimeter, with runout performance to match. Maybe a lathe for clockmakers, or for similar small machines.

The last watchmaker's lathe I saw in use was a foot and a half long all in and was run by a 1/4" round-section rubber belt. This one is on the larger side, roughly 2x12 inches:



This one is more typical, 40mm swing and a 7mm through bore:




Here's a modern jeweler's lathe, about the same nominal size as the watchmaker's lathes above, but set up for different duties:



The OP's lathe seems much bigger than these. It might be a good size for some musical instrument repair--some supply houses sell the import 7x14 mini-lathes for that duty, with the usual caveats.

I'm thinking this was a standard lathe for making small industrial parts in a production shop back in the deeps of time. Here's a South Bend lathe from before WWII that seems to be similar in concept and general size (though with more features, like the powered lead screw) to the OP's lathe:



Rick "neat to look at" Denney

Now you have me wondering if maybe he even made the lathe itself with no discernible identification on it.

 

[LynnMarie]

With that monster belt, it was possibly made to be powered off a line shaft, not an individual motor. (One big motor for a shop full of machines). I’d guess it’s age about 1920 or earlier, just based on that.

Does the Williams logo look like the one in this catalog?

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/10932/24832.pdf

More later

No, it doesn’t. I will take another picture of it to share. Thanks for the info and help

 

[LynnMarie]

Not familiar with any lathe with the Williams name. It appears to have the ability to cut tapers. I'm guessing it is a jewelers or watchmakers lathe. Try this site----http://www.lathes.co.uk/page21.html----. Comprehensive collection of information about old machine tools.

No idea on value but I would consider it a family treasure.

Hope this helps,
Kevin J.

Thank you so much!

 

[MShaw]

From my clock repair days I have a book on the watchmaker's lathe. It shows several weird and unusual lathes but nothing like that.