This is an old American lathe dating from before the Second World War. I am not sure of the exact date of manufacture. It's possible that the lathe came to the UK for use by the army (possibly as early as the First World War) as some of the lathe was originally painted a matt khaki colour. More information on the specification and history of Dalton lathes is available. American lathes are sized by the fulll diameter of the swing, in this case seven inches, whereas in the UK lathes are sized by the radius of the swing, in this case 3.5 inches.
The lathe has seen a lot of use in its time and there's a lot of wear to the controls and signs of various abuse over the years. I'd guess that the lathe may have been used (and abused) by its operators and patched up in the toolroom, as for every sign of neglect there is a corresponding repair. I've cleaned the muck and old paint from the lathe and applied a coat of black paint which has improved its appearance, but I have not carried out any mechanical repairs or refurbishment. Visit my photographic history showing the cleaning process and the condition of the lathe.
This lathe would be of particular interest to anyone owning a Dalton lathe of a similar vintage who may want this lathe for spares or repair.
The lathe comes compete with:
For information, I have included below some general pictures of the lathe.
Side view of lathe.
Side view of lathe and stand.
Rear view of headstock.
Countershaft and various accessories, change wheels, etc.
Close up view of fixed steady.
If you are interested in this lathe and would like further information, please telephone +44 (0)1264 323964 (UK daytime hours please!) or contact me by e-mail. The lathe is situated in Oxford UK.
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updated December 2006
Peter Rooke
Oxford TFSR Group
