# Goodell Pratt 125 Bench Lathe



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*The Beginning and history.*

A lathe has been in the back of my mind for some years and in the last year my love of vintage tools and machinery has really taken off so when I saw this 80+ year old Goodell Pratt bench lathe I had to have it. Luckily I got it for only a few bucks more than it cost new but unfortunately most of the original accessories are missing as is the original banjo and tool rest but then if it had those things it would have been 4-5X the price.

The 125 was GP's midi size lathe and was meant for hobbyist metal & woodworkers. It's not clear when GP began manufacturing lathes, sometime between the late 19th Century and 1920's and it's all but impossible to date a specific lathe.










Originally designed for a treadle base it can easily be adapted to an electric motor (as you will see). The bases are now pretty rare. I flirted with the idea of building a treadle base but eventually the lure of the electric motors laying around my shop seduced me.










It came with a crazy variety of accessories including a fret saw and tablesaw. The 125 was like the mini-Shopsmith of the early 20th Century. No namby-pamby blade brakes here, men were manlier then and didn't mind losing a finger to prove it!



















More information and pics can be found here:
http://www.lathes.co.uk/goodell-pratt/index.html


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## Timbo (Aug 21, 2008)

wormil said:


> *The Beginning and history.*
> 
> A lathe has been in the back of my mind for some years and in the last year my love of vintage tools and machinery has really taken off so when I saw this 80+ year old Goodell Pratt bench lathe I had to have it. Luckily I got it for only a few bucks more than it cost new but unfortunately most of the original accessories are missing as is the original banjo and tool rest but then if it had those things it would have been 4-5X the price.
> 
> ...


Well aren't you the fortunate one! You never know when the right parts may show up on ebay.


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## Andy2 (Jan 6, 2013)

wormil said:


> *The Beginning and history.*
> 
> A lathe has been in the back of my mind for some years and in the last year my love of vintage tools and machinery has really taken off so when I saw this 80+ year old Goodell Pratt bench lathe I had to have it. Luckily I got it for only a few bucks more than it cost new but unfortunately most of the original accessories are missing as is the original banjo and tool rest but then if it had those things it would have been 4-5X the price.
> 
> ...


Sweet!


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*Ye olden lathe*

Cleaning up a 7×12 Goodell Pratt bench lathe.

Some before/after pics.



















The previous owner (owners?) made a replacement tool rest from scrap 2×4's and angle iron. It looks janky but is perfectly servicable. In the short term I'll make something that looks nicer but in the long term I hope to find an original replacement.

Oddly, they chose to paint over the original black with green but painted the tool rest a nearly matching red. The vibe I get is that the previous owner was a boy although there is no direct evidence. Restoring the original colors is on my "down the road" to-do list.

More pics.



















I'm guessing this chuck was designed to hold accessories but the dowel bolt can be unscrewed and replaced by a hanger bolt (dowel screw) for turning wood.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

wormil said:


> *Ye olden lathe*
> 
> Cleaning up a 7×12 Goodell Pratt bench lathe.
> 
> ...


thats a nice looking lathe.


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## Mip (Sep 16, 2012)

wormil said:


> *Ye olden lathe*
> 
> Cleaning up a 7×12 Goodell Pratt bench lathe.
> 
> ...


That chuck looks like a screw center. You drill a hole a little smaller that the bolt diameter into the bowl blank, and thread the chuck into the hole. Mount it on the lathe and start turning. The only problem is that since you drilled on one side, that side will be the interior of the bowl, and you turn the outside first. Then you have to figure out how to mount the finished bowl base back on to turn out the inside.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Ye olden lathe*
> 
> Cleaning up a 7×12 Goodell Pratt bench lathe.
> 
> ...


Leave a tenon on the backside? Not the perfect solution but by the time I get fancy with the bowl making I'll splurge on a nice chuck.


