Vintage Craftsman Lathe and tools:)

[Darrin88]

I picked this up Sat at a garage sale 5 houses down. I didn't even know the guy. This was his grandfathers set. I bought everything for 80 bucks. The lathe is in great working shape and all original. The tools in the original box speak for themselves. Everything has the same logo so I wonder if it came as a set? It made my day since I have been collecting old Craftsman woodworking tools for about a year or so now. Anyone have a good idea on age? Actually the truth is I'm collecting about anything I see that interests me. I'm going to be building a new garage soon to continue my hording

 

[bluebolt]

You ****! That underlined emblem is 30's to 40's. I don't think the tools and lathe came as a set but were probably bought at the same time. Very nice, love the blue box!

 

[930dreamer]

That's a nice find.

 

[Darrin88]

Thanks for the info on the date Bluebolt That was my guess but I'm still amature status on Craftsman.

 

[Darrin88]

I would love to find a motor of similar age to run it if anyone has one laying around

 

[Super Sport]

Wow, you ****!

 

[HubbaBubba]

Great score.

 

[Darrin88]

Does anyone know the proper size motor to run this? 3/4 hp or so?

 

[barcalo]

I would love to find a motor of similar age to run it if anyone has one laying around

I have a 1950 3/4 HP Craftsman motor that I may get rid of. I am looking for a 40's one if I run across two I will let you know. I am a pretty big collector of underline C craftsman tools and it is VERY rare to find a box in that type of shape. I got a junker that I am in the process of figuring out what and how I am going to redo it because body work needs to be done to it.

 

[wornoutoldman]

You ****!

 

[bluebolt]

After looking at a few catalogs I think your lathe is around 1938. The 1936 catalog does not show a belt guard and the 1940 catalog has the same lathe branded as a Companion.

The motor recommended is a 1/3 HP 1750 RPM motor. If you could find one the best motor would be a same vintage Craftsman capacitor start motor with the built in reversing switch and start switch, ball bearings and overload protector. Here's the 1938 catalog. http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=4462
You will also need to pick up a 4 sheave pulley to match the one on the lathe.

Here's pics of the same lathe. http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=13556
http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=13482
http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=13061
http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=12920
http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=12295

I love the blue and the blue emblem. This might be the lathe I will have to hunt for LOL.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Is there any chance those lathe tools (which basically look NOS btw) would be worth more as collectors than users?

 

[camarotoolman]

I got the same lathe!
I've had it able 35 years. I'm going to put a webbed belt on it. The indexing head is a nice extra, I've used it to make flutted corner coloum for a grand father clock. Don't know able the motor mine is not original.

 

[Darrin88]

Thanks for the info guys and now the hunt begins for a motor

 

[JASTECH]

Nice find! I like the sentimental feeling of who used it ect. back then. Did the son have anything that was made on that lath that you could buy/have?

 

[woody 73]

I am thinking you might not want to run that old ******* a 3/4 hp motor, it would be overkill.

Two ways too think about this one:

Too a die hard collector you would never touch that set it would only be looked at and admired.
or else it could be used like a sunday going to Church drive type car where you can have some fun on that special day.

But whatever you do keep an old rag with motor oil and at least once per year wipe down everything too preserve it for the next generation.

 

[barcalo]

Is there any chance those lathe tools (which basically look NOS btw) would be worth more as collectors than users?

If you could find THE one guy who would want to collect them and not use them possibly. The one thing with vintage craftsman is that everything exists in mint to toast condition. There was so much of it sold that there is somebody somewhere that has everything in all sorts of condition. I just got some craftsman crown logo power tools some in boxes and some not in very very good conditon this weekend and I was VERY excited about it lol. But those lathe tools and the box in that age and condition have to be fairly rare but I am sure somebody somewhere has some that look better (but maybe not by much)

 

[Richball]

I have the same lathe that I inherited from my Grandfather and use it all the time. I run it with a 1/2 hp 1750 RPM motor. You want 1750 RPM, 3450 RPM is too fast. One tip, don't over lube the head stock bushings. Use just a couple drops of oil in the bushing cups under the belt cover. If you use too much you find that you'll have a nice splatter pattern up you left arm where the turning spindle threw off the excess.

Rich

 

[4x4gearhead]

Wow that thing looks like a quality piece of woodworking machinery nice score, and also go hording!

 

[Darrin88]

Thanks for the tip Rich!

 

[Richball]

Thanks for the tip Rich!

No problem. I learned the hard way.

Rich

 

[2oolhound]

You ****! Those look like real badges on the hand tools, no decals in those days! Very nice!

 

[Darrin88]

Your right woody. I will probably just make one thing with it and let it sit to be admired. I just want to get it in working order.I picked up a Craftsman shaper today all original and it works at an auction. It has the exact same badge. The guy that had it made chairs. He made a awesome cart with cast iron wheels that say SERVICE on them. It looks to have everything including the paperwork. I invision a full shop of Craftsman underlined tools and equipment someday to just look at and maybe use one in a great while. Ill post a pic of the shaper once I get it cleaned up. It has aobut a inch of sawdust on it. The sale I was at today was insane. A 110 year farm owned by a serious horder

 

[mrbreezeet1]

Does anyone know the proper size motor to run this? 3/4 hp or so?

Yeah, 1/2 is even enough, 3/4 to 1 HP OK too. usually were 1750 RPM.

Yeah, maybe 3/4 to 1 HP is over kill.
I only have 1/4 HP on mine, but that is a little low.

 

[camarotoolman]

You can check the value of the turning tools on feebay, go to completed auction in the left column. That sure is a nice set. You can make custom tools out of old files too.

 

[Nozzlejocky]

Great find, should serve you well.

 

[Darrin88]

I think I'm going to go with the 1/2 HP motor. Now I just have to find one.....I wonder how long this will take.Thanks for the info guys

 

[Darrin88]

I found a nice 1/2 hp motor today

 

[Red Leader]

Wow, what a great find! That lathe is circa ~ 1939 and the tools look period correct.

Wow, that box of chisels is the real treasure. Looks complete, WITH box, all in near mint condition. I'd hang on to that and pass that down to your kids. You could probably get a lot for it on ebay, but it may have more value to you in your shop.

Either way, stellar find!

 

[Cranehead]

I picked up a craftsman lathe with tools recently but later vintage, around 1950 and not as sweet. That's good because if it was as nice as yours I might not want to use it, which would be a shame. It has the original emerson motor, only 1/3 HP that's barely enough. My 12 yr old is learning to turn on it.

View attachment 188691

Craftsman is barely visible on the shafts of the tools themselves, they have no other marking.

TC

 

[softailgarage]

Oh man, you really ****. Personally, I would use the lathe as much as I could, keep everything lubed and not sticky. The tools are a different story, I would put them in a nice display case and save them to hand down someday. I'm also thinking 1938/39.

 

[Darrin88]

Thanks softail

 

[Darrin88]

Thanks everyone for the info and comments!