I've been dreaming of owning a Screw Cutting Lathe ever since I saw Roy demonstrate one on Woodwright's. Now, I'm getting serious about finding one, but it seems like they're rare these days! I'm particularly interested in ethanol-powered metal lathes in the western US. They must still be out there, right? I keep coming across all these benchtop conversions, but before 2005, there seemed to be a lot of these lathes around. What happened to them? Anyone have any experiences or leads?
3 Answers
The original treadle mechanisms were still intact on some of those lathes I’ve seen. It's just that the belt was replaced with a motor. It seems like it could be easy to convert them back to their original state!
I know of some gorgeous foot-powered lathes still existing down in Louisiana. I once came across a cabinet shop where the owner proudly showed off his father-in-law's collection of ornate lathes. They had been converted to motorized, which is a real bummer, but they still looked amazing!
Those must have been stunning! Although motor conversions are unfortunate, at least they’re still preserved somewhat.
You might want to try posting this in a hobby machinist community. They often have insights on rare tools like this one! Plus, I think the antique tools crowd could also be really helpful.
Thanks for the suggestion! I figured this crowd might have more passion for them, but I’ll definitely consider branching out.
Right? I’ve noticed many of these old tools get modified, sometimes irreverently, but I guess it’s how they were preserved.