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## schaefer225 (Jan 28, 2014)

wormil said:


> *Ye olden lathe*
> 
> Cleaning up a 7×12 Goodell Pratt bench lathe.
> 
> ...


i have a colmpete unit and a bunch of other things for this lath


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Ye olden lathe*
> 
> Cleaning up a 7×12 Goodell Pratt bench lathe.
> 
> ...


Since getting the Craftsman I haven't used the GP, it sits waiting on a paint job then I'm hoping to make a dedicated polisher of it.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

wormil said:


> *Ye olden lathe*
> 
> Cleaning up a 7×12 Goodell Pratt bench lathe.
> 
> ...


It's a beautiful old machine. Congratulations.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*Motorin' - or How to wire a 3 speed AC motor.*

You're motoring
What's your price for flight
In finding mister right
You'll be alright tonight










My choices were between a single speed, 1/3 HP, 1750 RPM motor or a three speed, 1/4 HP, 1050 RPM motor. Wow, 3 speeds! The 1/3 has a very short shaft meaning I could only fit one pulley meaning I would have to slide the motor to each lathe pulley (or I could have used a jackshaft but I was too stupid to know it). The 1/4 has a longer shaft to fit a step pulley and did I mention 3 speeds! Who could resist the the promise of 9 speeds over 3?



















And then I had to figure out how to wire it. Simple, I found a rotary switch on Grainger: off/on/on/on. Not simple, I was advised this switch would kill kittens and cause my untimely death or at best, burn out in short order. *OR*, it was perfectly okay to use and sure, maybe it would only last 100,000 cycles instead of 200,000 but big deal. Back and forth came the advice. I had 3 people telling me it was a bad idea and 3 telling me it was fine. The only thing all 6 could agree on was that toggle switches would be safe®. So I called Grainger, '*We don't sell switches rated for ac motors. Don't use any of our switches!*' You think I'm kidding but that's almost word for word what they told me. It's also a bald face lie, they do sell switches rated for ac motors. So I threw in the towel and bought toggles rated for AC motor use from Home Depot, they had no problem whatsoever with me buying their switches. In the end, of the 6 people actively giving me advice, I'm pretty sure only one of them was happy I went with the toggles and that was a fellow LJ'er.










So you want to know how to wire a 3 speed HVAC direct drive AC motor? Here's how I'm doing it.

1 each - SPST (on/off) Gardner Bender toggle switch 
2 each - SPDT (on/off/on) Gardner Bender toggle switch 
wire, motor, and appropriate electrical housing w/ cover

Make sure you turn off the main power switch before changing speeds.










If you know of a more elegant way, feel free to post it in the comments below. If you believe my way will be the doom of us all, I don't want to hear it.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*The Stand*

Credit where it's due, I basically copied this guy's stand except I modified the top to work with my lathe.






I had literally a wheelbarrow load of scrap fir 2×4's from another project so I used as many as I could. (Note: never build anything from fir 2×4's, the wood is soft and brittle, every little bump is a dent and pieces kept flaking off at the slightest provocation.)

Sorry, I have no in-progress pics. Once I get started I don't like to stop for pictures but you can watch the guy above build his. The joinery are simple half laps. The top is 3/4 birch ply with 5/8 pine ply underneath and it press fit between the aprons (later screwed in). There is also a simple box mounted under the top and between aprons to help support the motor mount. My casters are cheap plastic because I had them.



















Next up was the motor cradle and mount. The cradle is built from 3/4" birch ply. I took the half moon cut outs and trimmed a couple inches off the flat side, turned the two mini-moon shapes with the curve pointing down and glued them between the cradle sides then added a bottom. The two small pieces are to hold the band clamps. Since I didn't take any good pics of this I'll add a crude drawing.




























The motor mount was then attached to the apron with an old Stanley brass hinge.



















And that's where I am today. You might notice the v-belt is touching the lathe which is not good and I may have to move the motor mount higher. I'll be using a flat belt to drive the motor and I'm hoping it will clear.

Next edition will be turning the driver step pulley from ipe.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

wormil said:


> *The Stand*
> 
> Credit where it's due, I basically copied this guy's stand except I modified the top to work with my lathe.
> 
> ...


