Looks like a Hendey, but it's not! It's a Vernon lathe made in Worcester, Massachusetts

pmat said:

Hi, it's interesting that one of these lathes made in Worcester MA. Made its way out to Nebraska. Information I saw somewhere said that Vernon was only in business between 1916 and 1920.

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I have noticed a strong bias towards the north east when it comes to nearly any old machine.

I cant say how she came to be here but it apparently did many years of loyal farm duty and even shows that in the "rough" fabrications and modifications the farmer came up with.

The three of us may be in a very rare club for sure lol, the question is...who handles the holiday news letter??

The machine in its home btw, it lacks the quick change box on the far left and the carriage is similar but far simpler than Steves without the taper hardware. The top side does look like it could have been machined for it though.

The apron is different as well, I dont think it has power cross feed and while the Videos showed his carrage had an enclosed bottom mine seems to be open.

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Pmat, could I impose on you a favor? If your machine has any of the original placards or tags left would you take some clear pictures for me?

All I have at the moment is the chart over the QC lever and I was hoping you still had the other tags. Mine is at least missing a metal tag that was once attached to the bed (if I remember the location correctly) and Im wondering if there was ever anything on the inside of the change gear cover.

Thanks in advance!

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LsSix said:

Pmat, could I impose on you a favor? If your machine has any of the original placards or tags left would you take some clear pictures for me?

All I have at the moment is the chart over the QC lever and I was hoping you still had the other tags. Mine is at least missing a metal tag that was once attached to the bed (if I remember the location correctly) and Im wondering if there was ever anything on the inside of the change gear cover.

Thanks in advance!

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Sure....here are pics of the two tags on mine


Also a pic of my progress, working on shimming the spindle bearings today. I can see from your pic that yours and mine are very similar. My shift lever is obviously not original and I don't have the gear cover. Thanks, Paul





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pmat said:

Sure....here are pics of the two tags on mine View attachment 141025


Also a pic of my progress, working on shimming the spindle bearings today. I can see from your pic that yours and mine are very similar. My shift lever is obviously not original and I don't have the gear cover. Thanks, Paul





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pmat said:

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pmat said:

Sure....here are pics of the two tags on mine View attachment 141025


Also a pic of my progress, working on shimming the spindle bearings today. I can see from your pic that yours and mine are very similar. My shift lever is obviously not original and I don't have the gear cover. Thanks, Paul





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I'll try cleaning up the aluminum tag and taking another picture.


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pmat said:

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Try this one, tag is stainless not aluminum I think....


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Thanks bud, I appreciate it.

I spent a few minutes looking at your progress pic and I think we basically have the same machine, certainly more similar than Steves version.

I wondered what they used to secure the change gear cover and yours has a stud right where mine has a threaded hole that lines up with a tang on the cover. Im assuming the nut was a simple wing nut.

You have a different hand wheel on your apron, yours is probably not original as all the controls on my machine have the same rough cast quality and your wheel is quite bright.

Our tail stocks are similar but slightly different castings, your ram lock lever is longer and shinier so either not original or you got a higher end version or there was a change somewhere in the 5 year run.

I envy your back gear lever, I think I will have to learn to braze and make up a suitable replacement to splice into mine.

Is that a gear lying horizontally above the reverse lever on the left side? Or are my eyes tricking me.

Are you missing the covers for the back gears and the cap over the tail of the spindle also? I figured on mine it housed a thrust bearing, but if it can come off it would make a draw bar/collet closer possible.

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Is tight clearance a common issue of older lathes? I notice all three of ours seem to have the same issue.

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