Michael Koblic wrote:
I got a bunch of stuff in an auction yesterday - mostly what looks like
parts for a miniature lathe. However, some of the items are a bit of a
puzzle. Here are the pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2768312...7608551014377/

The descriptions are with the photos.

If anyone can help with ideas or explanations I shall be grateful.


Looks like a collection of tooling separated from it's maker. :-)

The cross slide looks to be set up for mounting the same tool holders
as the toolpost. Looking at the way that all the tooling would be
situated on the holders (as per the carbide insert shown installed) the
slide may well be meant to mount on edge from the position shown. It
would serve as a pretty handy, adjustable tool post for repetetive work,
or second operatios type work.

What are the dimensions of the toopost block? Does it look like a
commercial product? Is it solid on the other end? I see 21 tool holders.
Wow! If you can use them, in any case.

Does the fixed steady rest match the height of the "lathe headstock"?
It looks smaller.It looks similar to the ones used on a Webster
Whitcombe pattern watchmakers lathe. They were typically about 50mm
center height. This one appears to be able to be fixes by the holes at
either end of the base, as well as by the pin down through the bed of a
watchmakers lathe.

The stuff looks like it was made by someone that had a surface
grinder, and was pretty fond of using it. I wonder whether the stuff was
hardened when it was made?

The "headstock" looks like it was made to serve as a clockmakers lathe,
or for instrument work. Does it have a taper inside? Do the spindles
shown in the second picture fit in the headstock?

All in all a pretty good snag for a $20 crapshoot, I must say. If you
cannot use the small tool post and holders, it should be worth a fair
bit more than that!

Know anything about where it all came from?

Cheers
Trevor Jones