Portass Lathe - Finally at home!

[Sheddiy]

Hi

Great intresting old portass lathe thread.

 

[Sheddiy]

Hi All

 

My new to me lathe. Pics in old home but set up the same.

Starting to clean it up and oil it.

Any advise and user operation tips welcome.

Long time since school but did have model lathe 10 years ago.

Hope you like

 

[sloz1664]

Cricky that is an old lathe. Any markings on to to check the model number etc...

I stated my engineering apprenticeship in some 48 years ago and we had the old "cast off" lathes thrown out of the toolrooms. None were as old as that. Having said that with a good strip down, clean, oiling and setting up it will last another 100 years or so 

Steve

 

[Gina]

My father had a nice little round bed lathe that I used to turn a few things and I asked him if I could have it when he wanted to upgrade but no, he sold it instead.  Maybe he thought relatively heavy mechanical engineering wasn't really for me - maybe too much of a man's thing in those days!  I was rather upset!!   I did get his big one when he passed on though but it was bigger and more awkward than I wanted and must have weighed a ton or two   That little one would have done me very nicely.  Bigger and tougher than my Chinese imitation of a lathe!  The big heavy beast got left behind when we moved from Dorset - unrealistic to transport to Devon   It was very worn and not very good.

[Sheddiy]

Hi All

 

Yes its a portass 3 5/8 lathe or better known as the s model.

Works well and just needs a good clean and oil and in summer a nice coat of blue hammerite paint.

Made a new flat belt for the 3 pulley system from 1 inch wide leather and shaved the ends to half thickness so they fitted together and sewn up.

Works fine.

Tensioner needs a bit of work and another arm so it keeps it horizontal.

Motor needs wiring to clockwise position but thats easy.

Old works best and this is a nice project

Thanks for the intrest

Cheers chris

[sloz1664]

19 hours ago, Sheddiy said:

Hi All

 

Yes its a portass 3 5/8 lathe or better known as the s model.

Works well and just needs a good clean and oil and in summer a nice coat of blue hammerite paint.

Made a new flat belt for the 3 pulley system from 1 inch wide leather and shaved the ends to half thickness so they fitted together and sewn up.

Works fine.

Tensioner needs a bit of work and another arm so it keeps it horizontal.

Motor needs wiring to clockwise position but thats easy.

Old works best and this is a nice project

Thanks for the intrest

Cheers chris

Looking forward to the progress Chris. Photo's, we need photo's. 

Steve

[SnakeyJ]

On 09/11/2017 at 20:54, Sheddiy said:

Hi All

 

My new to me lathe. Pics in old home but set up the same.

Starting to clean it up and oil it.

Any advise and user operation tips welcome.

Long time since school but did have model lathe 10 years ago.

Hope you like

Chris, for some reason I've only just picked up the update on this thread, but nice to see this up and running.   This looks nice, clean and all there and will really look nice once it's painted up.    Not sure if I would go down the blue hammerite route though, it's not the best finish - any engine enamel should be hard and oil resistant enough and go straight on to an etching primer - Paragon paints do a range of enamels in lathe colours (Myford, Colchester, Boxford) https://www.paragonpaints.co.uk/Myford-Lathe-Green.html - these have a long wet edge and should give a decent finish with a brush.     Prep, degreasing and careful masking are the key!

 

Did you make up the motor and countershaft stand?  It's nicely done and I really like the flat belt tensioner clutch arrangement

[bieomax]

On 09/11/2017 at 20:54, Sheddiy said:

Hi All

 

My new to me lathe. Pics in old home but set up the same.

Starting to clean it up and oil it.

Any advise and user operation tips welcome.

Long time since school but did have model lathe 10 years ago.

Hope you like

 

Hey Chris, Is this the one I've recently bought the head off of?

 

Mark.

[bieomax]

I've started abit of a blog/website for the renovation of the Portass Dreadnought I've got. Not much on there at the moment, only 2 posts in and only 1 has any content really.

I'm hoping it'll be become a bit of record or the parts and specs incase anyone else can make use of it.

So if anyone is interested or can advise me on anything I've started at http://www.mrichardson.uk