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Unbranded lathe and collets

Orionsrx

New User
Apr 9, 2021
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I just acquired this lathe and it has no markings on it at all. Also some of the collets are too small and seem to not belong to this lathe or other parts are missing. Can anyone help? I have ordered the Watchmakers Lathe by Goodrich but it has not arrived yet.
Thanks for any info
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Last edited:

sharukh

NAWCC Member
Oct 10, 2011
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Mumbai, India
Country
That is a 6mm lathe, ie, it takes 6mm collets. There seems to be only one of these in the pictures. Is it marked 50 ? If there is only one 6mm collet, this lathe may not be of use for general lathe work.

The small collets are what are called jeweling collets and will fit in the no 50 (5mm) collet. Each of these will have an integral backstop.

One of the collets is a male center.

I've never seen a Geneva type lathe with only a partial flat on the side.

Take a look at the lathes.co.uk website.

The Goodrich book is good but nothing beats the books by Archie Perkins and Jendritzki.

Have fun with the lathe.

Sharukh
 
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Orionsrx

New User
Apr 9, 2021
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That is a 6mm lathe, ie, it takes 6mm collets. There seems to be only one of these in the pictures. Is it marked 50 ? If there is only one 6mm collet, this lathe may not be of use for general lathe work.

The small collets are what are called jeweling collets and will fit in the no 50 (5mm) collet. Each of these will have an integral backstop.

One of the collets is a male center.

I've never seen a Geneva type lathe with only a partial flat on the side.

Take a look at the lathes.co.uk website.

The Goodrich book is good but nothing beats the books by Archie Perkins and Jendritzki.

Have fun with the lathe.

Sharukh
Thanks for the info, very helpful
 

wefalck

Registered User
Mar 29, 2011
838
152
43
Paris
Country
It appears to be an owner's arrangement of parts specifically for work with would require such jewelling chucks.

I should be not too difficult to find other 6 mm collets that would fit the lathe. Measure carefully all the dimensions, including the thread diameter and pitch and compare with the table in De Carle's book. In this way, you may find a matching brand.

I am not sure, but I think beds with partial flat are meant to turn the lathe into a simple drill by mounting the bed upright in the foot, after removing the clamp for the headstock. I have one of those and used it as the basis for my micro-milling machine. However, for many brands of Geneva lathes, the stem on the clamp has only 18 mm, rather than the 20 mm as for the bed. So this conversion does not work for all brands.
 

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