Treddle lathe

[westwardho]

I have a woodturning lathe, and I spend a lot of on machinist youtube channels, knowing it's unlikely I'll ever be able to justify spending the money on an engineer's lathe, plus all the tooling.

It doesn't stop me lusting, though.

Is there any point getting a Tyzack treddle lathe for a hundred quid or so, or is it more of a curiosity and not really much use for anything?

(Or would it do _just_ _enough_ to make me want to sell something valuable to get a proper lathe?)

 

[Droogs]

you will probably enjoy it and it is lot harder than it looks

 

[Jameshow]

Get a proper lathe you'll regret it!

I brought a cheap lathe or two and the real deal is a world away, more do than table saws or bandsaws imho.

Cheers James

 

[Ozi]

My Dad who was a toolmaker bought a very old extremely heavy treadle lathe then fitted a washing machine motor. He used the two control switches and with the aid of a neighbor who was an electrical engineer set up the speed control. I still remember the chart on the wall that gave the speeds in such terms as "pre-rinse / quick wash = 350rpm.

 

[westwardho]

He sold it to someone else. Wah.

 

[Fordgate1]

I learnt wood turning on a Britannia treadle lathe in my teens. I have one now, acquired through a swap 20 years ago, used regularly for metal and wood turning. Easy to set up for small objects. Must be early 1900, made in Colchester, my home town.

 

[clogs]

what ya gotta loose.....might even get some fun out of it......
if ur inclined it's poss to get a cheapo 3phase motor kit with VFD ? to drive it from China direct.....
then u'll have more fun......
to get things into perspective.....
just seen an add a couple of days ago for a little used Myford Super 7 lathe, it has a screw cutting gearbox n stand, with only the standard extra's for £4,000.....just looked it's now sold.......
and 3 years ago I turned down a cash offer for mine (as above) but still with transport wax on the slides for the same amount.....
pay the money and have some fun.....nothing to loose, u'll always get yer money back....plus some....

 

[Keith 66]

A few years ago a friend acquired a Milne treadle lathe circa 1860 from a workshop that had been pwered by a watermill, It was about the size of a boxford with gunmetal chucks & in fantastic condition, a real timewarp machine. I should have bought it!