L&S T Lathe, by Nordberg

[Mebfab]

HGR has a L&S T lathe. Interesting thing is it looks like it was outsourced Nordberg built it.

 

[old_dave]

Thank you for this very interesting post. The serial number and the date shipped fit the regular serial number sequence that Lodge & Shipley used.
David

 

[eKretz]

AKA facing lathe. Not very common in my experience. Useful for fitting retainers on large bearing housings without taking up too much space.

 

[Doozer]

Total awesomeness ! ! !

-D

 

[johnoder]

The "oil patch" gobbled these up in the old days - since HS is a direct fit (with its big hole) on the 25" Model X engine lathe

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

What’s the relevance of the “ by Nordberg Manufacturing “ ? Was the manufacture of the lathe sub contracted out ?

Regards Tyrone

 

[old_dave]

The Amador Sawmill and Mining Association here runs a steam powered sawmill powered by a Corliss steam engine built by the Nordberg Manufacturing Company of Milwaukee.

The reasons for Nordberg building this for Lodge & Shipley are probably lost to us. It was finished in May 1953. The Korean War was still going on. I wonder if this, as wars historically have, resulted in an increased demand for machine tools, to the point that US machine tool builders occasionally had to farm out work to fill orders.

David

 

[Mebfab]

My understanding is the treasury department was gunning the MTB's under the excess profits tax laws for money made during ww2. The Korean War broke out. Suddenly an entire class and quantity of machines was needed, now!!! Well the machine builders where worn out from the war and couldn't retool since they had to make tax payments. A conundrum.

Eisenhower stepped in. Keep the money, start pouring iron. "Well we really want to help, but we spent so much on taxes and lawyers we don't have any money". So the builders, at least bullard asked for more money and subcontracted. I believe white industries built bullards this way.

I don't remember where the above came from. Somebody hopefully will.

 

[4GSR]

I watched a couple of fools unload one of these off a bobtail truck many years ago. Using a 5 ton overhead crane and an 8K Hyster forklift. I wish I had pictures of it. Yea, they got it off the truck. Thats all I will say!

As John said, this one was gutted for the headstock and was installed on a 25" L & S lathe to make it into a hollow spindle lathe. Back then, you could buy one of these for around $5K or less and an L & S engine lathe for about $15K. Turned it into a Hollow spindle lathe and now you have a lathe you could easily get $100K for back in the late 1970's.