Member postings for Lathejack

Hello Frank.

Thanks very much for the offer, I have sent you a PM.

I can't think why, but i recently rescued this old 1956 vintage Atco mower, i must have just felt sorry for it. The broken cylinder top fin was repaired using a piece of 3mm mild steel I shaped and Tig welded in place.

A busy day today. I managed to find a bit of spare time in the workshop so I finished off these two pistons for the Red Wing engine.

The one with two piston ring grooves is the earlier type shown on my drawings from LA Services. The piston with three grooves is the type from the later revised drawings. This later type has two piston rings and one rubber O ring to help retain oil in the cylinder.

Finished the day off by doing some work on the land with my classic 1970 MF135 tractor, almost 45 years old and still working perfectly.

What am I doing today? No time to spare in the workshop as I have got to take the other half to the Burghley Horse Trials for the week.....Sigh!!

Hello Thor.

It is usually Sod's law that as soon as I buy something that has remained unchanged for years, the next batch will have an upgrade at little extra cost, if any.

When the 280 lathe first appeared on the UK market, I think it was Warco that first offered it, it did not have any power feeds other than engaging the leadscrew thread for longitudinal feeds as well as screw cutting. Chesters version, the DB11, remains like this and is getting a bit old hat. When the 280 appeared with a separate feedshaft for power cross and longitudinal feeds it didn't cost that much more than the earlier model.

Earlier this year I was all set to visit SPG to buy their Camlock 290, as a second lathe, well third really! But at the last moment they emailed me to say that the factory had made an error with the last batch and sent machines without the Camlock, just the plain flange type instead, so I abandoned the purchase of one.

I contacted them recently and the Camlock version will be back next year, in time for the Harrogate show, so I might try again.

As for future changes to the 290, well I know they claim to have high torque throughout the speed range, but if they could just squeeze in a back gear, and a gearbox with more than three feed rates...and...and.

I have a Warco 1330 gear head lathe that has a spindle brake mounted on the headstock input shaft pulley which, as Russell says, is where they are usually fitted on these Chinese lathes.

It's a very neat installation that works very well, but it does put a strain on the headstock internals when used from high speed. I think they are really intended for emergency use only, rather than repeated use during turning.

I have only used mine twice in ten years from new, and found it was not correctly set up when delivered, so that it didn't turn off the motor power before stopping the spindle, despite being ticked off as working correctly on the lathes test flow chart. So as well as nearly cooking the motor it also nearly ripped my hands off as the spindle restarted when the brake peddle was released, ouch!!

So mine is reserved only for emergencies. Some of the geared head lathes on offer from the Far East up to 13 inch swing such as my Warco 1330, plus some of the 14 inch models, have relatively light duty headstock internals that use shafts with single keyways rather than multiple splines.

I have seen an example of a 14 inch Chinese lathe with the same headstock internals as mine that had destroyed the headstock shafts and gears from repeated use of the spindle brake with a heavy work piece in the chuck, although the operator was probably over doing it a bit. The keyways and shafts tend to twist a little due to the inertia loads, sending everything out of line, leading to self destruction. But this was a rather extreme case.

Edited By Lathejack on 30/08/2014 09:45:02

I had a good look at Warco's new 290VF lathe at this years Harrogate show, and as well as having an upgraded inverter drive and motor, it also had one other desirable improvement over the previous model and the 280 that is not mentioned in their brochure.The new version on show had a quick change headstock spindle flange, or rather semi quick change is a more accurate description.

On this new spindle flange the nuts securing the chucks, or whatever, only need to be slackened then a knurled collar turned slightly to release the chuck complete with drive pins and nuts. It's the same system used on some German lathes such as Weiler and Prazimat, and a few 10 inch swing Chinese lathes such as the Sieg C6 and Chesters new DB 10 Super.

This is a lot better than the somewhat tiresome plain spindle flanges found on a lot of lathes these days that require the securing nuts or bolts to be completely removed. The much bigger spindle bore of the 290 lathe also means that it may have larger spindle bearings than the 280 in order to accommodate the increased spindle diameter.

Thor mentioned that he wished he had a Camlock spindle on his 290 lathe, well there is one version of the 290 lathe available that is fitted with a Camlock spindle that was also on display at this years harrogate show. This is the SP 2129 lathe which was being offered by SPG Tools in Hinckley. This also has the large 38mm spindle bore and has a much heftier tailstock with a larger diameter quill, but again their advert for it makes no mention of the Camlock spindle.

The SPG version doesn't have the DRO system or the upgraded electrics but it is around £1000 lower in price, which leaves plenty of room for upgrading it later oneself if required.

Toolco and Amadeal also offer versions of the 280 & 290 lathes. The detail spec and included accessories can vary between suppliers.

The design of the Chinese made 280 & 290 lathes is based on the German made Wabeco D6000 lathe, with the same heavy build and large, wide guideways on the bed. But the Chinese versions are also a bit more sophisticated with powered cross and longitudinal feeds from a separate feedshaft, and simple quick change gearboxes.

I have no connection to any of the companies mentioned, other than that of a customer.

