Drummond Model B lathe

[roverguy]

Hi

My first post here . A local here is selling an old Drummond model B lathe . It is rather cute and more like a baby lathe . It is complete .

Are these common ? And, are parts available anywhere ?

Any nasty things I should be aware of !

I live in Southern Australia .

MIKE

 

[irishwoodsman]

i would do a little net searching on the lathe, and then have the seller demonstrate it, other than that look for broken gears missing teeth, most parts can be made by a good machine shop, hope this helps:biggrin:

 

[irishwoodsman]

http://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/:biggrin:

 

[ScrapMetal]

Rather interesting design. I'd love to have one just to look at, especially their first model or the "B".


1908 Model




Model "B"

Source: http://www.lathes.co.uk/drummond/

-Ron

 

[roverguy]

That's the one Ron ....I should be picking it up on the weekend .

The company aimed at the hobby market . That such a market was around 100 years ago .. this amazes me :nuts:

I tracked down the YAHOO group for Drummond lathes . Apparently they are common in the UK .

I already own a SB 9 clone .

Thank you for the replies ..MIKE

 

[ScrapMetal]

Just an amazing coincidence I assure you. :biggrin: I noticed that but didn't give it much thought as my mind was geared towards and electric cutoff and not a mechanical one. Still a simple and elegant solution for what we were discussing.

-Ron

 

[ScrapMetal]

They are big enough for small jobs, i.e. not like a toy at all. The dog clutch makes screw cutting a dream.

I have one from about 1907, same as the depicted 1908 one but without the compound slide.

And no pics....? :biggrin:

-Ron

 

[roverguy]

I got it home OK

It is in very good shape for its age ... I didnt pay much for it

 

[ScrapMetal]

Rusty's right, looks like it's pretty much complete and in great shape. Nice find.

-Ron

 

[roverguy]

Thanks for the kind words . This isn't a cheap piece of machinery, it is well made . Drummond sold a 'lathe for the masses' in the form of their model A , at 5 pounds cost , probably a few months wages at the time .

Whoever designed this lathe knew about engineering . Seems odd to be using a lathe from my grandfather's era , but how can you reinvent the wheel !

Good old British engineering ! What happened to it :yikes:

MIKE