Below is another example of the Hardinge Cataract "Quick-Change Swing Precision Lathe", this one being serial number 41. This machine is complete with the maker's original raiser blocks for the headstock, tailstock, toolpost and steady rest - these increasing the centre height from 4.5 inches to something like 7.5. The lathe appears to have been owned from new by an inventor in Chicago and retains its original overhead drive speed-change gearbox and shows little sign of wear or hard use. It was, until recently, still employed manufacturing high-precision medical tool components until very recently.
One small modification has been made with a DC motor and an attached speed-reduction gearbox fitted at the tailstock end of the bed to drive the power-feed shaft. This simple modification, especially when combined with the lathe's ordinary gearbox, will provide an extraordinarily large range of infinitely-variable sliding and surfacing feeds. The lathe is due to be cleaned down, checked over and installed in the new owner's workshop during the summer of 2022.