The More of It

Hobbies

Genealogy Index

MetalWorkin..
I suppose my interest in working metal began in the 60's when I bought a Lincoln Arc Welder  (.. $107 as I recall it.. and not that much more nowdays). Acetylan followed. 20 years ago I took a jewelry making course (mostly metal shaping!). Around 1994, I went to buy a jointer and wound up with more metal working (see that wonderful story) stuff and a few years ago I bought a used ShopTask 3in1 (lathe, mill, drill).  This week 7/12/4, I obtained even more of lathe than I even knew!

In  June, son Chris asked me if I was interested in a lathe which his friends Grandfather once owned. His friend, Eric, put some pictures out on the net.. in such large format that they were hard for me to view.
Since it had a name Turner on it, I thought it (or parts) might complement my Walker-Turner wood lathe.

I was at Schroon Lake Monday morning, Chris asked me if I wanted to go get the lathe in Clifton, NJ that night. I left SL at 1pm to pick up Chris and left for NJ at 5:45. Hard rain most of the way; especially for rest of the evening. (Yesterday's NYTimes had a story about people returning to their home 3 days later; I saved the picture of a canoe wrapped right around a tree). The lathe was tucked along the back wall of 2Car garage; Eric had just taken up the cement bolt downs. I started removing the toolholder, compound, tailstock, etc. for weight reduction, while they disconnected (at 110 LIVE volts)(because they couldn't open fusebox) motor. I wanted to remove the compound saddle too, but couldn't see how to .. 

This was the point we should have reconsidered what we were attempting! We were JUST able to swing out lathe past an unmovable 1960 Mercedes Benz (it was going with the house; Grandpa was a mechanic for MB). Now we're able to remove the motor & mounts. We could then (barely) slide lathe towards pickup rear. Plan was to hang lighter end on tailgate while removing Cast Iron legs; and slide one end into truck. To our surprise, this worked! But this was as far as we got for almost and hour; we had no wood or rigging to lift the heavy business end of the lathe up 2". A gear housing hung below the tailgate by the 2"; preventing 2' further into truck bed. I thought we might get home like that... maybe place some removed pieces on the light end already in the truck bed for balance.

 After, scouting in the vacant basement, we finally found a few piece of wood; and managed to get them underneath lighter end and slither the wood to the heavy end. Finally raised up end JUST enough to clear the tailgate (which was (barely) holding a LOT of weight). We 3 pushed. It slid! Lucky bed had a heavy duty plastic insert which helped with  sliding. Piled rest of parts around the lathe and in cab... and gingerly took off down steep driveway and onto the Garden State for the trip back to Poughkeepsie.  Still downpouring.

Chris thought it could be left in his garage.. so we struggled for another hour and had it standing on its reattached legs by midnight.. WHAT A STRUGGLE. Amazing what can be done if you don't give up. Turns out the lathe was 14" Flather from around 1910. Probably weighs 1200 lbs or so... Now if only the motor works! Gears, ways, all looked to be in good shape. Chris found Great pictures of an identical lathe being renovated in Maine. Here's Maine site: http://www.forseyengland.com/flather1