Colchester student lathe

[God mode restorations]

Made a start on cleaning up the lathe bed..done one side and will do other side tomorrow.

 

[God mode restorations]

Hi guys.
Been doing a bit today. Cleaned the lathe bed as best as I could. I noticed a little movement in the rack. So it was taken off and given a good clean and sorting. Just as well as it was full of crud...the movement in the rack was down to loose fixings...

 

[God mode restorations]

I noticed a missing locating pin . So am thinking a cut down roll pin. I have metric but not imperial. So just ordered a box set..

 

[Hood]

Personally I would be using a dowel rather than a roll pin.
Even a bit of an imperial drill shank would be preferable in my opinion.

 

[Maker]

I'd machine a new pin on the new ML1.

 

[God mode restorations]

Good point guys...

 

[Richard.]

Good point guys...

As per my offer earlier if you want a single dowel making mate it no problem.

 

[Richard.]

You could do a proper job of it and thread the rack and make a couple of part threaded dowels.

 

[MattF]

You could do a proper job of it and thread the rack and make a couple of part threaded dowels.

They're only for location, so doing that is creating work for no benefit.

 

[Hood]

You could do a proper job of it and thread the rack and make a couple of part threaded dowels.

Not something I would do. A dowel is a location and the two parts are most often drilled/reamed when in position. If you tap one side then there is a chance your tapping may be off slightly thus throwing the pin out of true. Also turning the end of a threaded section of rod could again give you small errors.
In something like this then it may not matter but a dowel is the method that was used and personally I think it is still the method to use.
If the holes are enlarged or out of shape so that a dowel no longer does its job then it should really be reamed for the next size dowel.

 

[Richard.]

They're only for location, so doing that is creating work for no benefit.

Not something I would do. A dowel is a location and the two parts are most often drilled/reamed when in position. If you tap one side then there is a chance your tapping may be off slightly thus throwing the pin out of true. Also turning the end of a threaded section of rod could again give you small errors.
In something like this then it may not matter but a dowel is the method that was used and personally I think it is still the method to use.
If the holes are enlarged or out of shape so that a dowel no longer does its job then it should really be reamed for the next size dowel.

Fair enough guys. You know more about these things than I do mate.

 

[God mode restorations]

A nightmare has just unfolded guys. I noticed an oil leak on the headstock. Traced it and found it coming from one of the leavers.. removed the leaver and this is what I found...

 

[God mode restorations]

My day gone bad to worse...despite my finding of a pourous headstock. After closer inspection I found a host of bolts lying in the bottom of the headstock. And some totally naffed gears.

 

[Hood]

Not so good on the gears, looks like some dipwad has been changing gears when in motion
They may still be ok to use though, just have to try and see.

Regarding the lever, not 100% sure what I am looking at but if it is just the casting is porous then it should be possible to give it a good clean and use some sort of plastic metal to fill it I would think.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

 

[God mode restorations]

Not so good on the gears, looks like some dipwad has been changing gears when in motion
They may still be ok to use though, just have to try and see.

Regarding the lever, not 100% sure what I am looking at but if it is just the casting is porous then it should be possible to give it a good clean and use some sort of plastic metal to fill it I would think.

Yes it's the case that is pourous. I drained the oil out. And you can see pit marks inside. I could strip out the box and try seal it with something. Its under no preasure so should be ok. As for the gears i will have to replace that part as its fractured in a few places.

 

[Maker]

The teeth all look fine, I wouldn't worry too much about the gears.

 

[God mode restorations]

Its all sent to try us. But i now more determined to fix it if it sits me on my ass lol

 

[God mode restorations]

The teeth all look fine, I wouldn't worry too much about the gears.

Its fractured in a few places...

 

[Dieselman 63]

Colchester used roll pins as locator pins. The only thing is they're a pain to get out. I prefer the threaded counterbored pins, harder to make but can be both pushed and pulled far more easily when coated in dried oil.

And headstock damage well, hate to say it but did you not drain the headstock when pre-purchase inspecting? I would tidy it up and sell it, they're common enough, and generally mishandling like that points to more clumsy use imo.