Companion Lathe Original Color ?

[davehc]

I just picked up this old , what I believe to be a Craftsman / Companion lathe . I was at our local tractor / engine show , which I belong to , and was browsing the flea market when I found it for $20 , and just couldn't pass it up , Plan to clean it up and repaint it if I can find out what the original color is . It kind of looks like it may have been the old gray machinery color . Every thing about it appears to be well cared for in its past . If anyone knows the color , would appreciate it . Thanks

 

[machinistnoob]

That looks of Dunlap origin. Made for craftsman. Is there a tag on the end of the bed? Can't go wrong with machine grey but I have an old Dunlap that I stripped the paint from and just reassembled. Keep it wiped down with an oily rag and it looks fantastic. I do that with old vises also. To me, shiny cast-iron looks great.

 

[Aaron_W]

Hard to say, color seems to have changed on Sears branded machines from time to time. I've seen gray, medium blue, dark blue, black.

I don't think you can ever go wrong with some form of gray on a machine tool.

 

[LF_WS]

You might find some clues as to the original colors by removing parts (e.g. the brackets holding the lead screw) in the hope of finding protected painted surfaces behind them. You probably need to disassemble it to clean and paint it anyway.

 

[projectnut]

I had one of a 1933 model a few years ago. The original color was a bright blue. This one was purchased new by a friend's father. He used it for both wood and metal working. When he could no longer use it, the machine went into storage. When he passed, I got it as a gift. I fixed up for my nephews but was told by their parents they were still too young to use it. I had no room in the shop, so I gave it to a young aspiring hobbyist.

I've included some pictures of the machine as it looked when I was finished. The paint is untouched from the original owner. Over many years of use and exposure to cutting oils the headstock, bed, and tailstock are somewhat faded. The best example is the jackshaft assembly as it was least affected by the oil.

 

[wa5cab]

projectnut is correct about trying to ID the original color of items sold over the years by Sears. But Sears used different names during the 1930's 1940's and 1950's such as Companion, Dunlap and Craftsman for items made by different contractors. There seems to have been some correlation between the names and the cost or quality of items sold under the different names. In later years they seem to have quit this practice and called everything Craftsman.

I don't think that the machine pictured above is Atlas built. Atlas started building a 9" around 1932. But if you bought the whole thing the lead screw was driven off of the motor from the head stock end, not by a hand crank from the tailstock end. If you are a donor, the Sears Craftsman version of the Manual and Illustrated Parts List is in Downloads.

 

[projectnut]

I have a PDF copy of the 1939 Sears Craftsman and Companion tool catalog. The most similar to the one you have is on page 14. Yours appears to have the headstock of the wood turning lathe, but the bed of the metal turning lathe.

I tried to upload a copy, but the file is too large. Here is a link to the 1939 Sears power tool catalog on the Vintage Machinery website. I've looked through several Sears power tool catalogs from the early 1930's to the late 1940's but this is the only one I could find with Companion brand lathes.

Sears | Craftsman - Publication Reprints - 1939 Sears Power Tool Catalog | VintageMachinery.org

 

[davehc]

Thanks to all of you for the response's and great information . I believe it to be a Companion because stamped on the 3" four jaw chuck is " Power Companion Tools " & Pat. 1977658 USA . Of course that could have been added at some time . The bed is 2 11/16" W X 26 5/16" L X 4 3/8" H . I think I will probably go with the Grey . Thanks again from all for the info .

 

[wa5cab]

I will mention that for some apparently strange reasons the lathe manufacturers tended not to build chucks, but did sell them.

Back to the color subject, the gray color used by Atlas and by Sears in the 1930's and 1940's was notecably darker than what was being used later. I am not certain when Atlas changed but the machinery gray used before, during and for a while after WW-II is noticeably darker than what Rustoleum has called Machinery Gray for the past several decades.

 

[Aaron_W]

Rustolium has two shades of machine grey, a light and a dark variety. I assume probably something like the situation with old CAT yellow and New CAT yellow. They also offer Smoke grey so there are some options.