Elliott OMNISPEED lathe

[Smouser]

Don't mean to state the obvious, but if you paid attention to the words on the sign you wouldn't have put it in line with the chuck face

Used dodgy double sided tape. Fully expect it to fall off within the week

 

[Smouser]

A kind member of another forum from NZ sent me images of some scans of old Elliott machine brochures.

A couple about the OMNISPEED/OMNITURN/OMNITOOL lathes

Some other Elliott lathes are also in the brochure

@Brad93 here is the page about the Elliott TV2 mill

@God mode restorations here is the page about the Alba shaper

There is also a page about my Invicta 4M shaper

I have combined all the image files into a PDF. Unfortunately, it is too large to upload here. However, I will upload it shortly to Vintage Machinery's publication reprint Elliott section.

 

[God mode restorations]

A kind member of another forum from NZ sent me images of some scans of old Elliott machine brochures.

A couple about the OMNISPEED/OMNITURN/OMNITOOL lathes
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Some other Elliott lathes are also in the brochure

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@Brad93 here is the page about the Elliott TV2 mill

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@God mode restorations here is the page about the Alba shaper
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There is also a page about my Invicta 4M shaper

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I have combined all the image files into a PDF. Unfortunately, it is too large to upload here. However, I will upload it shortly to Vintage Machinery's publication reprint Elliott section.

Nice one thanks

 

[fizzy]

I really need an Elliott lathe to go with my Elliot drills, shaper and milling machine

 

[Smouser]

I really need an Elliott lathe to go with my Elliot drills, shaper and milling machine

Never has a truer word been spoken.

While you are at it, what about a hydraulic planer?

or a power punching and shearing machine?

Once you have those, why stop there?

Get the Surface Grinder and the tool and cutter grinder too!

You know it makes sense. You have got the space, I see no problem.

 

[Martin Hocking]

Nice one @Smouser great scans. I don’t suppose there’s a date on any of them is there?

 

[Smouser]

Nice one @Smouser great scans. I don’t suppose there’s a date on any of them is there?

It is a mixture of brochures. 3 different brochures. The guy who sent me the files said he believes the first one is dated 6/60.

It might just be a random number too

It is definitely the oldest out out of the lot as it contains the Alba and Invicta brands which later fell away and just became Elliott.

Cover page of the first brochure

Cover page of the 'newest' brochure

 

[Martin Hocking]

Thanks again smouser. Trying to date Elliott stuff has always seemed a bit tricky to me.

I would also think the 6/60 would be a date. From others I’ve caught a glimpse of like the one above that’s the assumption I’ve made but I couldn’t be sure.

Unlike other things like vehicles for example there doesn’t seem to be a rhythm to when new machines come out the catalogues seem to come out every month. You’d think there’d be a new machine season at the start of the tax year…

 

[Agroshield]

Trying to date Elliott stuff has always seemed a bit tricky to me.

In those days, there were frequent trade shows and also regular trade publications. If you can find some of those publications, they will be dated and will report on the shows. Grace's Guide will probably have some examples of the publications. The Internet Archive and Google Books are also good sources.

This is just a for instance, when I was looking for info. on a Haltrac hoist:

CRANES AND HOISTS | 7th March 1969 | The Commercial Motor Archive

'CRANES AND HOISTS' first printed in the 7th March 1969 issue of Commercial Motor

archive.commercialmotor.com

 

[fizzy]

Never has a truer word been spoken.

While you are at it, what about a hydraulic planer?

View attachment 435047

or a power punching and shearing machine?

View attachment 435048

Once you have those, why stop there?

Get the Surface Grinder and the tool and cutter grinder too!

View attachment 435049

You know it makes sense. You have got the space, I see no problem.

Whoops!
I actually forgot I already have an Elliott surface grinder as well

 

[Smouser]

The brochure is now live and can be downloaded from here.

 

[God mode restorations]

I really need an Elliott lathe to go with my Elliot drills, shaper and milling machine

Fizzy. Ya just want to much stuff

 

[fizzy]

Fizzy. Ya just want to much stuff

Indeed so but no room to swing a mouse now so big stuff will have to wait sadly.
I certainly don't need 4 surface grinders. Will sell 2 and perhaps get a cylindrical grinder.
Need to dispose of a lathe or 2 as well but no time to fettle them.

