Lorch 6mm Clock Lathe

I suggest either the tailstock is not original or it has been modified to take the drilling attachment. Lorch made high quality lathes and every attachment and fitment should fit without bodging. It's unfortunate that many people break these lathes into several parts when selling in order to make more profit, and it's then difficult for the buyer to collect a full set of kit once again. I hope you got a set of collets with the lathe, because they will cost twice as much as the machine.

Cliff Coggin.

Actually, all the pictures that I can find on the web show another "step down" from the tailstock to the double centre, hence my assumption that Lorch supplied a sleeve, but that it is missing.

The Rose cutters all fit the lever-action, and all look like the accessories on the lathes.co.uk website.

It seems fairly complete in that respect, including the collets for hair-sized wire which have to be held in another collet. It's come in a wooden box and there are only a few blank holes with nothing to go in.

It's powered by a sewing-machine motor. The original handwheel is there, but not the under-bench fitment for it which prevents a reversion to manual operation.

I guess that it must be 50 years or more old.

I have an 8mm D-bed Lorch with a lever tailstock; if you think it might help send me an email (I presume yours - snipped-for-privacy@peivacy.net - is bodged) and I'll send you some pics of what I have.

email is u dot email at (large grocery chain starting with T) dot net

There should be a separate tailstock which is not the lever operated drilling tailstock for holding the centre. There is no sleeve.

Usually the collets for very fine wire are true collets. The ones which you hold in another collet are usuall made of brass and intended for holding very small screws (e.g. jewel chaton screws) without damaging the heads.

Alan