Photo Index - Cant Bros. - Post & Beam Lathe

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Cant Bros.
Galt, ON

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Lathe, Wood
Machine Size:	32" swing
Submitted By:	Olaf Vogel

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Post & Beam Lathe
Date of Manufacturer:	1895 (est)
Serial Number:
Last Updated	6/11/2015 10:00:25 PM

Comments:

In 2010, I found this on Kijiji and purchased it from the pattern maker who had used it since the 1960's. He was in ill health and unable to tell me the history, so I tried to piece it together.

Head & tail stock was made by Cant Bros, (circa 1895) in Galt (now Cambridge) Ontario. Not sure who made the tool rest (the only markings are WO 31). Apparently it stayed with the firm through various takeovers and ultimately ended up in the pattern shop of Canadian Machinery Corp (CMC) as it was called. It seemed to have been the largest manufacturer at the time.

I assume that originally the bed was wooden beams. Some time in 1960's a new bed was made of 10" steel I-Beams (originally 24' long, but since cut down to 9'). Legs and struts are all 2" square tubing very professionally welded together. A steel mount for the new(er) 1 hp electric motor was hung off the back. A Jeep CJ 3-speed transmission was added to reduce speed. The flat belts scraped in favor of 4 v-belts. The bearings are all still Babbitts (maybe original) and still very smooch - they never get hot. 10" riser blocks were added to bring the swing up to 32"

In the early 80's CMC was taken over by Ingersoll Rand and the pattern shop closed. The patternmaker took this baby home (I'm sure he didn't sneak it out the back door) and cut the bed down to 9' length. Ingersoll apparently outsourced their (tiny) bit of pattern work to him for a while.

I've since upgraded the motor to 3 ph, 3 hp, plus a Hitachi VFD to convert from 220 vac. The rpm's were still too high, so the final pulleys were doubled in size to halve the rpm's. A second gear motor and 16" pulley added to get down to 10 rpm for roughing in large pieces. The "dead" center was scraped and an MT3 taper cut in for modern live centers. The old hand wheels scraped for new cam clamps everywhere. It came with 8 face plates (1.5" x 6 TPI), from 4" to 16" and 6 tool rests (1.5" post). Its too bad nothing on this beast is as per modern standards.

Using it takes a lot of muscle, and its noisy. But it gets lots of use and has served my well for the last 2 years. Love those old machines!!!

(Ironically, 4 weeks after I got it home, I found another Cant lathe for $100. Its in rough shape, but I bought it for spare parts.)

Photo 1:

Comments: Original condition in PO's shop. With a wimpy little "pen" being turned
Source: Own

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Photo 2:

Comments: Finally running decently after a lot of work (ignore the strap on the tailstock handwheel. Locking mechanism has since been fixed)
Source: own

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Photo 3:

Comments: Finally installed in the new shop. (2014) Base was boosted up, with concrete to add weight
Source: Me

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Photo 4:

Comments: Finally pushing the capabilities a little
Source: own

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Photo 5:

Comments: Headstock after cleanup but before larger pulleys where fitted. The shifter from the Jeep tranny is just barely visible in the back.
Source: own

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Photo 6:

Comments: Tail stock with new cam clamps so I don't have crawl underneath to adjust
Source:

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