Photo Index - Walker-Turner Co., Inc. - Driver Line L500 Woodworking Lathe

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Walker-Turner Co., Inc.
Jersey City, NJ; Plainfield, NJ

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Lathe, Wood
Machine Size:	34-1/2" bed, 14" extension
Submitted By:	Stanton Gragg

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	Driver Line L500 Woodworking Lathe
Date of Manufacturer:	1933-1936?
Serial Number:	Unknown
Last Updated	6/7/2007 12:00:00 AM

Comments:

I remember this lathe in my grandpas workshop when I was a boy. Id turn the crank around and enjoyed the way the spindle would move in and out. My grandparents sold their estate in 1982 and moved to Senior Housing. I bought this lathe on a very cold December day. Didnt know who made it at the time or even cared; sentimental, you know.
It wasnt until 2006 that I investigated the OWWM website to see if I could identify my lathe. Sure enough, I found it in a Walker Turner Driver Line catalog dated 1933. Walker Turner made this model until 1935 (at least), but I dont know the exact date of mine.
My grandpa had it mounted to a 2x8, which I would mount to my workbench. For years, it stood in the corner of the shop unused. Thought it needed a place of its own, so I built a suitable lathe stand with enclosed motor. Used MDF board and modeled it off several cast iron stands I found in the old catalog.
Disassembled the lathe, cleaned it up and matched the color paint at Home Depot (found an unfaded place underneath). Repainted the lathe and the new base with a HVLP sprayer.
There was an original decal, almost faded and gone from the front bed rail. I recreated the decals on a computer software program and printed to clear, adhesive-backed film on an ink jet printer. Then I adhered them onto a piece of aluminum flashing and cut them out. Lastly, I put double sticky automotive tape on the back side of the aluminum and stuck em on. Turned out pretty good, if I say so myself.

Photo 1:

Comments: Lathe with new stand.
Source: sngragg

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Photo 2:

Comments: New label tag.
Source: sngragg

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Photo 3:

Comments: Concealed motor inside stand.
Source: sngragg

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