Production peaked roughly between the 1930s and the 1960s. The most common survivors today are the or the "Mitchell 8-inch" center lathes—referring to the center height (14" to 16" swing, in modern terms). The "Built Like a Bunker" Engineering Why do people hunt for Mitchells today? Simple: Mass.
If you spend any time in a "dark satanic mill" turned makerspace, or browsing the used listings for a lathe that won’t fold under pressure, you have heard the whisper: "Get a Mitchell." mitchell of keighley lathe
It is for the , the pump repairer , or the vintage tractor restorer . It is for the person who needs to turn a rusty axle down to size, or re-sleeve a hydraulic ram, and doesn't want to take 20 passes to do it. Production peaked roughly between the 1930s and the 1960s
In a world of disposable machinery, the Mitchell of Keighley is a final argument for heavy iron. It is loud, slow, and heavy. And it is absolutely glorious. Simple: Mass