What's this bit on my lathe for?

[AndyT]

I've posted before about my old Barnes 41/2 treadle lathe and have been enjoying using it.

There's a bit on the front of the tailstock that is puzzling me and I wonder if anyone knows what it might be for.

I mean the lump at the front with a hole in. It's a shallow, blind hole with no connection to the inside of the tailstock. It's nothing to do with clamping the quill in place - that's done by the lever at the back.

I wonder if it's meant for anchoring a measuring tool to - but I can't imagine what.

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[adidat]

Could it be for holding a rod with a pipe clamped dripping coolant?

Adidat

 

[Graham Orm]

As it's a treadle lathe..........perhaps a candle? (homer)

 

[Henning]

Is there any graduation on your tailstock quill? If not, it may be to hold a measuring clock to measure travel of the quill?

 

[AndyT]

Hmm ... keep the ideas coming!

I've tried using it to mount my dial indicator, and I don't think it is for that as there is no way to clamp anything tight and a wobbly measurer would be no use. And it's more use clamped to the tool carriage.

Coolant delivery might work, but only if I treadle fast enough to get anything hot...

I like the idea of a candle holder - perhaps I could make something suitably decorative out of brass - like Victorian pianos had!


The hole is 1/4" diameter and 5/8" deep.

 

[Jamesc]

I am sure I read somewhwere in the dark and distant past that it is to hold a tallow pot to lubricate the tailstock centre.

Now I.ve just got to find out where I found this......

James

 

[Racers]

Its a speed hole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVV_COOey0E

Pete

 

[AndyT]

Its a speed hole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVV_COOey0E

Pete

Thanks Pete! I could drill some more and save my legs!

:lol: :lol:

 

[AndyT]

I am sure I read somewhwere in the dark and distant past that it is to hold a tallow pot to lubricate the tailstock centre.

Now I.ve just got to find out where I found this......

James

That does sound plausible ... it would be great if you could find where you read it.

 

[chipmunk]

Looks as if it might be a useful place to store your chuck key when you have a drill chuck in the tailstock?

...but at 1/4" it would probably only fit a 3/8" chuck.

Jon

 

[Cheshirechappie]

The only honest answer is "haven't a clue", but rxh's lathe and the ones illustrated on Tony Griffiths' site ( www.lathes.co.uk ) have the same feature as well.

One thought was that it might be an oilwell for the tailstock barrel, but as there's no connection to the bore, and no evidence that I can discern from the photos for a plugged drilling horizontally from the front of the casting (which is something you'd have to do to produce the oilway) that can't be it. Some older machinery used oilwells closed with small corks to prevent ingress of dirt, so it seemed a possibility; not a good one, since the cork would soon go walkabout, but just about possible.

Maybe Barnes offered as an accessory a special tailstock attachment (sensitive drilling attachment, perhaps?) that needed this hole as an anchor point, so to make the attachment usable on all models, they put this hole in as standard.

Unless you find a thingy with a stub that neatly fits this hole amongst the box of bits that came with the lathe, I suspect it may remain unexplained.

 

[rxh]

'Sorry, I don't have a clue either. The hole in my tailstock is 1/4" diameter and 3/4" deep.

It might be worth sending a query to [email protected]

 

[dickm]

Looks indeed like something for mounting a tool associated with the tailstock; indexing/pivot point for a multi-tool holder (like a capstan) maybe. Pretty sure Sparey has a design for something like that in one of his books.

 

[rxh]

It works as a chuck key holder, as suggested by chipmunk above, but I feel that was not the intention

 

[Graham Orm]

I've decided it's the chuck key holder.......I've had to or I wouldn't have slept.

 

[AndyT]

Thanks again for all the head scratching. Threads like this are better when someone knows a definite answer.
I found Sparey's design for a tool holder and it doesn't need an extra fixing.
I'll ask the lathes expert if he knows.

I've tried my chuck key but it's too wide - I suppose I could always turn it to fit!

 

[AndyT]

Well, I contacted Tony at Lathes.co.uk and he replied straight away and said:

"It's the holder for "white lead" - used to lubricate the tailstock centre. When new, there would have been a dipper rod in the hole to apply the highly toxic material. The same fitting can be seen on lots of lathes of a similar age."

So James got it right - thanks everyone.

I don't think I'll go for period accuracy on that one!

 

[BRYAN]

Its a dual casting at manufacturing stage. You have continental lefthand drive version-headstock on left.
The tailstock clamp would be drilled through that hole and clamp fitted there for righthand drive British lathe.

I think you will find I am right.

Bryan.

 

[dickm]

The white lead sounds very plausible, if toxic.
Oddly, the Myford lathe forum on Yahoo has just had several postings about the uses and advantages of a lever operated tailstock. Possibly this was what I was thinking about when I wrongly suggested Sparey's capstan attachment. Still think there might be mileage in that idea.

 

[rxh]

The "clamp boss" and the "mystery hole boss" are not the same size so I don't think BRYAN's suggestion is correct.