Granite Lathe?

[Doug Gray]

Was browsing a photography website and came across what the OP called a lathe for turning granite columns.
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1512244&page=5 starts at post #67

 

[Liljoebrshooter]

Watched a clip on How its made about making granite pieces like columns. Very interesting to see.
Joe

 

[rabler]

Note the person coming around the very left edge of the building/photo provides some scale.

I'd be fearful that a nearly completed piece of granite would break under its weight at a flaw, and roll forward over the operator.

 

[Winegrower]

This is what the Romans used, right? ;-)

 

[Doug Gray]

I hate it when trees grow up through my bed. It's like, hey you six guys get the oxen and help me move the tailstock.

 

[Doug Gray]

History of the quarry showing the lathe in use.

Could not connect to database

 

[rabler]

I hope I'm not the only one that looks at this and wants to clean it up and make it run again.

 

[francist]

Very cool, love the photos. Here’s a bit on the history of Betts Machine, maker of the subject lathe.

Betts Machine Co. - History | VintageMachinery.org

 

[RJSakowski]

A lot of surface plates in the rough!

 

[mcostello]

I installed a power transmission belt on a stone lathe that made the 24" stone balls seen on the top of fancy buildings. The forming tool was about 12" long and was moved around to clean up a 24" cube. This was before cell phone cameras.
As an aside there were 2 Vietnamese Guys there carving scrolls and such on the sides of stone garden benches. Took about 45 minutes a side, no patterns or templates. Extremely talented.