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Help Identify Fowler Lathe part

Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 7:43 pm
by Carlos
Hi all
Just got that part from a friend. Would anyone know what it is?
Its plate say: Fowler Burbank - Cal.
Thanks.

Re: Help Identify Fowler Lathe part

Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 8:01 pm
by spro
It may have been a lathe. It is lacking key components of a lathe.

Re: Help Identify Fowler Lathe part

Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 8:04 pm
by John Evans
Head stock and lathe bed. Scrap iron if that is all that is there,not much hope of making anything useful from that . Cost more in time and effort than the result is worth. Could very well be some special purpose made machine.

Re: Help Identify Fowler Lathe part

Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 8:29 pm
by spro
Yes. Hi. Perhaps a test bench. Fowler sold micrometers and stuff. It has a flat bed. One would need to know the spindle taper. Maybe it wasn't a lathe at all but lacking the tail stock, hurts its value. Where is the emoticon that says "I know You already Knew this" ?

Re: Help Identify Fowler Lathe part

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 1:38 pm
by pete
I'm almost certain that Fowler name isn't tied to the Fowler / metrology equipment. A quick Google search did get at least this much. https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/a ... ca-309498/ The picture makes it appear like the bed bolted to the front of the head stock? Oddly it seems to have a cut out in the head stock for a drive belt but no step pulley on the spindle that one would expect should be there. The single support foot at what should be the tail stock end was done on a lot of highly accurate lathes and test equipment as a way around any bed twisting becoming an issue. Does the spindle rotate and any female taper in it Carlos? Only a best guess, but I'm leaning towards it either being some type of test fixture that could have had additional parts and/or fixturing added to it, or something to do with military ammunition as the PM link mentions. Most definitely a production piece of equipment as the stenciled numbers show. I really don't think it was ever the main parts to a small lathe.Without more information this is all just guessing anyway.

Re: Help Identify Fowler Lathe part

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 3:23 pm
by Carlos
Ok, thanks, so I am traveling but when I am back home I measure if there is a taper or anything else and if its rotating.
Not sure what I should do with that thing.

Re: Help Identify Fowler Lathe part

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 3:23 pm
by Carlos
And thanks to all for your reply.

Re: Help Identify Fowler Lathe part

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 3:28 pm
by LIALLEGHENY
It's obviously missing parts, but I believe it is a bench center. Also could have been a concentricity checker.

Nyle

Re: Help Identify Fowler Lathe part

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 3:37 pm
by Carlos
I am sure that there is some attachment to it. If I would know what it is I would search and complete it.

Its actually pretty heavy - full steel body.

I just love this old well made / over-engineered machines like Atlas, Delta, South Bend, and so on... . They must be preserved. Don't want that ccc (cheapchinesecrap) in my home, .... 😁 So trying to save it.

As long its not CNC, I believe this old equipment, if maintained well, is more precise and easier to handle.

So I hope we can identify that part.

Re: Help Identify Fowler Lathe part

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 5:14 pm
by Carlos
@Liallegheny: what is a bench center. Searching for that did not bring the expected.

Re: Help Identify Fowler Lathe part

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 5:19 pm
by pete

Re: Help Identify Fowler Lathe part

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 5:54 pm
by LIALLEGHENY