It looks like an old metal lathe converted to a wood lathe. All of the tracer parts are missing if there ever was any. So you would pretty much have to start over designing parts to make it work for what you want it to. Because all its going to cut is round bowls and straight rails...Bob
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67307569@N00/5364516798/
http://www.makingthemodernworld.org....0-1880/IC.066/