Photo Index - P. Pryibil - twist lathe

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
P. Pryibil
New York, NY

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Lathe, Wood
Machine Size:
Submitted By:	joe biunno

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	twist lathe
Date of Manufacturer:	1900
Serial Number:
Last Updated	3/10/2011 8:49:38 AM

Comments:

the "hunt" for my pryibil began in the late 80's. there was an acquaintance i knew who had a pryibil twist lathe. he was the owner of a business that specialized in doing turning work,with the occasional job of "twisting".i will also add the sad tale that this person had a partner back in the early 60's.this partner was an older gentleman at that time and to assure their lock on doing twist work,whenever an auction came up that had one of these twist lathes,he made sure he had the highest bid,secured the machine, and then proceeded to destroy it and cast it off to the scrap heap!a sacrilege for sure,but it did seem to work as the shop did any and all twist work during that period.i was giving my twist work to this shop and became intrigued with the idea of doing my own twisting work.when i began to ask any question pertaining to the machine,i was immediately rebuffed and told "you will never find one!".not one to take a challenge laying down,i began my hunt.this was pre computer,so i relied quite a bit on the thomas register books,trade publications(woodshop news,wood digest,etc.),etc. i placed ads in these papers(see attached copy below),but that mainly only succeeded in peaking others intrest in obtaining the machine for their own use!i did find success in talking to machinery dealers(hundreds of phone calls,coast-to-coast).wound up finding three machines, none who wanted to sell though. i even flew to kentucky to see one and the owner allowed me to take detailed photos of his machine,which proved helpful later.needless to say,a considerable amount of money was spent up to this point.years pass and i would spend days every four months or so renewing the hunt.then one day there was a local shop auction in brooklyn taking place and i decided to go. just around the corner from the auction location there was a person looking to sell his business, so i thought i would do both the auction and scope out the shop for sale.i began with the shop sale first as the auction started mid morning.the gentleman began showing me around and sure enough,under a cover,covered in layers of dust,i saw the top of the machine peaking out!i temporarily stopped the "buying the business tour" and inquired about buying the pryibil.the owner said sure,as he had not used the machine in ten years or more.when asking the price,i sensed a hesitation in his voice as to selling it though.he was having one of those "but what if i need it moments".he gave me a price,which i immediatley doubled with the caveat that the sale had to happen right then and there!(i knew others attending the auction were interested in buying his business or would jump on the machine if they saw it!and i had already spent more than the purchase price just in the search process!).he agreed,i loaded it up and i had found my holy grail,after a 15 year search!the ironic part is during the many years of searching,i set myself up with equipment to do the twist work i needed done, and with the complexity of how the pryibil works,along with the danger involved in using it(see other posts),i have yet to use the machine to produce pieces for a job.a custom stand was made to fit the base of the machine to give it mobility and it was restored and given a place to be seen(never covered),as it always intrigues friends and customers as to its workings.i have obtained several pieces of literature over the years pertaining to the machine,as well as to the pryibil company. a 192 page hard covered,5x8,catalog of all the woodworking machinery offered by pryibil in near mint condition.a paper catalog dated 1890 from the pryibil company,marked "catalog a",80 pages.several ads in trade papers from the period. countless hours spent on the phone,plane and hotel fares,advertising money,etc.,etc. and i wound up finding it in my own backyard! and saving the best for last!when i told the owner of the shop,who had originally challenged me to find the machine,that i did find one and who i had bought it from, his response was "i knew he had one all this time,but he would never sell me his machine.if he did,you would never had gotten it!" but i did!

Photo 1:

Comments: copy of ad placed in several woodworking publications over many years,in my hunt for the pryibil.always trying to put a bit of humor into things.
Source:

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Photo 2:

Comments: page 75(of 80) from an 1890 catalog of the p.pryibil company of mainly woodworking machinery
Source:

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