Antique Jewelry Lathe [Restoration]

This tool restoration was on a 1920s jewelry or polishing treadle lathe (Model 29 1/2) made by the Goodell-Pratt Company. These lathes were made for light-duty use and came with a number of different attachements, including a buffing wheel spindle.

This specific lathe seemed to contain parts from larger lathes made by Goodell-Pratt at the time. Regardless, each part was in fairly good condition, with only the chuck needing some machining. The ring on the chuck was welded up and knurled again, but the steel became quite hard after welding and annealing that it did not turn out the best it could. I am not sure what the type of steel is, so it's possible it can air harden.

The original colours, as noted in catalogue listings were black and vermillion. I am sure sure if this grey painted base is original.

I made a dead centre out of case-hardened mild-steel.

I really hope to find the larger versions of this lathe as they had a full cross-slide that enabled you to do some nice metal lathe machining.

If you want to know more about my process and history of this tool, you can check out the narrated version on my Patreon page.

I'd like to thank Evapo-Rust for sponsoring this video.

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[timgrenville-cleave]

Okay, I've only just discovered this channel, but what a breath of fresh air. Someone who does not disassemble stuff in slow time using tweezers to remove a 1/2" washer and then giving the viewer a 30-second close-up as if they have just spent hours extracting it from some poor sod's brain stem!! Bravo Sir, keep up the good work!!

[FoamingPipeSnakes]

S that's how chucks work? I never even thought about it before I saw this one taken apart. Ingenious.

[AikiFuz]

One of the most amazing things about these videos is how you never talk! Taking stuff apart especially, I would be constantly talking to the workpiece, especially if it didn't want to come apart.

[Landruman]

Love your videos. It’s always fascinating t to watch to take apart stuff and the reassemble them like magic. And the “no frills” strategy really works too. No long dull “host introduced speech” explaining what’s coming up, no carefully selected choreographed soundtrack. Straightforward, and to the point. Thumbs up from another Canadian!

[zolcik]

A year ago you needed to get a bearing extractor. Now you use cnc lathe and cnc milling machine. One hell of a channel expansion.

[davidchristensen]

Wow what a wonderful tool. What a find. Going to sit here drink my morning coffee and enjoy watching your video. Nice way to spend a dark rainy Sunday moring

[GeoffreyCroker]

26:02 hey clickspring. watch and learn

[matthewfinch]

Earplugs to plug holes for paint... brilliant!

[joehampshire]

You should do a shop tour I dont think I've ever seen it all at once that mill/lathe machine is just sick

[ozisnice]

I have owned three of these lathes and yes this one has been added to and treated badly, glad you found it and brought back to life.

[Dr_V]

Using a big modern lathe to restore a tiny old one :)
Nice video, I see you've stepped up your recording techniques as well.

[stxrynn]

Man, when you decided to get a lathe and mill, you went all out. Well Done!!

[claudiomezzetti]

You are fantastic. It is nice to open your channel and see that you have published a new and wise restoration work. Thanks Claudio.

[dirtybird]

Boley was the lathe i had and was one of the most common for jewlers in my area, easy to get parts for. Was a really good lathe. Great for Gold, Silver, Platinum work. Good job. Love to see these old tools restored. Good tools such as these are hard to find. And in most cases are in someones collection. To me i would rather use them. And these tools all had their own personality when you used them.

[jonathanbaker]

Dude, you're videos always crack me up. Love the humor incorporated into the love for old engineering and items built to last. Keep it up, sir! I know this is an older video, but I am a subscriber and follow all of your posts.

[Athenor]

Woah. After watching a few years of your newer vids, it blows my mind to see a CnC lathe and mill being used. Yeah, it makes sense you have one, but given how I've seen you do restores with some very imprecise, older tooling.. I thought that was just part of how you did it. :)

[jackwittlich]

That's a nice job you did with a neat little lathe from a classic name in manufacturing. I learned this tip for loosening frozen nuts and fittings back when I was a steam engine hobbyist. After heating the fitting with a torch, touch the hot joint with a piece of paraffin. Capillary action sucks the liquid down the tight joint and frees it (sometimes).

[decaturt-bird]

I truly appreciate you putting your meds over the lens to help protect my eyes 😊

[indie]

I love old tools and I love watching old tools being brought back to life!

[xxxmmm]

"My Mechanics" comes to town and all of a sudden everyone works up to a different standard. Ain't competition a fantastic thing ?