 

[Smouser]

Fizzy. Ya just want to much stuff

Look who is talking!!

I heard your whole property has sunk slightly with all that iron you have on it, in it and around it

 

[God mode restorations]

Look who is talking!!

I heard your whole property has sunk slightly with all that iron you have on it, in it and around it

I did wonder why the ground levels here are all over the place

 

[Smouser]

It appears I fed you all duff information yesterday

The Elliott combined brochure I posted only contained two brochures and not three like I said it did.

I got sent the third Elliott brochure this morning in image files and once again combined them into a PDF file.

It can be downloaded from here.

A few random pages from it:

I guess this is also an older brochure because the surface grinders have not yet been rebranded as Elliott only and they are still listed as Excel grinders.

 

[fizzy]

It appears I fed you all duff information yesterday

The Elliott combined brochure I posted only contained two brochures and not three like I said it did.

I got sent the third Elliott brochure this morning in image files and once again combined them into a PDF file.

It can be downloaded from here.

A few random pages from it:

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I guess this is also an older brochure because the surface grinders have not yet been rebranded as Elliott only and they are still listed as Excel grinders.

I have the Excel no3 grinder. No mention anywhere of my Sturdimill though - maybe they came out a bit later?

 

[Smouser]

Back to my Omnispeed lathe.

After @Pawcu installed his DRO and scales on his Omnispeed, I felt I was missing out.
I bought the same Sino scale as @Pawcu for the X-axis and I got a Sino DRO on the Aliexpress 11.11 sale.
For the Z-axis (450mm), I just got a scale from eBay.

I mounted the X-axis scale similar to @Pawcu. However, I modified the scale guard to also fit on the lathe.

I then sized up some aluminium plate from my random bits of mystery metals which could be attached to the head of the scale.

A perfect chance to use the Elliott TV2 mill.
The last time/first time I milled aluminium I broke an 'expensive' carbide milling bit by inexperience and letting it 'gum up'.
This time, I was not taking chances. I chose a big roughing HSS milling bit for the job.

Bracket installed

One foreseeable problem is that I could 'crash' the scale and bracket into the tailstock if I am not careful/forget.

The bracket extends over the scale's read head ever so slightly so in theory, it should give a little protection to the read head of the scale.

However, I think I will install a rubber bump stop on the tailstock in the near future.

Something similar to this.

here

Next up was the Z-Axis install.
I drilled two holes to secure the scale and then used a DTI to ensure it was level.

To be continued

 

[Smouser]

I installed the guard over the scale and the Z-axis was done too.

The DRO did not come with a mount/arm thingy.
To save time I just blindly bought a DRO mount/arm without paying too much attention to the size of the thing.

When it arrived, it was much smaller than what I had in mind.

I required a longer arm for the DRO.

I rummaged through my mystery metal but could not find a suitable piece of box section. I did find a piece of aluminium in my aluminium drawer which I could make work.

On this photo, I have already made the cut but this is what it looked like.

To cut the aluminium I used an evolution saw that has not been used in ages.

It clearly states 'Cut Steel, Aluminium and wood'.
However, the blade gummed up a few times. A couple of times so badly that it stopped the saw

I had to use needle nose pliers to clear the aluminium from the circled sections on the blade.

I made my mind up, I don't like working with aluminium.
I can't cut it, I can't mill it and I can't weld it

Anyway, I used the roughing milling cutter again to clean the cut up on the new arm.

Not only was the arm part too short of the bought DRO mount, but the 'shaft' part was also.
I used some M12 threaded rod I had and some stainless steel pipe to make a longer shaft.

All done!

All I had to do was to plug the scales in and test my new setup.

 

[Agroshield]

1. To cut the aluminium I used an evolution saw that has not been used in ages.

2. Not only was the arm part too short of the bought DRO mount, but the 'shaft' part was also.

1. Just for the future, I think it would do well with a new, clean blade that is only used on aluminium, lubricated with some candle wax.

2. Trigger's brush.