# Rare Find ?????



## Bill Gruby (Feb 24, 2011)

I found this at the side of the road in a bunch of stuff left after a tag sale last Fall. It is an American Watch and Tool Company Jewelers Lathe. Serial #2538. Made in Waltham, Ma. I am calling it Rare because of the Collet Closer. Anybody know any more about it. It will be a struggle to find the rest of it. I need the compound slide to complete it. There is a Walnut Box with plenty of Collets and Tooling. 

 "Bill Gruby"


----------



## b.lindsey (Feb 24, 2011)

Wow....nice find Bill. I can't help with any more info on it, but what there is of it looks to be in pretty good shape. Even if you only clean it up and mount it on something it would make a nice and no doubt historical conversation piece.

Bill


----------



## GWRdriver (Feb 24, 2011)

I would say it's fairly rare because you rarely see the cast-on foot on what appears to be an early variation on the WW style (Webster-Whitcomb) jeweler's lathe. I have a relatively later model American W&T Co. WW-style lathe and it looks like a Boley and the other standard WW's. If the chuck is in good condition and on an 8mm arbor it's worth $200/± alone and these come up fairly often on eBay. IF the bed does conform to the WW profile a compound cross-slide for it is going to be a little harder to come by (_unless you happen to find one of those by side of the road!_) Two or three compounds a year come up on eBay and usually go for $350 and above. A mint one will bring $500.


----------



## lazylathe (Feb 24, 2011)

http://www.lathes.co.uk/wade/page25.html

http://mb.nawcc.org/archive/index.php/t-5841.html

That is about all i could find on them.
The foot on yours does not match any of the pictures so it is hard to find the correct info.

Andrew


----------



## Bill Gruby (Feb 24, 2011)

Thanx Guys;

 This is the box of collets and tooling.

 "Bill Gruby"


----------



## lazylathe (Feb 24, 2011)

Nice find Bill!

Pity that it is missing the cross slide otherwise it would be a great little machine to use!

One to add to the collection!

Andrew


----------



## Bill Gruby (Feb 24, 2011)

We will find one Dave. If all else fails one can be made to use.

 "Bill Gruby"


----------



## GWRdriver (Feb 24, 2011)

I've been tempted to buy one (a compound) and replicate it, then sell off the old one. What I have to do though is decide how I want to spend my time, how much model building time I want to give up to make tooling, and I think I'd give up a couple of weeks of time to build one of these.


----------



## Bill Gruby (Feb 24, 2011)

I have looked on the bay and none of the compounds will fit this lathe. Most mount on a round bed with a verticle flat on them. This is what the bed looks like on mine. It may take me a while to find this type.

 "Bill Gruby"


----------



## doc1955 (Feb 24, 2011)

You maybe interested in this video.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/user/rs17420#p/a/u/2/oGkKbyrN32s[/ame]

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/user/rs17420#p/a/u/2/oGkKbyrN32s[/youtube]


----------



## Bill Gruby (Feb 24, 2011)

Reminds me of my Grandfather. He did that kind of work for the Ingraham Clock factory here in Bristol. He and my Dad are the pnes who headed me in the direction of the Machining Trade.

 Thank you for the memory.

 "Bill Gruby"


----------



## metalmad (Feb 24, 2011)

my son and I just watched( heh heh ) that clip together .
even Keven was total engrossed in it and he is only 19 months old
Pete and Kev


----------



## steamer (Mar 1, 2011)

that may be a "Works" lathe intended for production work.  Do you live near a "Watch" town?...like Waltham MA?

Dave


----------

