The Very First Hobby Lathe

[rake60]

Most of you already know I am a history buff with a mechanical mind.
I want to know where it came from, how it works, why it works and
how can I make it work better.

That mind set sent me off on a tangent searching for the first metal
cutting hobby lathe. I found two possibilities.

In 1876 the W.F. & John Barnes Co. of Rockford IL manufactured
this lathe.

It had a 7" swing and all of the power your feet were able to deliver to the pedals.
I'm just not sure if that lathe was intended for industrial work or fun.

Now in 1882 the Narragansett Machine Co. of Providence, RI made a lathe
especially directed at the home hobbyist. Another foot powered machine.

Those are my best efforts at finding the very first hobby metal lathes.
Any other ideas?

Rick

 

[Jack]

Rick
Is it a coincidence or what, I started with a W.F. & John Barnes Co lathe when began to make things in the basement it doesn't look quite the one pictured but it was made in 1877. Think big and slow and it was missing a few things which were some of the first parts that I made just to be able to play with shiny metal.

Jack

 

[Mainer]

There were certainly some English treadle lathes of about that vintage, too, but don't know any specifics.
Model Engineer magazine began in 1898, but there must have been hobby activity prior to that time to motivate the starting of the magazine.