czech carving lathe source

[Alexander Adams]

Does anyone know of an alternate source for the Czech Carving Lathes? Third Hand Glass no longer seems to be in business and I have been given the task of finding a new source for these machines.

Does anyone know of the lathe manufacturer's name?

Thanks,
Alex

[Rich Samuel]

Are you sure you're not thinking of the German company Kurt Merker?

[Alexander Adams]

No, not the Spatzier from Merker. Pittsburgh Glass center has lathes from the Czech Rep. I think they were purchased from 3rd Hand. It looks as though the source has run dry.

[Kathy Poeppel]

The Studio at Corning has 2 Czech lathes in their coldshop. I think they've had them since before Third Hand came/went. You might check with them.

[James Ennis]

I beleve chadd has moved over to cz,
Ill ask around and find out who you
need to talk to.

[R. Scott Johnson]

Originally posted by Alexander Adams
Does anyone know of an alternate source for the Czech Carving Lathes? Third Hand Glass no longer seems to be in business and I have been given the task of finding a new source for these machines.

Does anyone know of the lathe manufacturer's name?

Thanks,
Alex
here is the company in the czeck republic.... http://www.vid-bohemia.com/czech/grinding_domestic/domestic.htm
and Bob at HIS sells them.

[Niels Cosman]

really you can get them through HIS?
has anybody got one/ used one? there dont seem to be any kind of specs or prices anywhere on the web. seems a little screwy the photo on the VID site is a 3D rendering. otherwise looks like a pretty slick lathe (droid).

also, has anybody used a denver glass lathe (single arbor grinder)? 1/3 hp?
where's the beef?

[Rich Federici]

Alex,

Chadd Holiday has moved to the czech republic but I believe he will return in June. His E mail is: cjholliday@earthlink.net maybe he can shed some light on how to get one of the czech lathes.

[Henry Halem]

Email this guy. He is the original resource for the Czech lathe. I've used the Czech lathe at the PGC and it is state of the art.

Frantisek Janák <storic@volny.cz>

[Eben Horton]

couldnt one simply build one?? whats the big deal with these??? A shaft that is threaded to accept wheels.. a belt going to a motor..the shaft rides on good bearings... it sits on a solid base... what am i missing??

[Steve Stadelman]

The big thing you are missing is that the real Czech machines have a babbit bearing, hand poured and custom scraped. That eliminates tons of vibration.

[Niels Cosman]

yup. a babbet bearing, a heavy cast block body, and heavy duty pulleys which are properly mounted on the motors and balanced precisely. not entirely trivial and not entirely inexpensive... unfortunately :violin:
BUT built to last! (score one grandkids)

[Marty Kremer]

Is Greg Englesby still making them? Double spindle, solidly constructed, electronic speed control. I like my GE but the Cz ones at Corning's Studio are really user friendly- adjustable foot rest/work tray/arm rest- and probably close to $10K now (thank you Geo. "Record Deficit" Bush). The only other thing wrong with them was the color- milk chocolate brown would be kind.
However, nothing feels quite as authentic as the Spatzier. You find yourself muttering in German and dreaming of beer gardens as you grind away.

[James Ennis]

greg englesby still makes equipment, just on a special order basis.