# Unexpected surprise



## Blogwitch (Aug 20, 2010)

This all started about two years ago, when a friend of a friend asked me to mount a 12volt DC motor onto the back of a small precision lathe for him, and it was soon done and not charged for.

About six months later, thru my friend I was asked if I would like to buy it. Although I had only seen the main lathe, and it had a real crappy paint job done on it, I did notice that while it was in my hands, it was in very good condition under the bad paintwork, plus he said he had the missing saddle and compound plus a few other bits. So being generous, I offered 200 squid (pounds) and then everything went quiet.

This evening, while I was in my shop I heard my little side bell ringing and when I eventually got there, it was the friend of a friend and he said 'I've brought you that lathe'. I said that after 18 months it was pushing it a bit, but I said ok, as long as he got it under my covered way, out of the rain. So he did, and I raided my piggy bank and paid him off and away he went. While he was bringing it in, I kept out of the way and it wasn't until after he had gone, and turned the outside lights on that I realised just what I had bought. I already knew that it was a 17/70 series Pultra, http://www.lathes.co.uk/pultra/page20.html ,that uses only collets in the spindle, but I wasn't prepared for what I saw.

This is the basic lathe, with collet closer and lever tailstock.







In the first box, at a cursory glance, dozens and dozens or even hundreds of collets, the said saddle and a beautiful lever operated turret unit, and that was just the top layer, I haven't had time to search underneath.






The second box was even more surprising. More turret slides and bolt on accessories.






This lot is going to take me ages to sort out.

There is a down side, none of the original motor or pulley system is there, hence the reason he asked me to fit a small motor to it, but I am not worried one bit over that. I have some very powerful but smallish motors with wonderful electronic speed control boxes with them that were destined for a cam grinder. Sod the grinder, I would prefer a precision lathe any day.

Just got to find somewhere to actually put it.


Bogs


----------



## John S (Aug 20, 2010)

Yup you are right.
It's a crap paint job, hardly worth playing with ..

John S.


----------



## cidrontmg (Aug 20, 2010)

Wow. Am I seeing 5 turret slides in there? I wish I also had some friends of friends like that. Mine usually show up with some broken piece that they would like me to make a copy of, free of charge, and preferably yesterday...  :wall:


----------



## Blogwitch (Aug 20, 2010)

John,

I was thinking just the same thing. 
I think I will just take all the screws off it that might come in handy and chop it up for the cast iron.

Cid,

You just might be right on the quantity, it looks like it has been used in a real production environment. I won't know exactly what I've got until I can get a better look at things. 
One thing I do know, the bright green box in the second pic contains two high quality optical camera lenses, like off security cameras, don't know why they are in there.

Bogs


----------



## John S (Aug 20, 2010)

Bogstandard  said:
			
		

> One thing I do know, the bright green box in the second pic contains two high quality optical camera lenses, like off security cameras, don't know why they are in there.
> 
> Bogs



They probably removed them out the security camera's before they pinched the lathe.

Have you checked on Police 5 lately ?

John S.


----------



## SBWHART (Aug 21, 2010)

Wow thats a nice bit of kit to drop on John.

Stew


----------



## Blogwitch (Aug 21, 2010)

Unfortunately John, I do know a little of it's history, from the time the factory closed about 5 years ago until now, so I don't think I need to keep looking over my shoulder.

Pat,

I don't think this will go onto ebay.

I am a sucker for older lathe restorations, having done a few and brought them back to life. So this will be put into deep storage once I know roughly what I have got, and when I have time, it will be brought back to it's former glory. It will do no harm sitting there for a while.

Stew,

I have been having a poke about in the boxes this morning, and I think the cost of the tiny reamers, spot drills, tiny d-bits and taps I have found has already made it a good purchase. 
All the major basics are there, a super fully adjustable saddle and topslide, even a quick facing and parting off saddle with all the toolholders, a great little straight knurling unit and of course five auto quick change turrets, collets and holders. It really does look like it can be set up for major production runs of tiny turned and threaded components.

So even though it was a rather expensive 'off the cuff' purchase, I don't think I have lost out on the deal.


John


----------



## doubletop (Aug 21, 2010)

John

That's a great find. If you want to send it over to NZ I can get that paint off for you with my new toy ;D

I just love it when I get to use the collets on my little Lorch. It's just like working with a completely different piece of equipment.

There's going to be a bit of envy going on around this post. 

_It looks like there's a bar coded asset tag on it so it must have come from an industrial environment._

Pete


----------



## Blogwitch (Aug 21, 2010)

Pete,

I am quite capable of removing the paint myself, thanks for the offer though (I am not quite that brain dead just yet). 

Over the last few years, there has been so many small factory closures, bits and pieces like this are always turning up.

Most are skip rescues, because it is easy to just empty a factory out as scrap rather than trying to advertise things. When they go bump, all they are interested in is emptying the factory as fast as possible, so they don't have to pay rent any more.

I have seen almost new Bridgeports and large surface grinders just tipped off a forklift into a large scrap skip before now. That is why when you go to the scrappies, a lot of the machines they have are damaged, like broken off floor mounting points and handles, ripped out wiring etc.

John


----------



## Jasonb (Aug 21, 2010)

As they say "_good things come to those who wait_" Thats a nice little machine, would be ideal for making batches of steam fittings and the like.

Jason


----------



## Blogwitch (Aug 21, 2010)

Exactly my thoughts Jason, but I had to give up making them just over a year ago. 

Maybe if I improve a bit, I can pick up where I left off.


John


----------



## ariz (Aug 22, 2010)

Bogs to me it appears to be a very nice, precision, little lathe
knowing your ability in the restoration of old lathes and machines, it will become a small jewel in your shop
and certainly it will be a pleasant job for you

so, unexpected but excellent surprise I would say


----------

