WANTED lathe

[MARK RIGG]

Having worked for Dean , Smith & Grace for many years , I have to say that a DSG lathe is probably second to none .

The only problem is that even the smallest DSG - the type 13 or the 1307 its later version, is rather heavy for installation in a home workshop .

When I say heavy, meaning the actual weight of the machine - about twice the weight of an equivalent Harrison or Colchester.
So moving it could be more difficult.

As for using it - when properly adjusted , cleaned and oiled , there is not a more rewarding machine to work on. An older machine is capable of good accurate work if it has not been totally abused . Often a DSG was the best machine, and the most expensive, in the shop, so only the best turner / machinists got to use it, who tended to look after it as their own . I have seen machines 25 + years old used solely by one operator and still accurate as the day it left Keighley ! Not any Tom Dick or Harry was let loose on the DSG, but there were exceptions, of course.

All the gears in the headstock are hardened and ground and never give any problem unless run without any oil ! Many of the older machines prior to about 1965 had soft beds - Flame Hardened beds were an option and a regular feature post 1965.

If you are handy with a good flat scraper, wear in soft bed can be put right with a bit of work - not so easy on a hard bed machine though.

Many of the type 13 and some 1307s were supplied into training college workshops and consequently had little real usage or wear. The records of every machine built by DSG are held by the company, who should be able to supply details of the original customer and what extra equipment was supplied with it. The serial number is on the plate on the headstock which also includes the month and year of manufacture . This number is also stamped on the tailstock end of the bed.

The only real disadvantages are the weight of the machine and that the type 13 were never made with a gap bed and are relatively short - normally 30 `` between centres , although there are some 42`` machines about - these are a bit rare . The more modern 1307 could be a gap bed machine - with various bed lengths of 30 . 40 and 50 `` between centres.

The larger machines in the range - types 15 / 17 and the later versions 1609 / 1709 , both gap and straight beds of various lengths are equally superb machines but not so suitable for a home workshop

The other lathe I like is the Models `C` 10 / C 13 / C16 Holbrook - a beautifully made precision machine that can sometimes be found at sensible money. They were very expensive when new and were supplied with a taper turning set up and various other accessories as standard equipment and a useful speed range through a 3 speed motor.

A nice machine to use - the down side - they are rather heavy - with a cast iron base and they are all straight bed , ie no gap machines . Also I found my C10 3 speed motor was not too happy in all its speed ranges when used with a phase converter.

Other possibilities - the Smart and Brown 10 / 24 and the CVA . Both these quality machines were nicely made at the more expensive end of the market and smaller than the type 13 DSG . In fact DSG considered buying the manufacturing rights to the CVA as an addition to the range, but the CVA proved to be too expensive to manufacture at a price for the market.

MARK