Vintage Lathe

[Omacca]

Hi there,
We have a vintage metal lathe in a shed at home that we are thinking of selling. It has been in the shed since we bought this property on Tamborine Mountain, Queensland 15 years ago. We don't know the history of this lathe. We are wondering if anyone can give us an idea of the brand, age and what it might be worth. From our research we think it may be an early 1900's Herbert Lathe, made in Australia. Unfortunately the name plate is missing. If you have any ideas or info we would love to know. Here are a few photos but can provide more if required.
* Double bed metal lathe
* Cast iron legs
* Belt driven

 

[MrMetric]

I don't know anything about the lathe, but I'm guessing you are not a metalworker based on your comments... Therefore, let me give you a few casual observations. First, the lathe looks on the rough side. Rust on sliding surfaces is something that is not well regarded. It is indicative of a hard storage life. Everything can be repaired, but sometimes the expense and time isn't worth the effort. The other observation I would have is that it looks like part of the lathe was gutted at one point in time. In your first photo, it appears as though some additional levers and/or selectors were originally fitted into the holes that have embossed lettering.
Honestly, if you can get someone to buy it, that is great. But don't discount sending it on its way for free to someone who will restore it to its grandeur. I have turned to that for a lot of my items simply because it is fast and a way to clean junk out fast. No, I'm not getting rid of any machinery guys! LOL. But, seriously, it is just a way to keep things out of the dump. Everyone ends up winning. The earth wins because an item is recycled for use versus smelting. You win because your shed is cleaned out. And the recipient wins because they have something they can tinker with and restore back to service.

(no, I'm not in the market... I'm in the States... But I do hope your Aussie brethren get a chance at the machine)