Photo Index - Diamond Machine Co. - Wood/Spinning lathe

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Diamond Machine Co.
Providence, RI

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Lathe, Wood
Machine Size:	13 x 36"
Submitted By:	William Faris

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Wood/Spinning lathe
Date of Manufacturer:	Patented 1885
Serial Number:
Last Updated	10/4/2010 7:35:06 PM

Comments:

Manufactured by the Diamond Emery Wheel Machine Company in Providence, Rhode Island with a patent date of 1885 this lovely lathe was purchased from a private party in Peabody, Massachusetts. The seller was an older gentleman who claimed the lathe was his grandfather's who reportedly worked as a patternmaker for various mills in the area during the early 1900's. The manufacturer's embossed name is cast on the bed, headstock, tailstock and leg assemblies. In addition there is also a machine dealer’s brass plate on the bed noting C&F Machine Tool Company Boston, MA ( Chandler & Farquahr ) . Chandler and Farquahr are still in business in the Boston area and at one time were one of the largest machine dealers in New England.

When the lathe was first posted for discussion Jon Gibson of Gibson Pewter of Hillsborough, New Hampshire was kind enough to jump in and provide lots of good technical and historic information on this machine. Gibson Pewter uses this very same lathe daily in their pewter spinning operations and stated this is only the second one of these lathes he had ever seen. One can view Gibson spinning pewter ware with the lathe at gibsonpewter.com . Though the lathe patent is 1885 the actual date of this machine is unknown . Her dimensions are 13” x 36” and includes the original flat belt step pulley on the headstock. At some point later in life a small vee belt pulley was fitted up outboard which is driven by a 1/2 HP AC motor on a swing mount.

A very unusual feature of this lathe is the tailstock which is designed with two interplaying spindles each of which are independently controlled as Gibson notes in the following statement

“The tail stock spindle is the reason for the patent. When the check nuts are loosened, the lever can advance the larger, outside spindle, while the screw (handwheel) moves the inner spindle. They can be used separately without interference with the other.”

This lathe was found to be very heavy for it’s size and after closer examination was found to be cast steel. Closer inspection with a glass in the casting hollows under the bed and tailstock revealed a tight grain pattern which along with the weight is indicative of cast steel and not the lesser dense iron. I later tested the castings ultrasonically using a transducer of 5 MHz to confirm the cast steel's sound velocity.

The head and tailstocks and the riding surface of the bed are machined dead flat and when assembled fit up close enough that a feeler gauge cannot be inserted. When viewing the machine from different angles one immediately notices that the manufacturer went to considerable effort to artistically design and shape this machine so that the elegant contours actually meld or flow from the legs up through to the head and tailstocks. Unlike many lathes where the legs, bed and stocks appear to be stacked on top of each other this machine appears as one that is congruent from top to bottom end to end. Photos show lathe as found

Photo 1:

Comments: Diamond Emery Wheel Machine Co. Lathe
Source: Canon 30D

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Photo 2:

Comments: Diamond Emery Wheel Machine Co. Lathe
Source: Canon 30D

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Photo 3:

Comments: Diamond Emery Wheel Machine Co. Lathe
Source: Canon 30D

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Photo 4:

Comments: Patented Tailstock
Source: Canon 30D

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Photo 5:

Comments: Patented Tailstock
Source: Canon 30D

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Photo 6:

Comments: Diamond Emery Wheel Machine Co. Lathe
Source: Canon 30D

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IMG Code