The Restoration of an Old A.B. Knight Glass Engraving/Cutting
Lathe
Copyright 2015 by James
P. Riser
The A.B. Knight lathe was the "gold standard"
for glass engraving and cutting lathes. It was made in Fairmont,
West Virginia - the heart of American glassaking. It is an industrial
machine built to last through the rigors of factory work. I first
saw this lathe around 1976 when visiting glass engravers and factories
throughout Ohio and West Virginia. Now in 2015 this very lathe
is mine and I am restoring it for many more years of reliable
use. The lathe came with this assortment of stone wheels.
The glass marking turntable shown below was included
with the lathe - a few rust spots but still very useable.
The A.B. Knight lathe weighs around 550 pounds and
is very difficult to move. It was disassembled for transport from
West Virginia to its current home in Tucson, Arizona. The pictures
below show some of the reassembly steps.
The lathe baseplate is very heavy and needed wheels
to make the reassembly easier. 
Shown below are the main spindle 8 step cone pulley,
the counter shaft pulley, the 5" wide ring oiling babbitt
bearings, the top plate, the water box supports, and a couple
extra spindle extensions.
The lathe uprights
and the counter shaft with its pulley were bolted into position.
The top plate was bolted onto the uprights. 
The
8 step huge top pulley and lathe spindle were lowered into position.
The bearings were bolted to the top plate, belt installed,
and things aligned. 
The
water box arms were installed.
The headstock bearings needed cleaning (see top left
below). The old oil residue ws removed, the oil slinger grooves
cleaned, and the oil changed. There was virtually no wear on the
bearings and all of the original shims were still present.
The wheels were moved to their final position after
trimming the counter shaft bearing block. 
Clean up on the machine has begun...
After some cleaning and machining, the extension shown
below on the left ended up looking as shown on the right - good
a new.
Both of the bearings on the counter pulley needed to
be replaced.
New supports to
raise the counter pulley were made.
This is the counter pulley assembly with the new bearings.
The
assembly has been bolted to the new supports.
Another view. 
The
wood blocks will get removed and the motor mounted under the counter
pulley.
To
return to my main engraving page, click here.
More later as I get time.