Been watching your progress on this. I'm wondering how the 3-speed motor will perform, not just "speed-wise" but will it be strong enough as it only pushed a fan blade in it's previous life.
And do the casters lock so the lathe wont walk away from you while your putting tool pressure on it?


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *The Stand*
> 
> Credit where it's due, I basically copied this guy's stand except I modified the top to work with my lathe.
> 
> ...


The casters do lock. Once I clear some stuff out of the shop it'll have a permanent place and I might replace the casters with wood feet.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

wormil said:


> *The Stand*
> 
> Credit where it's due, I basically copied this guy's stand except I modified the top to work with my lathe.
> 
> ...


I just noticed something else. Once it's up and running, based on the direction of turning, you're gonna be throwing a ton of chips and *DUST *at the motor. I wonder if you might be able to either 
A: Put a tin sheld on top of the motor to deflect the debris away, or 
B: use some very fine mesh (like window screen) to keep that motor from sucking in all that dust.

Just brainstroming on your project here… 

Looks good so far


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *The Stand*
> 
> Credit where it's due, I basically copied this guy's stand except I modified the top to work with my lathe.
> 
> ...


Good point. I hope to eventually construct some kind of dust collection but in the short term I might make a shroud out of cardboard that will funnel into a bucket.

Also, forgot about the motor power question, really there is no way to know until I try it. I tested the lathe on a 1/3 HP motor and had zero issues.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*Pulley glue-up and guess the wood.*

Just a quick update to anyone following along so you don't think I abandoned the project.

Right now I'm basically boning up on my turning skills while waiting for a few parts to come in. The motor mount will not work as is, the angle is too acute and the belt rubs on the lathe. 
There are two solutions:

1: Create a raised platform for the motor that will bring it to the height of the lathe pulleys.

2: Build a jackshaft that will transfer power from the motor to the lathe.

#1 sounds simpler but in practice #2 isn't that much more work and it would look pretty cool.

A local woodworker kindly donated the wood for my cause. I don't know what it is but it is very hard and very heavy but not quite as heavy as ipe.

Here is a picture of the pulley wood (top) that came from a custom planter box and ipe (bottom). Guesses so far: abacco, teak, cumaru.










Blank glued in alternating directions like plywood to add stability, so the pulley stays round instead of oval.


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## pudtiny (Jan 11, 2013)

wormil said:


> *Pulley glue-up and guess the wood.*
> 
> Just a quick update to anyone following along so you don't think I abandoned the project.
> 
> ...


It could be iroko


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*Over complicating things [updated]*

*[UPDATE: Scrap this idea, it doesn't work. When I first tested the vibration was minimal but now it's setting off an oscillation that makes it unworkable. Guess I will go back to over-complicating.]*

The motor mount I built was too low and allowed the pulley belt to rub the lathe frame. In the last entry I mentioned there were two solutions to the problem:

1: Create a raised platform for the motor that will bring it to the height of the lathe pulleys.
2: Build a jackshaft that will transfer power from the motor to the lathe.

With my talent of over complicating things naturally I chose option 2. After considerable thought during cold weather downtime I changed my mind and chose option 1.






Truing the driver pulley reduced initial vibration considerably but that pulley isn't meant to be permanent, I still plan on making a wooden cone pulley but I need to address a few other things first. This motor runs hot and I suspect it will not last long. I have a single speed 1/3HP motor to fall back on but it runs the opposite direction so I will need to reverse it before I can use it. There's a good bit of weight on the single Stanley brass hinge holding the mount to the stand, hopefully it's up to the task.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Over complicating things [updated]*
> 
> *[UPDATE: Scrap this idea, it doesn't work. When I first tested the vibration was minimal but now it's setting off an oscillation that makes it unworkable. Guess I will go back to over-complicating.]*
> 
> ...


