Is there a question here that does not require a mind reader to answer?

Hi

A picture of the lathe might help but to answer your question "is LAL the lathe maker" have you tried google?

If you can't get a complete set of documents and a source for parts, it's just junk.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

One of the better sources of data for old lathes and some old miling m/c's: http://www.lathes.co.uk/page21.html

"If you can't get a complete set of documents and a source for parts, it's just junk."

Well, not really, especially from a hobbyist perspective. We've got a shop with a number of pieces of "obsolete" equipment with no documentation, no source for original proprietary parts, and no longer in business. On the rare occasion when a replacement part is needed, we just make it.

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.

I have such a lathe in my garage dating from the 1940s. Its manufacturer ceased trading 30-odd years ago, unable to compete with smaller lighter machines that were almost as good at a tenth of the cost. It is huge, old and ugly (my wife's words) but far nicer to operate than any of the modern equivalents. It is immensely rigid and still accurate for the hobby work I do although well short of its as-new capability. Spare bits crop up from time to time on ebay, and if it went for scrap tomorrow I wouldn't be out of pocket.

You really need to find out the manufacturer of the lathe before we can pass judgement on the equipment.

One question to answer is does the machine cut metric or english threads? Hopefully it cuts both.

Second question what is athe swing above the ways and the swing over the cross slide? Does it meet you needs.

Third question what is the electrical connection is it single phase or triple phase. What voltage is required?

Fourth question what attachments does it have? Does it have a 3-jaw self centering chuck. Does it have a faceplate? Does it have a tool post? Does it have a 4-jaw chuck. Does it have a tail stock? Does it have centers and the the required sleeves. Does it have a taper attachment?

You should have these answers before you decide if you want the lathe.

Bill