BC Ames Triplex Lathe Anyone ever use one

[Tundra Twin Track]

I am intrigued with this combination machine,there is one for sale on Vintage Machinery .org. Thought maybe someone here may have used one.

[Doc Nickel]

I think you can probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of people, pretty much worldwide, that have used one of those.

I'd imagine the seller is probably about a third, if not a full half, of that total number.

That is an interesting looking machine, but I can't imagine it's all that common.

Doc.

[lakeside53]

Could be very useful!

[elf]

Looks a lot like an Urwick MetalMaster.

[loose nut]

They where originally designed for use on ships where space is tight. I did have a friend that had one but have no idea what happened to it.

If you have access to old Model Engineer magazine there are a couple of right ups from Urwick about how and why he made his Metalmaster lathe.

[Toolguy]

I have never seen either of those machines. They both look amazing! I would buy one if it showed up locally at a reasonable price. What do they want for the Triplex?

[elf]

It's been ten years since @jackary posted his modern implementation of the MetalMaster and called it the Stepperhead.

[Tundra Twin Track]

I think they are pretty rare,I was shocked when I seen one on Vintage Machinery it is missing the cross slide $500 for it.The one in pic was restored by a fellow in Australia which came off a ship with the purchase price of $2200 in 1938 holy $hit that was a lot of money then.I thought the curved arm with deg. Marked on it was real ingenious and goes up to vertical postion for drilling or milling.


It cooled off overnight here -42c this morning 20 km wind,weather net says feels like -55c

[Tundra Twin Track]

[QUOTE=loose nut;1220899]They where originally designed for use on ships where space is tight. I did have a friend that had one but have no idea what happened to it.

Did your friend ever comment on how it was to operate and ease of switching to the different functions of the machine?

[loose nut]

As pictured it was a lathe but the head stock could be rotated up into the vertical or at an angle for use as a milling machine or drill press.

The metal master was a strictly home built machine but it was made from foundry castings and was a high quality build. There wasn't any reason it couldn't have been made and sold commercially but it was a bit to unconventional to interest anyone in making them.

[darryl]

Interesting machine alright. It appears as if it would be very rigid, particularly with the bed engaged with the tail.

[toolznthings]

I owned and restored on of those years ago. Sold to someone from Vermont. My friend in North Carolina also restored one and sold it a couple of years ago.

[darryl]

Once saw a German version of something similar- looked very stout even though of a small size. Sure would be handy if you're angling holes into parts or milling angles for dovetails for example. Or facing angles on billet- the making of V-8 model engine blocks for example.

I wonder how big of a block you could machine on that thing? Something like 1/4 scale perhaps?

[Tundra Twin Track]

I owned and restored on of those years ago. Sold to someone from Vermont. My friend in North Carolina also restored one and sold it a couple of years ago.

Did you use it much,I thought the curved arm idea was brilliant.

[toolznthings]

Only did a restoration as the project. Didn't really use the machine except for some trial cuts and drilling. Work well for those tests.