Back in business. Gave up on the stand.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Over complicating things [updated]*
> 
> *[UPDATE: Scrap this idea, it doesn't work. When I first tested the vibration was minimal but now it's setting off an oscillation that makes it unworkable. Guess I will go back to over-complicating.]*
> 
> ...


Scavenged a 1 HP DC motor from a treadmill today and already have it hooked up to the lathe. It is way more powerful than the 1/3 HP motor. Yesterday I could barely spin a 4×3 block of ipe, today it doesn't even slow when cutting. Still need to do some tweaking though.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*DC Motor upgrade*

Last update I had given up on the lathe stand and moved everything to the workbench but I still didn't have a good system for variable speed. Well, no more cone pulleys, countershafts, or underpowered AC motors… I bought an old treadmill with a 1 HP DC motor and hooked it up.






The block of ipe you see on the lathe was the breaking point. The 1/3 HP motor would just turn it and once I laid tool to wood, everything would slow to a crawl. That prompted me to go find a proper motor. The new (to me) DC motor doesn't even know the ipe is there, doesn't care. It's also scary fast for a lathe that was designed for treadles and jackshafts, gotta keep the power down.

I reused parts of the frame and original motor mount. It's ugly but I'll take care of that.










Basic box over the frame. Next I'll enclose the motor and build a control panel.










Stay tuned!


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## REO (Sep 20, 2012)

wormil said:


> *DC Motor upgrade*
> 
> Last update I had given up on the lathe stand and moved everything to the workbench but I still didn't have a good system for variable speed. Well, no more cone pulleys, countershafts, or underpowered AC motors… I bought an old treadmill with a 1 HP DC motor and hooked it up.
> 
> ...


Looks terrific!


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

wormil said:


> *DC Motor upgrade*
> 
> Last update I had given up on the lathe stand and moved everything to the workbench but I still didn't have a good system for variable speed. Well, no more cone pulleys, countershafts, or underpowered AC motors… I bought an old treadmill with a 1 HP DC motor and hooked it up.
> 
> ...


Oh yeah! You'll be turning bowls and mugs in no time now! 
Good on you!


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## OnlyJustME (Nov 22, 2011)

wormil said:


> *DC Motor upgrade*
> 
> Last update I had given up on the lathe stand and moved everything to the workbench but I still didn't have a good system for variable speed. Well, no more cone pulleys, countershafts, or underpowered AC motors… I bought an old treadmill with a 1 HP DC motor and hooked it up.
> 
> ...


now i have to keep an eye out for a free treadmill on the list.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *DC Motor upgrade*
> 
> Last update I had given up on the lathe stand and moved everything to the workbench but I still didn't have a good system for variable speed. Well, no more cone pulleys, countershafts, or underpowered AC motors… I bought an old treadmill with a 1 HP DC motor and hooked it up.
> 
> ...


Good luck. The days of free treadmills aplenty are long gone; or at least they are around here. Ten years ago you couldn't give one away but now it's hard enough to find one under $100.


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## JKMDETAIL (Nov 13, 2013)

wormil said:


> *DC Motor upgrade*
> 
> Last update I had given up on the lathe stand and moved everything to the workbench but I still didn't have a good system for variable speed. Well, no more cone pulleys, countershafts, or underpowered AC motors… I bought an old treadmill with a 1 HP DC motor and hooked it up.
> 
> ...


Wow love the idea. Howdo you know the horse power of those motors and capacity of the variable drive?


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *DC Motor upgrade*
> 
> Last update I had given up on the lathe stand and moved everything to the workbench but I still didn't have a good system for variable speed. Well, no more cone pulleys, countershafts, or underpowered AC motors… I bought an old treadmill with a 1 HP DC motor and hooked it up.
> 
> ...


HP rating and amperage is on the motor plate.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*New Paint*

I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


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## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


Nicely done Rick, nicely done !


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


Looks real nice. 
Flat black, satin black, semi-gloss or gloss. Pick what you like. It's not like you're putting this in a museum!


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## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


You have that lathe looking really up to date. I would love to see that running.
I also remember my dad having the same crank grinder on his workbench. My brother and I would take turns at cranking it up.


