Imperial Lathe

D

dfletch

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Hi Everyone, Do any of you guys have knowledge of Imperial lathes? Where are they from? I've run across one that looks like it needs a home. I'm wondering if it's worth dragging home. Seems to be about a 15 to 16 inch in fair shape with taper attachment. It.s gonna be dirt cheap! Any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks, Doug Fletcher
 
Dave,

The make is Imperial and I'm led to believe it's Italian. Can't see a data plate until it's uncovered. The thing is buried in the back of an old fab shop under leftover steel plate. The shop has been there since the 1940s but they don't remember how long the lathe has been around. They have many old unused machines but refuse to sell any of the American brands. I should get back over there in a few days and will try to take pictures.

Thanks, Doug
 
I own an Imperial lathe, Model P/S 3460. 35" swing over the bed, 64" in the gap. It's a "sliding gap bed" lathe, 31.5" 4 jaw, 60" face plate, inch/metric threading. The machine was built by Safop in Italy in 1959. I recently completed a full rebuild of this lathe. $$$$$$
 
Dave likes old iron said:
I own an Imperial lathe, Model P/S 3460. 35" swing over the bed, 64" in the gap. It's a "sliding gap bed" lathe, 31.5" 4 jaw, 60" face plate, inch/metric threading. The machine was built by Safop in Italy in 1959. I recently completed a full rebuild of this lathe. $$$$$$
Click to expand...

How about a picture of that beast?
 
So do I understand that the gap is adjustable? How far does the gap extend past the headstock? That is a very cool machine, what do you do with it? It is obviously way beyond your typical hobby machine.
 
macrnr said:
So do I understand that the gap is adjustable? How far does the gap extend past the headstock? That is a very cool machine, what do you do with it? It is obviously way beyond your typical hobby machine.
Click to expand...

It's basiclly a bed on a bed, although you can't put the carriage on the lower bed. I believe 'Stanley' produced a sliding gap bed lathe that had 2 carriages, one on top and one on bottom ways.
The bed on my machine will open about 4-1/2 or 5 feet. you can see on these pictures the clamp bolts between the base and the bed and the gib adjusting screws. It has about 9' centers closed and about 14' open. There is a power driven screw to move it.
This lathe is not a real heavy duty machine, probably in the medium to light heavy range. ( I turned some 24" dia rollers taking .200" per side with .011 feed - didn't seem to be working to capacity.)
This is my hobby, and also my livelyhood. I do general machine work, machine gray iron castings for a foundry, repair and rebuild parts for heavy equipment, and repair/rebuild/build hydraulic cylinders. I'm a one man shop with larger than average capacity. I like to say "I'm a little big shop" or is it "I'm a big little shop".
Dave.IMG_9958 copy.jpgIMG_9959 copy.jpg

IMG_9958 copy.jpg IMG_9959 copy.jpg
 
Yeah Baby! Now that's a lathe. I'm guessing about 4 tons worth.

Nice...
 
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