Colchester Bantam Mk1 1600

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Moving along nicely there mate. Watching with interest as I've just started a similar project.

 

[Dieselman 63]

Lathe update - I had a bad dream I mixed up some parts on the lathe (they were all organised on the floor in my garage) so I decided the best way to spend a Saturday afternoon was to rebuild the lathe and whack a 1ph motor (to test) onto it to see if all the speeds go (in the 36-800rpm low range), and they do! I even managed to make some swarf and quickly discovered how addicting it all is. I am going to enjoy this when it is all restored, I'm sure.

The previous owners said the machine was noisy and without oil it is a noisy machine. Add oil - virtually no sound at all, it's not at all growly or gritty. They also said the pump wasn't working, and it wasn't - but as I have shown the pump is now clean and works like new. All the oil holes have been cleaned of grease and I have been squirting a lot of oil through to get them all familiar with working again - the handwheels which the uni said were two hand jobs to move can now be done with zero effort. The rust on the bed is saturated with oil and has been slowly coming off, and the metal underneath looks clean, no visible wear, again good. Altogether I'm pleased, and the machine works well. It's become glaringly obvious that I need to buy some more tools though, that means I need to buy more shelves. Guess that's more money out the door - couldn't be happier though, owning this machine is a dream come true

 

[addjunkie]

This is good. Lathes are to be used to make swarf, not polished and preened.

 

[Dieselman 63]

This is good. Lathes are to be used to make swarf, not polished and preened.

I sort of tend to agree with you on that, there is nothing I like less than a machine used as an ornament. On the other hand, there's a degree of pride gone into making old machines and I like restoring that. As much as I love to see my machines covered in swarf and chips, I like cleaning them up at the end of the day and keeping them oiled.

 

[Turbo]

Now you have a working lathe you will find yourself looking at repair work & thinking 'I can make that' instead of replacing it!

I have a broken door check strap on a car. Normally I would be off to the breakers for a replacement. I've been looking at it & I think I can make the missing rollers on the lathe & weld it back together! (I have too much spare time atm)

 

[Dieselman 63]

Now you have a working lathe you will find yourself looking at repair work & thinking 'I can make that' instead of replacing it!

I have a broken door check strap on a car. Normally I would be off to the breakers for a replacement. I've been looking at it & I think I can make the missing rollers on the lathe & weld it back together! (I have too much spare time atm)

Funny as I've been looking at my workshop today. I have a big vice with mini anvil on the back, a bench drill, a grinder and a buffer, a bar bender and a lathe, and that's just the big kit. I'm wondering what I could make, I felt I could make a small production run of tools or something with these machines. Maybe pin punches.

 

[Turbo]

I've a rusty inner wheel arch to clean up & paint today & I'm doing everything to try & avoid doing it. Did the other one last night & I'm sore all over. Access is terrible & I had to get into some awkward poses to see what I was doing with the angle grinder, powerfile & die grinder. It's times like this I wish I had a car lift but it would get in the way the rest of the time!

 

[Dieselman 63]

Well after @eLuSiVeMiTe started doing serious work on his lathe, I thought I'd better have a look at mine! Began the fun process of dismantling - I look forward to the day when only clean yellow oil comes off this machine, I am fed up with thick black sludge getting everywhere. I thought the saddle was a good place to start too, so off came the gearbox, leadscrew, changewheels... it's a real pain but a breeze compated to if you've done it before via guess-work.

Lovely and dirty. I sanded back that middle area after cleaning (doesn't touch the bed, isn't machined so don't worry I'm not destroying the ways), then painted it bright yellow

Still need to get those machined surfaces clean though - that will be a job for the scouring pads, kerosene and a rainy afternoon.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

and a rainy afternoon.

I understand NZ is very much like Scotland, so that'll be tomorrow then.

 

[Dieselman 63]

I understand NZ is very much like Scotland, so that'll be tomorrow then.

Sadly yes. It doesn't really get 'cold' cold here though, I always think it's like having two seasons, warm sunny and cool rainy.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Glad I inspired mate. Had a few months away from mine but finally found some mojo. And managed to solve my reassembly issues today too. Had to take a file to the threaded end of the tailstock slide. Someone had mushroomed the end slightly. A bit hard removing but no way was it going back in. Too tired to clock the obvious last night.

 

[Dieselman 63]

**PROBLEM TIME**

How the hell does the single spline shaft come out of the gearbox?

It will not pull out. Gentle taps with the wooden mallet won't free it which makes me think it's screwed in, but I can't find a screw! Undoing that bolt between the two bushes does absolutely nothing.

 

[Seadog]

Taper pin perhaps?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@Dieselkid 63 Post #5 here any help?

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...mk1-1600-screw-cutting-gearbox-repair-327848/

 

[Dieselman 63]

The thing is I just cannot see how it's secured. It definitely 'goes in' to the spindle, but I can't for the life of me work out how to get the gears out of the gearbox! I'm hoping for an owner/former owner of a Bantam to come along and reveal all...

 

[Dieselman 63]

@Dieselkid 63 Post #5 here any help?

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...mk1-1600-screw-cutting-gearbox-repair-327848/

That may help. I will check it out tomorrow.

Those roller bearings look expensive.

 

[Seadog]

There is a pin, as far as I can see, it's shown vertically in the cut-away gear just to the left of 'B'. It retains the shaft in the gear.

 

[Dieselman 63]

There is a pin, as far as I can see, it's shown vertically in the cut-away gear just to the left of 'B'. It retains the shaft in the gear.

Very helpful. Thank you!


View attachment 116068

 

[Dieselman 63]

I have been removing all the oil hole covers today, they are ball-bearing sprung. Most of them are shot, all of them have been incorrectly fed with grease. Instead of trying to prise them out, with a knife or flat blade screwdriver, I have found that tapping an easy-out in, then pulling them out works very well, and it's very fast.

Oil hole covers and oil sight glasses are two things I will need to buy new.

 

[Pete.]

The ball oilers are cheap, I got a bag of them off eBay 1/4" diameter. The only odd one on the Bantam is the cross-slide screw oiler, it's shorter than standard.