It is finished and on the way to Japan, I didn't have time to make a picture of the finished piece. Maybe our student will send a photo from Japan.
The bowl is soft maple, 12 inches in diameter, 1.75 inches deep, recess on bottom to engage chuck is 1/8 inch deep and held firmly. There is some slight tiger striping in the edges of the maple that showed up after it was oiled.
I have never found another lathe like this one, it was made around the late 40s or early 50s. There is a small brass tag that says Chambers Aircraft, no other markings of any kind.
I did find a reference on the net to a company that built new cedar under carriages for old biplanes in the 50s. This may have been used to turn airplane axles. I have no idea who made the lathe.
Swing is 19 inch and cast iron bed is 8 feet long, head stock has bronze adjustable bearing and tailstock is 2.5 x 14 inch with #4 morse taper. Head and tailstock are machined from solid steel blocks.
