I hope that nobody object to this posting on the basis of the lathe not actually being built for woodworking. I thought that it’s a neat little lathe and some might enjoy seeing it. I picked it up at a flea market a few years ago. Wasn’t sure what it was designed for, but it “called to me” as I went past the seller’s table and ended up going home with me. Its overall length is about 10 inches, and is quite substantial in its construction. I few people I showed it to speculated that it might be a “salesman’s sample” of a full-sized lathe. I was able to find a name on it, Wolfe Johns & Co, Frankfurt, Germany. After a bit of searching on the web, I’ve decided that it’s a jeweler’s or watchmaker’s lathe. I was a bit surprised to find that a lathe for this purpose would be equiped with a woodworker’s style tool rest. It’s equipped with a collet and there are 60 holes equally spaced on the back of the pulley. I’m assuming these holes are for indexing, although I’m not able to find a matching corresponding reference hole in the lathe.
Replies
Nahh that is COOL ! Thanks for putting up the pics. Sure could use it as a wood lathe.
To those viewing pics I just discovered the obvious. If I reduce the view I can see the large/close up format easier. On my machine it is the command key and the " - " key combination pressed several times.
roc
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )
Roc,
The lathe is cool but the trick with the CMD (CNTRL) minus key is also very cool. Thanks for pointing it out. I will probably use it a lot.
GeorgeYou don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. - Michael Pritchard<!----><!----><!---->
<!----><!---->
Re: tricks for viewing attachments..... If you have a mouse with a scrolling wheel, you can press the Control key and scroll up (magnify) or down (reduce). But my favorite way to view larger pictures on a Windows computer is to right click and select Open in New Window. You get a larger space for the pic to occupy, but also you can set your browser to fit images to the window automatically.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
You are correct it is a watchmakers lathe.The last time I saw one used was 35 yrs ago by a clock maker turning stepped shafts and bushings to repair long case clocks for Goodwood House in the UK.He used tiny chasers and scrapers to shape the parts and an arm rest with a diamond point for boring.All on the "Woodworkers" as you put it T rest. You are lucky to own it. Some fetch £300 or more a the collet set .However, as with most things there are, apparently, vary rare makers .Like Holtzappel for ornamental lathes Enjoy
jako
Yep Jako 17 is correct, it is a watchmakers/jewelers lathe.
It is missing tailstock center though.
Betcha yer gonna have a lot of fun searching Ebay for parts. It ain't a WWing lathe though
Lee Valley has an inexpensive book called "turning for amateurs" that might push you over the edge. Do a search on "ornamental turning" and yer on the precipice of another slippery slope.
Yu bin warned.....
Eric
I had intended to modify the attached pictures in the original, ended up deleting them and couldn't find a way to attach pictures back to the original posting. the modified pictures are attached to this post
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled