Hardinge Model B Turret Tailstock

[Canuck75]

This turret tailstock was headed to the scrap heap, apparently the drive system on the lathe finally gave out. Understand it is for the old "split bed" lathes of the 1930/1940 era so may be 80 or so years old. Has "Model B" marking on it but no serial number. All the parts are there and has 2 mini live centres and 4 tool holders of dubious hertitage (no markings) so I suspect the original owner made them. Indexes smoothly.

Anybody have further information? Anybody have a parts manual for it? I am going to take it apart but it would be a big help to know what's inside and how it fits together before doing so!

Canuck75

 

[T Bredehoft]

Worth? Depends on how much you use it. I use my little turret lathe a lot, for duplicate turned parts. I made about 60 yesterday, 3/16 alum, .610 long, ctr drill, drill for 5-40 tap, cut off, 40 seconds per part. I couldn't have done them in two minutes ea on my Mk 2 Clausing.
You might want to 'gin up a couple of chuck holders and a part stop, but that's no big deal.

 

[Canuck75]

What to do with my freebee? Not worth much for resale based on what I see on the internet, but the original reason I got it was to see if it could be adapted to my 1963 SB 10" lathe. After a lot of measuring it certainly looked posible. The bottom inverted V-ways would have to be milled off and flatway and v-way adapter plates made, but the center height would work which was the most critical. Soooooo - decision made! Took it all apart, with lots of pictures for reassembly. Found drive pins to one of the pinion gears all broken but otherwise the internals looked pretty good. Couldn't get stubs out so replaced with roll pins to the maximum length possible in each hole. After machining off the inverted v-ways all the necessary adapting pieces were made out of CRS with a little bit of room for shims to get final alignment in both the vertical and horizontal. I called Hardinge to get information on the proper line up of everything for indexing but nothing available on something eighty or more year years old! So it took some trial and error to get the indexing gears and travel stops all lined up and working. Put some stubs in the turret and using a DI in the lathe spindle find discrepancies from station to station on the turret. Noticed that the holes have been sleeved previously so may have to do so again. No too good if the turret doesn't index close to zero each time.

Anyway, the old Hardinge Model B tailstock lives on and may reach 100 years of useful service yet!

Canuck75

 

[Canuck75]

Have finished the Model B. Originally made flat-way and v-way adapters with shimming clearance but once I learned the exact dimensions required remade them to fit without shims. Looks much better. Just need to wait for spring and warmer weather to paint it up to match the SB lathe. It looks like it belongs. Made replacements for the two pawls shown in the first pic because both shafts were worn, one badly, as well as the faces on the right hand pawl. Loaded her up with chucks I had at hand after making suitable 5/8" stubs for them.

 

[ecdez]

I've got that exact same tailstock on my Hardinge. It's from a esm59. From what I've learned it's the predecessor to the more popular dsm59 but I never could find a year on mine.

 

[Canuck75]

What year is the Hardinge? In your picture I can't see the two cam cross bolts that lock the turret in place on the bed as they do on mine, are they just not visible?

Canuck75

 

[ecdez]

I could not find a year. The lock bolts are on the backside and not convenient back there.

 

[Canuck75]

Interesting. The holes for the two lock bolts on mine go right through with a counterbore on both sides so one could put the bolt heads on the front or the back. Check out the casting and maybe you can drill the holes right through. It is handy with the heads out front.

 

[Silverbullet]

Over the years I've found anything made by handinge is worth keeping and using , their tooling is made right by good American machinist. Always smooth and accurate . Wish I could find the scrap you guys do.

 

[ecdez]

Well this should make you sick then. My lathe was on Craigslist about an hour from my house for $400. I couldn't drive up there fast enough.