Heavy engineering lathes

The large engineering lathes with centre heights of 6 inch or more were not made at Gohlis or Wahren but were outsourced and made under licence, but only for Germany. Probably very few have survived as they would be beyond the ownership of amateurs so would rapidly become outdated and scrapped in factories. They follow their smaller cousins in exactly the same design of bed, worms & wheels etc. available in sizes AHH,BHH,CHH,DHH,EHH with height of centres 6" 8" 10" 12" Both D & E lathes are 12" & 5ft centres but the D lathe has a larger spindle bore of 2 inches compared to 1/5/8" for the E. The weight however is a considerable difference with the D being 6,200 lbs whereas the weight for pattern E is given as 4,600 lbs.

Below are parts of a probable rare 6X28 inch AHH model Pittler lathe produced under special license by Sondermann & Stier and currently being restored in the UK

Above: the tailstock end has an indexing disk fitted. Below right: The plate from this Sondermann & Stier Pittler lathe, it bears the name W.v Pittlers Patent No 85 and and production number 8530, and unusually the date 1895 is also stamped on.

Above: a "D" lathe Pittler from the 1909 catalogue of Johannes Schulz and made under licence, The lathe has 12" centre height and is 5 feet between centres.

Above: a catalogue page showing the large engineering lathes available,

Right: a section from a translated German Pittler catalogue mentioning the production of these large lathes were only for sale in Germany

Below and above: parts of a 6X28" AHH model Pittler lathe produced by Sondermann & Stier and currently being restored in the UK. Note the unusual position of a gear ( or some kind of indexing ratchet wheel?) directly behind the mandrel thread. Also access and adjustment to the bearings is made easy by removing the 4 bolts

A plate from a AHH Pittler lathe made under licence by Sondermann and Stier at their factory at Chemnitz. It mentions W.v Pittlers Patent No 85 and and the production number 8530, unusually the date 1895 is also stamped on