This lathe was made by Dean, Smith and Grace of Keighly, who were considered the Rolls Royce of lathes. It is belt driven because it was made in the days before electric motors were built in. The lathe was used at Mackay's, an important ironmongers and engineering firm in Cambridge set up by Donald Mackay with his son Duncan in 1912. It was the first large piece of equipment they purchased. It helped the firm develop by enabling Mackay's to machine bigger pieces of metal. Mackay's still have a hardware shop on East Road.

The lathe needs conservation work before it can be displayed.

Several people can adopt this object. You can make it exclusive by purchasing all two adoptions.