lathe used in movie ???

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wally318
Posts: 260
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 1:06 am
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia

lathe used in movie ???

Post by wally318 »

Anyone can tell me which lathe Keanu reeves was using in the movie Chain Reaction?
The square-ish headstock and the rotary dial/handles for the variable speed make me
think Clausing. The speed dial looks exactly the same as on their horizontal mills.
But I can't find a match.
Jon W
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2020 1:59 pm

Re: lathe used in movie ???

Post by Jon W »

Could it be a Clausing 5900 with an aftermarket emergency stop added at the rear of the head? If so, seems a mighty poor choice of location for the stop button.
Jon W
Somewhere North of Boston
wally318
Posts: 260
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 1:06 am
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia

Re: lathe used in movie ???

Post by wally318 »

Thanks Jon.
It is indeed a 5900 series a 5914 VS.
From the look of it I assumed it was a 14" lathe with an 8" chuck.
But ... they came as a 12" x 36 lathe, with no larger size in the 5900 series
So it was a 6" chuck with about 3" of air below it-12".
And the vari-speed dial at the back of the headstock.
THe part that confused me was the tailstock.
Most of the filming was done from the rear of the headstock and ways.
The tailstock had cavities making it seem older.
But when I looked at pics of the 5914 lathe tailstock had cavities on the backside,
but was flat/smooth at the front as all newer lathes are.

Although I appreciate your concern in the STOP button position, I have my answer. Thanks.
Almost all lathe designs will bring out concerns over ergonomics.
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