Built by the Takisawa Machine Tool Co. Ltd, in Tamashima, Kurashiki, Japan during the 1970s and 1980s, the Takisawa Series TAL lathes were carefully designed machines with an impressive specification that sold well around the world.
Five models were offered, each given a Model Type in accordance with its market, some being designated, for example, TAL6 and TAL8, while others had a number that indicated the swing (i.e. twice the centre height) in millimetres: TAL430, TAL460, TAL510, TAL530 and the TAL560 - the latter also being available with an increased centre height to give a swing of 600 mm. Capacity between centres overlapped with the TAL450 being available with 850 mm (the shortest of all), 1000 and 1500mm; the TAL460, TAL 510 and TAL 530 all offered 1000, 1500 and 2000mm and the TAL560 1000, 1500, 2000 and 3000 mm. In the UK, only the two smallest models, the TAL430 and TAL460, could be equipped with a gap bed, the fitting allowing diameters of, respectively, 640 and 660 mm to be swung. Enormously deep and well braced, the bed was fitted as standard with induction hardened and ground V and flat ways, the front V being constructed so that its outer part (to better absorb wear) was much wider and set at a shallower angle than the steeper, shorter inner side that took most of the tool thrust. The bed was carried on two cast-iron plinths (cast as one) with that under the headstock holding the motor (whose multiple V-belts were tensioned by a jockey pulley) and, between them, a large slide-out chip tray of generous capacity.
Rigidly supported in a thick-walled headstock, the spindle of all models was hardened to 60 degrees shore and then ground; with the exception of the 2-bearing TAL430, three high-precision bearings (usually by NSK), were used, two taper roller and a double roller. Spindle diameters were appropriate to the size of the particular model, the bores being: 54 mm on the TAL430, 52 mm on the TAL460 and TAL510, 80 mm on the TAL530 and (rather oddly) reduced to 76 mm on the TAL560. All but the TAL560 used the same spindle nose, a choice of American A1-6", L1 long-nose taper or a D1-8" CamLock; as the largest model the TAL560 could be had with the same D1-8" - or the larger A1-8" or L2 long-nose fittings. Headstock gears were all cut, hardened and ground using either a Reishauer or Maag process with oil provided under pressure from a trochoid pump.
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Powering the two smallest models (TAL430 and TAL460) was a motor of either 3.7 kW or, optionally at extra cost, 5.5 kW on the TAL430 or 5.5 kW or 10 kW on the TAL460; the TAL510 and TAL530 each had as standard a 5.5 kW motor or optionally a 10 kW, while the TAL560 was fitted with one of 11 kW as standard or 15 kW as an option. All but the TAL430 (with eight spindle speeds of 50 to 1500 r.p.m.) had twelve speeds all spanning the same useful 25 to 1500 r.p.m. Change of spindle speed was by a high-low range lever on top of the headstock and front-face mounted rotary control that could be continuously rotated in either direction. The makers easing gear selection by fitting (as part of the standard equipment) a push-button jog control - a device that also helped with changing screwcutting and feed rates. Electrical control of the spindle start, stop and reverse was by a third-rod system with, on the shorter bed models, a single control lever pivoting from the apron's right-hand face and, on longer versions, a second lever positioned just outboard of the screwcutting gearbox. A powerful foot brake, fitted in the gap between the bed plinths, allowed stop from top speed in just 1.5 seconds..
Screwcutting (by a 35 mm diameter leadscrew) and power feeds (from a separate shaft) came from a sealed gearbox with oil-sump splash lubrication (though some are suspected to have had a pressure pump), with changes of rate made by dial and lever selectors. All but the TAL560 were fitted with a box that generated 32 English pitches from 4 to 56 t.p.i. and 21 metric from 0.5 to 7 mm pitch, all without changing or dismounting any gears, while to generate Module and DP pitches a set of conversion changewheels was available (a smaller door was provided in the full-height end cover to give access). There were 32 rates of longitudinal and cross feed, the former ranging from 0.048 to 0.662 mm per revolution of the headstock spindle and the latter at half those rates. The larger and more powerful TAL560 had a suitably wider threading and feeds range, with 40 pitches from 2 to 56 t.p.i. and 48 rates of feed from 0.035 to 1.99 mm per rev.
Equipped with automatic, pumped lubrication the box-type apron was heavily constructed and held shaved and hardened gears. For the European market the carriage traverse handle was on the right, for the North American on the left - where the operator's hand was protected by a chip shield. Feed direction was selected by a push-pull knob and engaged by a single lever controlling a drop-worm assembly that allowed, in its usual fashion, an instant engaged and equally fast disengage no matter how heavy the cut. Not fitted as standard, but available as an extra-cost option on all versions, was an adjustable automatic feed stop.
Although the cross slide sat to the left of the centre line on the saddle, the latter's wings were long and deep, with the bridging section especially wide, deep and ribbed. Cross and top slide were of conventional construction with the cross-feed nut split and adjustable for backlash; while the handwheel on the cross-slide was a conventional full-circle type, that on the 360-degree swivel top slide was most odd, being bent into the shape of a "U". It seems that a number of different cross slides were fitted, some being short type (to allow the mounting of a post-build taper-turning unit) others full length with a factory-fitted taper turning and an accessory version long enough to mount a reat toolpost. Only some markets were provided with dual inch/metric micrometer dials as part of the ordinary specifications, for others they were on the options' list.
Able to be set over for the turning of slight tapers, the tailstock of the TAL430 held a 60 mm diameter, No. 4 Morse taper spindle with a travel of 130 mm; in all other models (with the exception of the TAL560 where the diameter was 75 mm, the taper a No. 5 Morse and the travel 150 mm) the diameter was 65 mm, the travel 150 mm and the Morse taper a No. 4. All spindles were engraved with ruler divisions and equipped with a knock-out tang slot
Accessories included the expected coolant equipment, 3 and 4-jaw chucks, fixed and travelling steadies in various sizes, quick-set and 4-way tool posts, tailstock rotating centres and chucks and also: electric variable-speed carriage drive, telescopic taper-turning attachment, hydraulic tracer (copy) unit, an automatic multi-cycle copying attachment, dual English and metric micrometer dials, a graduated dial on the tailstock handwheel, a high-speed threading attachment, a variable-speed thread whirling attachment, 40-position quick-change toolpost, automatic longitudinal carriage stop, a single carriage stop, a micrometer adjustable carriage stop, a rotating capstan-type 6-position carriage stop, toolpost grinder, 2-speed drive to the tailstock spindle, rear toolpost, plastic chip guard, a full-length chip guard, changewheels for generating Module and DP pitches, and two work lights, one with a low-voltage transformer and the other with a magnetic base..

