# Reed & Prentice Lathe USS Orleck



## lathe nut (Oct 2, 2010)

The USS Orleck (World War 11 Destoryer) has been move to Lake Charles, Louisiana and is under going some what of a restoration for now is all done by volunteers, I decided that I was going to join in, chip, sand, paint, weld what ever I could do to help the girl looking good again, today after welding for several hours I decided to look in some of the rooms and a fellow said on floor below is a machine shop, we are going to try and find some that can run the lathe to make some parts, I said I can tinker and will do what I can on it, still don't have light down there yet so we went with a flash light and I snapped this photo, its a Reed and Prentice, in great shape for being welded in the belly since 1945, all of the tooling is still in there but the lathe only, don't know if they had a mill in there, so when we get juice down there I am going to clean it and the room and give it a paint job and a new lease on life, until then I am going to try to find out something about the lathe, going to enjoy this real long project, Lathe Nut


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## steamer (Oct 2, 2010)

Lathe Nut

Great lathe...very stout...they made a lot of them for the war effort.

They were based in Worcester Ma, and were a union or F.E. Reed and Prentice brothers.

I have a 1880's F. E. Reed Lathe that I've restored....Simple, robust and rugged...says it all.

Dave


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## lathe nut (Oct 3, 2010)

Dave, thanks, information to add to the list, is the head of the machine like this one, couple of the controls that I am not sure what they are, thanks again, Lathe Nut


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## steamer (Oct 3, 2010)

lathe nut  said:
			
		

> Dave, thanks, information to add to the list, is the head of the machine like this one, couple of the controls that I am not sure what they are, thanks again, Lathe Nut





OOH No! completely different animal  the Reed Prentice lathe you have is a beast....and about 50 years newer.

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u27/mcandrew1894/FEReedsideview.jpg

Dave


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## lathe nut (Oct 3, 2010)

Dave, guess you are right the lathe on the Orleck in a Child Beast compared to what you have there, hope that you don't plan on getting that lathe dirty, don't even say yes, there was a lot of scrubbing going on there, love the color, if it is not in your shop come look in mine, I will take care of it, thank, Lathe Nut


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## steamer (Oct 3, 2010)

Oh no, "Victoria" has a life of restful retirement turning an occasional core print in mahogany...ect.

She doesn't have to work for a living anymore.... ;D

Dave


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## rcmadness (Oct 11, 2010)

Here is a guy looking for the same information you are on a similar Reed Prentice lathe. Sounds like a Navy lathe also.
[url http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/reed-prentice-gear-head-lathe-150041/ url]


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## lathe nut (Oct 12, 2010)

rcmadness, thanks for the tip, will contact them to see if I can get some of there info. we got the lathe running yesterday, what a stout machine, run it through all the gears, feed, lead screw, it works great, going to get down there and clean the room first then the lathe next, met a fellow that served four year in Korea, his bunk was in the machine shop over the work bench, did he have some stories about the lathe, he said they would hide there booze under the lathe in the chips, bet that tasted good, thanks again, Lathe Nut


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## neptune769 (Feb 17, 2012)

Hi Lathe nut,
I know this is an old post but I figured I would try. 

I was wondering where the Orleck went. It is back in Orange now if I'm not mistaken. But then again It could have been that long ago since I saw it last thinking is was last year. My days just run together. :-[ The Lathe looks in good condition considering it was in the hands of another military for a while. I don't remember who's though. Are you still going aboard to volunteer? 

Regards,
Dennis 

aka Neptune769 Don't want to get the Dennis' confused.


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## n4zou (Feb 18, 2012)

I was on a Destroyer in the early 80's. If all the tooling for the lathe is there you'll find a milling attachment for it. The machine shop on it consisted of a 14"X40" lathe, a heavy drill press, and a heavy pedestal grinder. A milling attachment was in the tooling kit for the lathe. The heavy drill press kit included a compound milling table and a compound rotary table.


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## dmac (Feb 18, 2012)

Taken from Wiki,

"On May 6, 2009, the Lake Charles, Louisiana City Council voted in favor of an ordinance authorizing the City to enter into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the USS ORLECK. On May 20, 2010 it moved to Lake Charles,La where it is now on display. The Grand Opening in Lake Charles occurred on April 10, 2011."

Dave


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## lathe nut (Feb 19, 2012)

Yes the Orleck is in Lake Charles, Louisiana, I don't think that the city of Lake Charles really wants it, it will be competing for money that they want to spend on other projects, don't want to get into that discussion, the Lathe it there with most of the tooling and the Drill press is still mounted on the bench, one of the hand fellow got it going, that is all that is left in the machine shop, that sure is a nice lathe, I called that super duty built, Lathe Nut


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