Vintage Federal Lathe 78 / 33 rpm

This is where record cutters raise questions about cutting, and trade wisdom and experiment results. We love Scully, Neumann, Presto, & Rek-O-Kut lathes and Wilcox-Gay Recordios (among others). We are excited by the various modern pro and semi-pro systems, too, in production and development. We use strange, extinct disc-based dictation machines. And other stuff, too.

Moderators: piaptk, tragwag, Steve E., Aussie0zborn

Post Reply
User avatar
mischmerz
Posts: 273
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 8:23 pm
Location: Houston. Tx
Contact:

Vintage Federal Lathe 78 / 33 rpm

Post: # 35912Unread post mischmerz
Tue Jul 07, 2015 7:04 pm

I just bought a vintage Federal Lathe - It has 33 and 78rpm speeds. I can't say anything about its age, but it seems to be from the 40s. Anybody here know a thing or two about these machines?

Michaela

User avatar
rsimms3
Posts: 427
Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 10:01 am

Re: Vintage Federal Lathe 78 / 33 rpm

Post: # 35914Unread post rsimms3
Tue Jul 07, 2015 7:21 pm

This one?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Federal-Record-Lathe-From-30s-good-condition-with-cutting-head-/121697963288?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c55c38d18

If so, there's a thread here started by that seller. There's information in that thread if you want to continue the discussion.

User avatar
mischmerz
Posts: 273
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 8:23 pm
Location: Houston. Tx
Contact:

Re: Vintage Federal Lathe 78 / 33 rpm

Post: # 35915Unread post mischmerz
Tue Jul 07, 2015 7:27 pm

Indeed. Hmm .. I searched for 'Federal Lathe' before posting. Didn't find the thread.

Thanks.

mm.


User avatar
mischmerz
Posts: 273
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 8:23 pm
Location: Houston. Tx
Contact:

Re: Vintage Federal Lathe 78 / 33 rpm

Post: # 35917Unread post mischmerz
Tue Jul 07, 2015 7:58 pm

Yeah - found it. Thanks. The good man forgot to mention the unique feature of cutting inside out in his listing. I am not amused.

Michaela

User avatar
ROLANDJAYS
Posts: 287
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 3:48 am

Re: Vintage Federal Lathe 78 / 33 rpm

Post: # 35920Unread post ROLANDJAYS
Tue Jul 07, 2015 9:21 pm

I know someone who makes feedscrews. If you need one :wink:

User avatar
rsimms3
Posts: 427
Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 10:01 am

Re: Vintage Federal Lathe 78 / 33 rpm

Post: # 35921Unread post rsimms3
Tue Jul 07, 2015 9:26 pm

ROLANDJAYS wrote:I know someone who makes feedscrews. If you need one :wink:
The real pain is the half nut on it, it's also part of the suspension system. How about cogs/gears? It would be easier almost to make those in reverse than a new feedscrew/half nut configuration.

User avatar
mischmerz
Posts: 273
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 8:23 pm
Location: Houston. Tx
Contact:

Re: Vintage Federal Lathe 78 / 33 rpm

Post: # 35925Unread post mischmerz
Tue Jul 07, 2015 10:12 pm

Well - this is a bummer. Somebody sold me that machine on Ebay without disclosing the fact that it cuts inside-out. He or she uses rsimms3's images , so I suspect its his machine. The Email-address of the seller point to ironcladrecords.com. So I am wondering, if rsimms3 sold the machine to the person who now sold it to me.

Michaela

User avatar
rsimms3
Posts: 427
Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 10:01 am

Re: Vintage Federal Lathe 78 / 33 rpm

Post: # 35926Unread post rsimms3
Tue Jul 07, 2015 10:25 pm

Mine is sitting in my basement. NONE of the pictures I posted were used in that auction, only those posted by user "theironclad".

User avatar
mischmerz
Posts: 273
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 8:23 pm
Location: Houston. Tx
Contact:

Re: Vintage Federal Lathe 78 / 33 rpm

Post: # 35927Unread post mischmerz
Tue Jul 07, 2015 10:38 pm

I need to apologize to rsimms3. I confused him with the user "theironclad" who was actually the person posting the images. It was a mistake and I am truly sorry.

Michaela

User avatar
socialroots
Posts: 161
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:33 pm
Location: Dulan village,Taitung,Taiwan

Re: Vintage Federal Lathe 78 / 33 rpm

Post: # 35931Unread post socialroots
Wed Jul 08, 2015 1:07 am

nice machine to have ,regardless of its inside out cutting or outside in. if its functioning like its designed to ,you have a nice piece of history to add to your collection! i hope you wont chop up a functioning cutting lathe,playing inside out cuts on a record player is pretty cool in itself, you,ll always have the biggest,loudest track at the end,finish with a bang!
Patrick

User avatar
mischmerz
Posts: 273
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 8:23 pm
Location: Houston. Tx
Contact:

Re: Vintage Federal Lathe 78 / 33 rpm

Post: # 35933Unread post mischmerz
Wed Jul 08, 2015 1:59 am

Well - that may be so. But my historical interest is old jukeboxes. And they don't play inside out :) I am looking for a lathe to cut 78rpm records for the jukebox. I will get out of the deal and start looking for alternatives.

Post Reply