Member postings for Daedalus

Thanks all for your comments.

I will be replacing an old Colchester roundhead Triumph, I've quite a bit of 25 x 25mm tooling for it that I want to keep hold of, hence looking at larger machines. In the 30 odd years I have had it I have only used the spindle bore of 2" a couple of times, but I really needed it then and I know I would need it if I bought a machine with a smaller spindle. So bigger it is then.

I have had quotes for the Optima and Knuth machines and really the increase in price over an equivalent Chester, (Warco no longer list the size I want, supply issues I suppose) really make them none starters. A couple of people have mentioned getting a milling machine with an (ISO) 40 taper and I had come to that conclusion myself. For some reason and I don't know why, I really dislike R8 tapers, I suppose it's to do with the number of rubbish Bridgeports I came across in various maintenance workshops.

With regards to the cost of the additional bits and bobs, the dividing head, rotary table etc, etc are sort of budgeted for, the lathe and mill will take just over half of it. I suppose I will be looking at tool and cutter grinders as well and a collet chuck for which ever machines I go with. I have loads of cutters and collets for the current Mill/Drill (Chester Super Lux) I have now, which I got 2nd hand from a guys workshop who'd passed away. I'm probably going to keep it and CNC it as a project, as its in good nick apart from 4 apprentice drilling marks, but it's too small really.

If anyone can recommend a decent tool grinder, rotary table and dividing head I'd appreciate it. As I have 3 phase I'm not limited on what I can get in that respect. I built the workshop (garage as the wife insists on calling it) 30 years ago, its about 7 x 7 mts, but I put a pit in it so loose about 4 sq mts of that. I'm thinking that as I no longer service my own cars I will fill it in. I then have the advantage of the 2 ton runway beam that's over it being useful for positioning the lathe and mill and for lifting off chucks, rotary tables etc.

The shed will be the problem when we downsize, but I'm not going to let that worry me yet. It will have to be built to fit what I've got, just need that welding table as well;-}

Edited By Daedalus on 23/10/2022 13:57:07

I'm looking to buy some new machines as a retirement present to myself. I'm in the very fortunate position of having a budget of £10K each for the mill and lathe and have been looking at various machine suppliers. You are a very knowledgeable lot on the forum and was wondering what people thought of the Chester Machine Tools kit. Not the hobby stuff, looking at smaller industrial.

Thanks, Deadalus.

All,

thanks for your various suggestions and observations. I picked one up from RGD yesterday for £85.00 and its fitted and working well. Its a bit longer than the original at 600mm not 570mm, but it fits the machine fine.

I'll check up on some of the other ideas such as CBR and Amadeal, for future reference.

Hi all,

the X axis on my mill has failed, it just shows/flashes between 0 and 5 very rapidly on the right hand digit. I changed over the X/Y axis on the back of the DRO and the problem moved to the Y axis display. So looks like the X axis glass scale. I have checked the glass and its not broken The unit is a Sino SDS6-2V DRO with Sino KA-300 570mm glass scale.

I have tried the usual suspects to no avail. Machine-DRO have something that would suit but I don't want to pay that much for it. They are on EBay at $90.00 from the States, but I'd rather have someone local even if they are a little more expensive, but not £180 expensive.

Does anyone know where I can get a new optical scale with a TTL output that would suit? Or has anyone had a similar problem who has managed to solve it/repair the reader?

TIA,

Daedalus

NDIY,

Everything else measurement wise that I have is either Mitutoyo, Moore and Wright or Starrett.

However as retirement is here shortly, with the economies a pension will bring I am being a little more careful with the cash. Apart from which I will be selling my lathe, a round head Colchester Triumph for something more modern and smaller. So if I can get away with saving some money that can go to a decent new lathe and milling machine probably around the 10-12K each mark, then I will. As we will be downsizing, I am pretty well positive that I won't find a house with the 3 phase I put in here 30 years ago. So will probably be selling off a pedestal grinder and Fobco pillar drill as well, undecided if I should get rid of the mill/drill as I rather like it.

Reporting back is not just dependent upon the Dasqua stuff being good or bad, first impresions are positive. It depends on a whole lot of other stuff going on as above.

So if anyone wants a roundhead Triumph with a really good not abused and little used Pratt 3 jaw chuck (over £1000 now for the chuck) for £1,200 please leave a reply in the thread.

mgnbuk, Nigel B

Be wary of buying Mitutoyo stuff online - a lot of fakes about, apparently, so buy from a reputable outlet. If you are close to RDG & Cutwel you are also close to Mitutoyo (Elland), but I don't know if they retail small items from that site - the works CNC CMM came from there, but that cost a bit more than a micrometer !

I popped up to the Mitutoyo office in Elland this morning to see if they had a trade counter; they don't. It is a show room for the bigger metrology stuff they do and a training centre for those customers who have forked out the £10'sK for said kit.

I ended up back at RGD, they are very helpful and I came away almost £400 lighter having picked up a 400 square granite surface plate, digital height gauge, 75 to 100mm micrometer and a long travel dial gauge, all Dasqua. I will report back depending on how things go.

Well everyone who uses the Dasqua kit seems to be happy with it, so I think that's what I will go with.

Can anyone point me in the direction of the edit button for a post? I realised that I had said the Cutwell measuring kit was called Insight, when it is actually INSIZE, apologies for the error.

Nigel B, yes Mitutoyo are closer to me in North Huddersfield than either Cutwel or RDG, I'd always thought that it was just a warehouse on the Elland Ind Est. I will have to go and have a nosey around tomorrow. Thanks for pointing me in that direction.

Daedalus.

I'm starting to re-equip the workshop (for some reason the wife calls it the garage) and popped over to RDG Tools were they do a line in Dasqua measuring tools. I had never heard of them before, Italian Co. but no doubt made in China. I have always used Moore & Wright or Mitutoyo with the odd Starrett thrown in so am unsure about kit that has a very reasonable price tag. Cutwell are also close to me and they do a range called Insight. Again does anyone know what they are like and how they may compare together. I am retiring soon and some of the lump sum will going towards a new lathe, milling machine and measuring equipment, I'm hoping it will last me out, before it goes one of my sons.

Thanks in advance,

Daedalus.