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## terryR (Jan 30, 2012)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


That's a beautiful tool, Rick! I like the black and paprika. Hope you can get it turning!


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


That thing is a beauty!


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


Great work Rick and the lathe stand is a nice build as well.


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## johnstoneb (Jun 14, 2012)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


That is a good looking lathe. Good job.


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## DonBroussard (Mar 27, 2012)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


That's a great looking lathe, Rick. Your hard work is paying dividends. I like the black and red/paprika color combination too. Looking forward to seeing it turning.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


Thanks guys. I have turned wood on this but my plan now is to retire it. It's a novelty compared to modern lathes. I tried selling it locally and the only interest was from a guy who wanted to make a grinder out of it so I declined selling it to him. I have a line on a tool rest which will make it complete then I will probably make a display stand for my office.


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## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


Man that thing is looking good! I wouldn't mind making a treadle lathe out of it, if I had the space (and proximity to buy it)


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


That's a good idea, making a variable speed grinder out of an old lathe, not one this nice though.


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## Dutchy (Jun 18, 2012)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


Great job Rick. Looks to me as a very good build and solid (cast iron) machine.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link





> That s a good idea, making a variable speed grinder out of an old lathe, not one this nice though.
> 
> - Mauricio


This lathe came with a work arbor for mounting a grinding wheel or other attachments. They also made a buffing spindle for the outboard side. I've considered using it that way but it's not worth the effort unless you want to make a treadle setup because it takes up a lot of space for the size. The inboard only has a 7" swing so you are limited to a 6" grinding wheel and would need a bushing to adapt to the smaller lathe arbor. But making a multipurpose grinder/buffer/sander from an old lathe is a great idea and you don't need anything but the headstock.


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## duckmilk (Oct 10, 2014)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


Rick, late to the party as usual. I just stumbled on this blog today. I was given a 494 a couple of years ago and have occasionally looked for a tool rest for it. Haven't done anything with it due to the fact I don't currently have a suitable shop. Here is a view from the backside cause I can't turn the table around right now










You can see I still have the bolt and knob for the tool rest, but would like to find the rest.
You might not be able to see, but the pulleys were changed to v-belt pulleys at some point, probably for ease of replacing belts.
Below is the motor that was on it, a Westinghouse 1/4 hp 1725 rpm. Humms nice and quiet 










The motor was set toward the rear of the table to avoid the chips flying. Your motor must turn the other direction. 
The piece closest to the camera (broken of course) was bolted to one side of the motor and the little round extensions sat in the cradles thus suspending the motor by one side to provide belt tension. There is also enough forward and back adjustability for all 3 pulley positions.










I got replacement oilers from McMaster Carr. It hase a faceplate screwed onto the headstock.










I think this takes a #1 Morse Taper?










Someday, I plan on getting it cleaned up and in working order, if I can find the toolrest. There was a post in Practicalmachinist.com back in May 2009 by MarcD referring to reproductions being made at Cattail Foundry, wherever that is.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


Rick, that is beautiful. Nice work.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


Thanks guys. Tools rests are out there but people believe they are worth a mint. I know a couple of people who have been holding on to GP tool rests for years waiting on someone to pay their ridiculous price, but it won't be me. I made a fair offer and they were offended but I could buy another GP lathe for the what they are asking. You'd think that if a person hadn't sold something in 8 years that they'd get the hint their price is unreasonable.


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## duckmilk (Oct 10, 2014)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


Thanks Rick. I may have to join some other WW joints and put the word out. I found one rest that wasn't correct, but, it was too tall. For the time being, I may find something that works and have a franken-lathe until I find something.

I don't plan on doing a full restore, just want something for occasional use, like making handles.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


Nice restoration *Rick*!
Even though I don't know much about lathes, I know a good job when I see it.

My old high school colors too.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *New Paint*
> 
> I don't like my blog words turned into advertisements so info at link


Duckmilk, I will look and see if I still have contact info for people with toolrests for sale.


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