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Dalton Lathe - an unknown model type
Dalton Home Combination Machine - Photographs Conventional Lathes
Unknown Dalton Model Dalton 4 Model B4 Early Dalton
Of a model designation not recognised even by aficionados of the make this early Dalton - circa 1920 and revealing some similarities with aspects of the Combination Machine - has the maker's name cast very faintly into the apron. The lathe is typically Dalton, with an unusually wide bed--with ways continuing past front and back of the headstock - and very long and supportive saddle wings. The headstock on this example is a heavy-duty pattern with a twin-bolt front bearing and what looks to be, for its era, a very reasonable spindle bore. At the top of each bearing cap can be seen a traditional Dalton oiling pipe, normally covered with a fluted cap secured against loss by a wire keeper connected to the pipe's lip. Although the compound slide rest lacks micrometer dials a fine rate of power longitudinal feed is fitted, just like a "lot 5" model with a worm gear driven by a key running in the slotted leadscrew. As Hubert Dalton came from England in around 1904 it's unsurprising that the toolpost is a typically English design, with the triangular clamp plate held on a light spring and levelled with an adjustable screw - such an assembly being rare indeed on any American-made lathe. Missing on this lathe, but present on all other Daltons, is a T-slot running down the back face of the bed.