Made in America - once upon a ..

[graham-xrf]

I am British, but my favourite old-time precision iron that I play with happens to be from the South Bend Machine Tool company. I am conscious that I, along with many others, have become somewhat seduced by Asian imports. Out of "Asian", I tend to mean China, thus excluding Taiwan, and India. Now why do I do that? Biased eh! ?

This forum has a spectacular list of brands categories, and I don't know much about most of them, but I do wonder how many still exist and supply the USA, UK, and Europe, even if not so affordably.

I can see a dandy nice lathe from Kent USA (TRL-13 x 40) I have no idea what it costs!
Emco from Germany have nice stuff too. I bet that would be expensive!

I think our favourite machine tool makers have been taken over, altered their business to serve specialized modern high tech CNC markets, or just died out. Names like LeBlond and Seneca Falls are just not there anymore. Be pleased that Cincinnati are still there, though I think even their smallest might be oversized for us. They make the kind with welded stairs built onto the cross slide apron so the operator can step up onto the tool stage.

Boxford - a UK brand, starting out making a re-worked clone of South Bend, are still around, and I think all their stuff is now CNC.

Here at HM, if somebody wants to go for new, I guess it's Precision Matthews leading the pack, and I am not sure how big that pack is.

 

[vtcnc]

Don't forget Wells-Index

Wells-Index Milling Machines

www.wells-index.com

 

[Aukai]

 

[Aaron_W]

On the smaller side you have Sherline and Taig (aka Peatol in the UK) made in the USA. Over on your side of the Atlantic, Myford and Cowells are still available and made in the UK. Waebco in Germany and Ceriani in Italy.

 

[rabler]

Here at HM, if somebody wants to go for new, I guess it's Precision Matthews leading the pack, and I am not sure how big that pack is

Precision Matthews certainly has a good reputation, but I don't really think of them as a true manufacturer in the classic sense that Leblond, or South Bend, etc were. Those companies designed and built a significant portion of the machine. My understanding is that PM doesn't build a significant percentage of the components. It seems to me that they bundle accessories on base machines made by other companies, and provide some quality control, parts and support. Of course they get to put their branding on the machine. Grizzly is another "manufacturer" that strikes me as falling in the same category, although my rough sense is they are a notch below PM when it comes to machine tools and their roots are woodworking tools.

Machining tools are in a somewhat unique position in that the skills to maintain and refurbish old machines has a large crossover with the skills to operate them. This has kept a lot of the old names around even if they no longer build machines.

 

[Jim F]

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[vtcnc]

Precision Matthews certainly has a good reputation, but I don't really think of them as a true manufacturer in the classic sense that Leblond, or South Bend, etc were. Those companies designed and built a significant portion of the machine. My understanding is that PM doesn't build a significant percentage of the components. It seems to me that they bundle accessories on base machines made by other companies, and provide some quality control, parts and support. Of course they get to put their branding on the machine. Grizzly is another "manufacturer" that strikes me as falling in the same category, although my rough sense is they are a notch below PM when it comes to machine tools and their roots are woodworking tools.

Machining tools are in a somewhat unique position in that the skills to maintain and refurbish old machines has a large crossover with the skills to operate them. This has kept a lot of the old names around even if they no longer build machines.

Incidentally, Grizzly now owns South Bend.

 

[mmcmdl]

Hm..........................Am I keeping you up too late at night again Mike ? I did get logged in last night for the first time after being back !

 

[graham-xrf]

I

Incidentally, Grizzly now owns South Bend.

Slightly more complicated than that. Yes indeed South Bend once sold somewhere between 45% and 50% of lathes in USA.

South Bend became part of LeBlond Ltd, owned by Makino. South Bend was sold to an investor who had founded Grizzly Industrial. New South Bend machines are sold via the Grizzly dealership network. The machines are a bit "Frankenstein", but in a good sense, sourcing some stuff from Taiwan, mixed with spindles from Germany, parts from Japan, etc. seeking to get to higher standards while retaining (some) affordability.

I happen to stumble across some relevant history, perhaps more about portable tools, from Stumpy Nubs.
The route seems to be "death by Rockwell" --> Black and Decker /Stanley

What REALLY happened to iconic tool brands Porter Cable, Delta, Craftsman

 

[mmcmdl]

Plenty of big old iron machines are floating around still . Most shops around here only do production on CNCs due to the lack of qualified machinists available . There are programmers , set-up people and button pushers . The older guys who used to perform all these tasks have all retired or quit the trade as I myself did . Most hobbiests don't want or need a lathe larger than maybe a 12" or 13" lathe which limits what they can get as far as quality . I find the Hardinge or Monarch to be the quality standard . Tough to find them , and expensive when you do .