Willard Lathe

[markba633csi]

Interesting- they used SKF bearings way back then? Or was that originally an American bearing company?
MS
ps never mind I was mistaken, I thought it was a Japanese or American company- it's Swedish originally.

 

[Silverbullet]

With all the nay sayers , piping in ill give you why I would grab it in a heartbeat . One you won't find a better one for the money . Two LATHES built in the war era are made to last forever. I see only dirt and grim that needs cleaning. The clutch system is rebuild able and not expensive. I agree take the handles off before moving Mark there location with a tag or bag them for each section. If the old man was a machinist he took care of it. And yes skf bearings were made in or near Philadelphia , my uncle worked there after ww11 for over twenty years retired around sixty partly from shrapnel he carried to his grave in his back. He was in the invasion forces on dday wounded there and after recovering had trouble walking so he was a guard over German prisoners. In France.
If I had the opportunity to get that lathe I wouldn't be afraid it's a good machine. Just be careful moving it get an engine crane and some moving dollies , HF sells them cheap and there strong enough get the bigger wooden ones you can screw straps right to it to keep it steady. If you can get your vehicle or trailer close a come along will inch it up and on to the trailer. A few planks and plywood help too. Moving blankets help too. If you take the time just do it safely.I'm not convinced by the write of the company I think another company badged it Willard look a lot like leblond may have started with its style.

 

[4GSR]

Leblond started a little earlier than Willard did. But it doesn't mean Leblond didn't copy things Willard had. From 1900 to the Great Depression, There was easily over a hundred lathe manufactures between North America and Western Europe in that time period. Many did not survive the first two years in existence. Many merged together to form larger companies. Lodge & Shipley was one of them. But the Great Depression killed many! What happen to the remains, most records did not survived. I used to have a Willard Lathe catalog. Was not dated, but from the ads posted, it was from the early 1920's. People were starting to come out with more and more gearhead engine lathes in lien of cone head then. South Bend is probably one the few companys that still offered a cone head lathe into the 1960's. Ken

 

[4GSR]

Interesting- they used SKF bearings way back then? Or was that originally an American bearing company?
MS
ps never mind I was mistaken, I thought it was a Japanese or American company- it's Swedish originally.

Yes, SKF bearings! They started in the early 1900's too. Machine tool manufactures started using ball bearings from the 1910's and later for everything but spindle bearings. Real spindle bearings didn't hit until the 1930's, when manufacturing processes were able to achieve the super precision needed in a spindle bearing in it's time. And SKF I believe started out as a American company. And you maybe right, a Swedish company.