What is this?

[eotrfish]

A buddy sent this from a decommissioned Mexican steel mill.

We’re both curious about the function. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[TorontoBuilder]

View attachment 33778A buddy sent this from a decommissioned Mexican steel mill.

We’re both curious about the function. Anyone have any ideas?

it has a spindle, gears and a bed. I'd guess some sort of lathe

 

[140mower]

My guess is that it's an old turret lathe, minus it's turret.

 

[johnnielsen]

I think it is a precision second operation machine possibly capable of both inside and outside machining at the same time. I say that because of the guide bar receiver cast into the headstock above the collet chuck. Also you can see the spindle clutch mechanism immediately behind the collet chuck. It is a high speed open/close clutch mechanism identical to the one we used on a home made hydro pneumatic lathe we had. My Dad built it using a scrapped Warner Swasey turret lathe from the 1900s. We rebuilt the lathe and my Dad designed and built the electrics for the conversion. Sorry, got a little off topic.
That machine is fascinating to look at. I would love to see it up close someday.

 

[Susquatch]

It's an artificial insemination machine for large herbivores. @6.5 Fan sells them at a discount to members.

 

[eotrfish]

I think it is a precision second operation machine possibly capable of both inside and outside machining at the same time. I say that because of the guide bar receiver cast into the headstock above the collet chuck. Also you can see the spindle clutch mechanism immediately behind the collet chuck. It is a high speed open/close clutch mechanism identical to the one we used on a home made hydro pneumatic lathe we had. My Dad built it using a scrapped Warner Swasey turret lathe from the 1900s. We rebuilt the lathe and my Dad designed and built the electrics for the conversion. Sorry, got a little off topic.
That machine is fascinating to look at. I would love to see it up close someday.

Looks like you nailed it John - thanks for the insight.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

At this point it's yard art. Cool yard art nonetheless.