Change of spindle speed was by a high-low range lever on top of the headstock and front-face mounted rotary control that could be continuously rotated in either direction. The makers easing gear selection by fitting (as part of the standard equipment) a push-button jog control - a device that also helped with changing screwcutting and feed rates.

Enormously deep and well braced, the bed was fitted as standard with induction hardened and ground V and flat ways, the front V being constructed so that its outer part (to better absorb wear) was much wider and set at a shallower angle than the steeper, shorter inner side that took most of the tool thrust.

The bed was carried on two cast-iron plinths (cast as one) with that under the headstock holding the motor (whose multiple V-belts were tensioned by a jockey pulley) and, between them, a large slide-out chip tray of generous capacity.

"Right-hand" apron. For the European market the carriage traverse handle was on the right, for the North American on the left - where the operator's hand was protected by a chip shield. Cross and top slide were of conventional construction with the cross-feed nut split and adjustable for backlash; while the handwheel on the cross-slide was a conventional full-circle type, that on the top slide was most odd, being bent into the shape of a "U".

The spindle of all models was hardened to 60 degrees Shore and then ground; with the exception of the 2-bearing TAL430, three high-precision bearings (usually by NSK), were used, two taper roller and a double roller. Spindle diameters were appropriate to the size of the particular model, the bores being: 54 mm on the TAL430, 52 mm on the TAL460 and TAL510, 80 mm on the TAL530 and (rather oddly) reduced to 76 mm on the TAL560. All but the TAL560 used the same spindle nose, a choice of American A1-6", L1 long-nose taper or a D1-8" CamLock; as the largest model the TAL560 could be had with the same D1-8" - or the larger A1-8" or L2 long-nose fittings. Headstock gears were all cut, hardened and ground using either a Reishauer or Maag process with oil provided under pressure from a trochoid pump.