Seneca Falls Lathe

[Glock21user]

I am looking for any information on this little lathe I have acquired.
It is a Seneca Falls Star 10" by 24", it is best described in the pictures and original description all of which I will post here.
Running a lathe isn't my issue but this one as much as it seem simple leaves me with some questions.
Does anyone have any knowledge of these older lathes, the numbers I found on it seem to indicate an age of 1910 - 1916.
It would be nice to know for certain what the lever directly behind the drive pulleys is for and it proper application, along with the proper way to engage back gear.
Thank for any help you can give, sorry for the long post.
And yes at the moment it is setup in the living room of the house until I can figure it all out and move my other lathe and Bridgeport's to make proper room in the shop area of the barn.
Time to buy chocolate and flowers, lots of them.
I just edited to add a pic of two of the books I have unboxed from all of this. There are a few more boxes yet to unpack and sort through.

 

[Admin]

 

[BigOL3]

What kinda jackass gets a gift like than and NEVER uses it???

 

[Glock21user]

I wish I could answer that, rest assured it will be used here.
Although I can say that he did have photos of his father using it at Ford Motor Trade School and I did receive all of the original school books his father had from when he taught there.
It also has the original brass tags that actually match the photo also.
So maybe it was just a tribute to his dad.

 

[L2R]

IF you are referring to the lever I am pointing to below, I am guessing it is on a cam and is engaging or disengaging the belt so it either runs (belt is tight) or is in nuetral (belt is loose).
Maybe I totally missed the question but that the one I saw first.

Please keep us updated. That is pretty cool!

 

[Glock21user]

IF you are referring to the lever I am pointing to below, I am guessing it is on a cam and is engaging or disengaging the belt so it either runs (belt is tight) or is in nuetral (belt is loose).
Maybe I totally missed the question but that the one I saw first.

Please keep us updated. That is pretty cool!



View attachment 175724

Yes sir that is in fact the lever, however I do agree it engages something but not the belt.
It is on an eccentric but the swing is right about a quarter of an inch and it meshes with two gear on the main spindle.
I figure it is something to do with the back gear but am not certain. The drivebelts do not go to it and it makes no change in their adjustment in either position.
Thank you for the help

 

[L2R]

You may be right. It's not in the best location but that was common back then.
I ran an old B&O turret lathe in my teens, You pushed the lever down"hard" to get it started.
If you slipped, you face would hit the chuck. No doubt that never happened twice to the same person.

Old stuff interests me. I got us where we are today and those who developed machines were incredibly smart to create something never done before.

 

[JTW]

Yeah.. those are junk and fire hazards. I’ll take it off your hands for ya...

 

[Glock21user]

Yeah.. those are junk and fire hazards. I’ll take it off your hands for ya...

That is what this forum is all about, looking out for each other and trying to keep us safe from ourselves.
You are awesome @JTW, just don't tell my wife she may tell you to come get it. Lol

 

[JTW]

That is what this forum is all about, looking out for each other and trying to keep us safe from ourselves.
You are awesome @JTW, just don't tell my wife she may tell you to come get it. Lol

What’s her number?

 

[Buggyman]

Yes sir that is in fact the lever, however I do agree it engages something but not the belt.
It is on an eccentric but the swing is right about a quarter of an inch and it meshes with two gear on the main spindle.

Yes sir that is in fact the lever, however I do agree it engages something but not the belt.
It is on an eccentric but the swing is right about a quarter of an inch and it meshes with two gear on the main spindle.
I figure it is something to do with the back gear but am not certain. The drivebelts do not go to it and it makes no change in their adjustment in either position.
Thank you for the help

not sure but it looks like it has power feed so the lever may engage the back shaft gears for thread cutting
I figure it is something to do with the back gear but am not certain. The drivebelts do not go to it and it makes no change in their adjustment in either position.
Thank you for the help

 

[Buggyman]

the lever my engage the back shaft gears ( kinda like a low range) slows the chuck speed down also more torque ?

 

[Buggyman]

the lever my engage the back shaft gears ( kinda like a low range) slows the chuck speed down also more torque ?

1941 atlas the motor is out for repair

 

[Glock21user]

1941 atlas the motor is out for repairView attachment 175975

Thank you@buggyman,
Nice looking machine you have there.
I am assume that you pull the pin on the main gear and then throw the lever into back gear.
I have spun it by hand and if I throw the lever without pulling the pin it locks up the spindle.
Unless I am doing something in error.
Do you have any idea of the gear drive ratios for threading?
I have a full compliment of gears that came with it but absolutely no literature on them.
To be honest I suspect if I do not move it soon it may belong to @JTW, so maybe he can figure it out. Lol

 

[lee]

This web site has some historical data on Senica Falls.

Seneca Falls Lathes

I have a early '60s Craftman, made by Atlas, that is how I found the site.

 

[Glock21user]

This web site has some historical data on Senica Falls.

Seneca Falls Lathes

I have a early '60s Craftman, made by Atlas, that is how I found the site.

Thank you @lee for the link.
I have no doubt it will be a great resource.
Unfortunately I am not as knowledgeable reference the internet and sometimes get to a point of frustration.
Being older I still prefer a hard copy and the smell of old manuals that have lived with the machine.
I do appreciate the help and the link.
My Logan lathe and my Clausing both came with milk crates full of documents.
I spent more time reading and looking at the tech manuals than I currently making chips.
Such is life.

 

[JTW]

To be honest I suspect if I do not move it soon it may belong to @JTW, so maybe he can figure it out. Lol

I like where this is headed!

 

[Glock21user]

I like where this is headed!

Hell just play nice and she just come to T.O without me and bring it with her.
( As she laughs eerily )

 

[BigOL3]

Hell just play nice and she just come to T.O without me and bring it with her.
( As she laughs eerily )

NOW you have really got @JTW attention!

 

[JTW]

Hell just play nice and she just come to T.O without me and bring it with her.
( As she laughs eerily )

She’s a hell of a woman if she can load it by herself!

 

[Glock21user]

She said until I figure it all out but gave no timetable.
She asked me this morning if it was going to be anything like the "grinder thingy" that was in the living room for 6 months?
I tried to explain that I had ordered bearings and had a spindle rebuilt and it took time, she was not amused..
My time is not open ended I fear.