# My first lathe-- 1942 Montgomery Wards 10x24



## PIKEMAN

Saw this on CL-5 miles north of me-gave the guy $100 for it. Cleaned and painted,still needs a few things,but it is up on its feet!
	

		
			
		

		
	






Rustoleum smoke gray rattle can-painted in a 50 degree garage.Slow dried enamel is the best.





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## 8ntsane

Your lathe sure cleaned up nice, looks great!  (':thumbzup:')
Up on its feet it is, and look at those legs on that babys stand,,ya I like it.(':yikes:')
You got any of the before pics? Painting in cool weather , I agree, its better than hot weather. The paint takes its time to flow out, and seem to give a better finish.
Though drying time is increased, nothing more boring than watching paint dry.(':nuts:')


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## PIKEMAN

Put a new shaft and bushings in the countershaft today. What an improvement!


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## Tom Griffin

I was just going to say that it looks like a Logan when I noticed your  note at the bottom of the page. Love the look of those vintage machines and what a great buy at $100. Did you get any tooling with it?

Are you sure about the date? You would think that any metalworking machinery would have gone to the war effort instead of the Monkey Wards catalog in '42.

Tom


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## PIKEMAN

the lathe came with a 3jaw chuck, 2 faceplates, a jacobs drill chuck on a 2mt adapter, lantern toolpost,left and right bit holders for 1/4" bits,straight and right cut off blade holders, some wrenches, and 3 flat belts.

According to the date chart at the Logan Actuator site, the serial number on the bed  identifies it as a 1942. I had the same question about the war effort, but it may have to do with what castings they already had on hand.


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## Aub

I purchased almost the same Montgomery Wards Logan just over a year ago. Mine was made in 1941. You can see the motor power switch in front. I moved it to be less in the way.


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## PIKEMAN

I made a bracket to mount my drum switch on the front side of the left leg. What size is that 3 jaw on your lathe?


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## PIKEMAN

Well, I have finally done a couple of things to improve my lathe. I aligned the tailstock, using the test bar method. It is adjusted so that it will hold .0001 over 16 inches. And I replaced the cross slide nut, and took a ton of backlash out of the adjustment.)


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## Galane

Nice looking lathes. I have serial number 1031. Logan started making Montgomery Ward lathes in 1940, didn't put the Logan name on until 1941. MW production began at number 1001 so mine is the 30th one off the line. (Someone else has the 20th one made.)

They made two models of the MW, Standard and Deluxe. Standard has babbitt bearings and no power cross feed. Deluxe has roller bearings and power cross feed. Number 1031 is a Standard Model. Serial number has a P after it, I assume for Plain Bearing. Supposedly the only letter used after the serial numbers on MW lathes was A, added when they started over at number 1000A after 9999 was reached.

So far my lathe seems to be the only known example of a plain bearing Montgomery Ward lathe. I assume many of them succumbed to abuse by lack of oiling the bearings and were scrapped or got the headstocks swapped for roller bearing ones - but any of those should have the P after the number if that was the practice. Dunno since mine is such an early one, possibly the very first plain bearing one made? Can't know unless another Standard model turns up with a P after the serial number.

I color laser printed some POWR-KRAFT logos on adhesive plastic film. https://www.flickr.com/photos/27748767@N08/sets/72157635938510255/ MW used two different color schemes so I made some of each and used the blue one on my lathe instead of the red one because I like it better.

If you want one, send me a PM.

I have a 1941 Deluxe Model, serial 2669 (2668th one made). Owned at some point by the Consolidated Vacuum Corporation, a company that had NASA among its clients. Never know but this lathe may have turned some parts used in early manned rockets.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27748767@N08/sets/72157639469853874/


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## GarageGuy

My first lathe was the 1945 version of yours.  Virtually identical with the power feed cross slide and change gears.  It was a very good lathe to learn on.  You will enjoy yours a lot.

GG


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## Fairbanks

Very nice, Thanks for posting!


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## Andre

Nice lathe, kinda looks like at a Logan.


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## newbydave

Logan made the lathes Monkey Wards sold.


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## Galane

Since all the Montgomery Ward records are long gone, the only records Logan has on those lathes is the date of sale and the MW store they went to.


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## Mikinvt

PIKEMAN said:


> Saw this on CL-5 miles north of me-gave the guy $100 for it. Cleaned and painted,still needs a few things,but it is up on its feet!
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> Rustoleum smoke gray rattle can-painted in a 50 degree garage.Slow dried enamel is the best.
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PIKEMAN said:


> Saw this on CL-5 miles north of me-gave the guy $100 for it. Cleaned and painted,still needs a few things,but it is up on its feet!
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> View attachment 34372
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> Rustoleum smoke gray rattle can-painted in a 50 degree garage.Slow dried enamel is the best.
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I know this is an old thread but any chance I can get a photo of how the countershaft is attached?Thank you


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## Mikinvt

Very nice job!


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