What's new
What's new

American Pacemaker 12x120 information needed

MyLilMule

Hot Rolled
Joined
Jan 5, 2021
Location
Ohio, USA
I am trying to find as much information as I can on this lathe. It's a 1952 American Pacemaker 20x120. It was dropped (3 times :oops:) and has several broken and bent bits, not the least of which is the cross feed screw, handle, carriage handle, the entire electronics enclosure and all the contactors and heaters, etc.

Any information would be helpful, most especially perhaps a parts manual or diagram so we can figure out the proper way to take this apart and further asses the damage. Hoping this lathe can be saved.

Any lead on parts would also be greatly appreciated.

IMG_8456.jpegIMG_8517.jpegIMG_8513.jpegIMG_8512.jpegIMG_8594.jpegIMG_8762.jpeg
 
Beautiful machines when they're fixed and running, the hardened tool steel ways are a great feature too. I sure hope you can save her! I have a number of small parts listed for American lathes ( original factory made) I purchased from a factory service rep. If you see something in the pictures in the listing shoot me a PM.

We now have five American lathes in our shop and I am still keeping an open eye for a couple more.

As far as manuals try:

vintagemachinery.org

They have a bunch of American tool works lathe manuals for download.

Good luck!
 
If just the hand wheel broke I would find any handwheels near the desired size and refit the bores to fit the machine.
Likely just fudge up temporary lever handles to run the machine to test for other defects
You could run the machine with lever handles.

Put an ad on eBay for 20x120 American lathe Handles/parts Wanted. Likely somebody scrapping one would like to sell handles/parts /electrics. People will search your ad just to value their machine.
 
Last edited:
Beautiful machines when they're fixed and running, the hardened tool steel ways are a great feature too. I sure hope you can save her! I have a number of small parts listed for American lathes ( original factory made) I purchased from a factory service rep. If you see something in the pictures in the listing shoot me a PM.

We now have five American lathes in our shop and I am still keeping an open eye for a couple more.

As far as manuals try:

vintagemachinery.org

They have a bunch of American tool works lathe manuals for download.

Good luck!
I didn't find anything quite what I was expecting on VM. Different styles of the machine, not sure how much they would differ from this one.
 
That's a great size machine. Looks like a few dozen hours and a few hundred in parts and it'll be making parts again. Hopefully the price was right.
 
I didn't find anything quite what I was expecting on VM. Different styles of the machine, not sure how much they would differ from this one.
Only a little later they had enclosed the QC gear box and made the machine much heavier

 








 
Back
Top