Member postings for Peter Simpson 3

My recently purchased Colchester Bantam came with a Newton Teslar VFD system all wired up.. The remote pendant control box has all the usual Stop / Start. FWD / REV. Run / Jog.. Every thing works except the Jog button. It works just like the run button. I would assume that a parameter in the inverter needs setting to allow the Jog to run only when the Start button is depressed. I have looked through the IMO manual burt not sure which parameter needs changing..

After many years of owning a Myford S7 I decided to purchase Colchester Bantam Mk1 to sit along side it. Initially I was concerned regarding the lack of a clutch. Those concerns have been abated. All I can say is what a solid, well engineered bit of engineering the Bantam is. Over the moon with it's quality. Good Old British kit., along with my Myford S7. Tom Senior mills and my Boxford Shaper. It's like going back into a 1960 Training workshop. I only wish bar stock was at 1960 levels.

My 1964 bantam 1600 has splines. The three holes take roll pins that line up with three holes in the adjoining large gear wheel.

I got my inverter up and running the other day. All works other than the Jog function When pushing the start button in Jog mode the lathe runs until the stop button is pressed. The jog function parameter is set to jog in the inverter but it does not "Jog".

Over the last couple of days I have been setting up my Bantam. I sorted the inverter out yesterday and today I have starting to take some light cuts. All ok, the one thing I have noticed is the finish even with screw cutting gear box at it's lowest feed rate the finish looks like very fine threads. On my Myford you swop one of the gears around to get to fine feeds. I'm I missing something on the Bantam ?

I would assume a 40 watt 24 volt lamp would give off the same illumination as a 40 watt 50 volt lamp. The current flow would be approx double, as these are AC voltages, ohms law is only approx.

My recent new Colchester lathe, came with the original low voltage lamp. Which is 50 Volt / 40 Watt, The lamp is very dim. I assume the transformer in the low voltage lamp unit will be 415 Volt to 50 Volt . As the primary voltage is now 240 Volt the secondary voltage will be approx 25 Volt. Would a 24 Volt lamp be suitable ?

My Bantam is fitted with a Newton Tesla inverter package. Not had it running yet, just wiring up as we speak. All controls will be through the Newton Tesla control interface.

I have just purchased a nice Colchester Bantam. Looking at several pictures of Bantams they show a third shaft running below the lead screw. On my Bantam there is a blanking plate where this shaft would be fitted. I have the original manual which came with the lathe, but the manual does not cove the operation of this shaft. What is it used for ?

I have just purchased a Colchester Bantam 1600 and sold a Boxford ME10. Both had to be moved from my garage to my workshop over a gravel garden path and up an 16" retaining wall. I took the boxford of it's makers cabinet and used a engine crane and a large flat bed bogey to get it moved. As I did not want to split the Bantam I purchased 3 sheets of 18mm OBS and got the help from the local greens keeper and his small tractor with a lift the Bantam up the 16" wall onto the OBS sheets. I fitted both lathes onto castors and the job went very well. The ME10 when to a new owner and the Bantam is installed into my workshop. Planning the job and getting materials prior to attempting the the move is essential.

Should put my specs on, before hitting the send key.

Vincent,

I will be putting my superb Boxford ME 10 for sale in the very near future. The actual lathe can be seen on Tony's lathes.co.uk It is the one with the very rare clutch and makers stand. It will come with a host of extras. A good quality British lathe that will not last a life time.

Jason, The down side is at the other end of the screw there is an internal thread to accept a 0.106" x 50 tpi screw. Looks like time and history has beaten me. The blue printed diagram was drawn in 1938. Once the very limited supply of screws have gone that it.

The thread is 0.180" x 50 TPI Whitworth, Finding a die to cut that should be interesting.

Jason,

Where did you the taps and dies are available ?

The parts are from an old Webley air rifle. They are close to metric fine but are not metric fine. They are possibly a Webley thread. I'm getting the gun shop to try their contacts for further info.

I have been tasked to make some small screws. I have been given a sample to work from. The thread appears to be 48 TPI with an outside diameter across the thread major diameter being 4.54 mm or 0.1785 inches. I cannot see a thread of these dimensions could anybody suggest what it could be.

Hi All,

I have just purchased a Colchester Bantam. The lathe is sitting on heavy duty castors at the moment. What are the views on lathes on castors ? Would the lathe be stable enough even with the castor brakes been on ?

Brilliant info. My shaper has been going the wrong way since I purchased it 6 years ago. I will swap a couple of motor connections and get it going the right way.

Looking at the motor pulley which direction is "normal" CW or CCW ? I will have a look to see if my Boxford has a direction arrow.