Edited By Lathejack on 29/08/2014 23:53:40

Edited By Lathejack on 29/08/2014 23:56:46

I have been using it for over twenty years, the brown liquid that is easy to apply, particularly in small quantities on small parts, and it's called Stag Wellseal on the packaging, whether a tin or a tube.

Blue Hylomar is completely different, being a thicker paste or jell and is ok for larger joints and can fill and seal gaps to some extent on warped or damaged faces, but I think Stag Wellseal is more suitable for Tony's small engine.

Incidently, Wellseal was also developed by Rolls Royce.

Edited By Lathejack on 24/08/2014 02:06:14

Hello Tony.

I would recommend Stags Wellseal Jointing Compound, I have used this for years on full size as well as model engines.

Wellseal is a liquid sealant that is applied with a small brush or spatular and is ready for assembly any time after it has gone tacky, it never hardens or dries out, so dismantling is always possible and it can withstand up to 200 Deg C.

Because it is a relatively thin liquid type sealant, rather than the thicker paste or silicone rubber type sealants, you don't get lumps of it squeezing out of the joint.

It isn't a gap filler, so it won't seal badly warped or damaged mating faces, but it is perfect for metal to metal joints where no gaskets are specified and is excellent for the small delicate parts of a model engine.

Thanks very much for the invite to visit you Mike, I would very much like to take you up on that, and not just for the tea, biscuits and possibly cake, honest. Unfortunately my partner Ruth is quite ill with MS so I am unable to visit Arc or yourself for at least a month or two, but if your offer is still open around that time I could contact you then, i live in Nottinghamshire.

Unfortunately the bundle offer that Arc has ends in a day or two so I will miss out on those desirable extras if I wait to buy the mill when I am able to visit them.

I have seen the X3 mill in the flesh many times over the years at the exhibitions, and done plenty of fiddling with it. But I just can't get past those rather puny looking Y axis guideways that could have so easily have been made a little wider and certainly longer.

However, apart from Arcs video i have never seen one running, or seen one that has been used regularly in someone's workshop, so a visit to you would be most interesting and enjoyable (cake).

I have been using British machinery in industry for almost 35 years now, as well as repairing, restoring and owning them in that time, but I still have a respect and liking for some Far Eastern machinery, despite past experiences.

Edited By Lathejack on 18/08/2014 13:42:13

Thanks for the info Mike and Neil. I'm still tying to make my mind up, although I have already cleared a space ready for one.

I have been very keen to visit Arc for a long time, I would have liked to combine a visit with a possible purchase plus tea and biscuits but I have been unable to get away from home for any length of time.

Oh dear, I do hope Warco's absence is not a taste of things to come. Despite a rather disastrous experience In the past I had with them and two of their 1330 lathes, engineering exhibitions with no more Warco is unthinkable.

They have always had a substantial display of tooling and light and heavy machinery, and it must be a major effort to transport it all to most of the various shows, for which they deserve a lot of credit for making the effort.

Along with the cost of their stand plus staff and accommodation, we are lucky that they and others bother making the effort at all.

Hi Mick.

I agree, it really is a great show. I have only been going since 2012, but even in that years dreadful flooded out summer the weather during the show was perfect.

I plan on visiting on both days, but as my parter Ruth is disabled with MS it is almost impossible for me to go anywhere, but I will try my best.

Thanks JasonB for a straightforward and informative answer.

I have noticed that the saddle casting is extended a little at the back which should help.

Hello.

For the last 16 years I have owned a VMC milling machine, but for a while now I have been planning to buy a new smaller bench top mill and it's the Super X3 that I want. The VMC isn't going anywhere as it is still needed and has always worked well despite its rather ropey build in places, it is an earlier and more expensive Taiwanese made version from the late 1990's.

The X3 mills work very well and I like everything about them except for just one small area that I have always found very irritating. The Y axis guideways that are machined onto the base casting look quite feeble, even for a machine of this size, they are also quite short so that as soon as the table is moved along the Y axis the dovetails are coming out of engagement.

So I was wondering if any users of this machine out there have had any slight problems in that area, do the gibs need regular adjustment or does the table dance about a bit when machining towards the extreme ends of the Y axis travel?

I know it's just a light hobby use machine, but it is still a fact that the guides are on the small side. Other similar sized and even some smaller milling machines on offer have larger and longer guides that stay in full contact over the full travel, the X3 guides are a little unusual in this respect.

I have seen Arc's video of the machine. They also have a special offer on at the moment with the Super X3, but I need to make my mind up quick to take advantage of it, or wait and buy it later and settle for tea and biscuits if I visit them. You do get biscuits don't you?

I used this radial arm drill at work to mill flat the convex mounting face for the cylinder block on this full size Aveling & Porter steam roller boiler. It was then finished off by sanding while still mounted on the drill

Our company bought a new Colchester Triumph 2500 variable speed lathe with 1500 between centres around five or six years ago. This is just a rebadged modern Harrison design and is made in China with a bit of work done in the UK.

It's not made to the same standard as the original Colchester machines and has some grubby detailing typically found on some budget Chinese machines. It arrived with a slightly misaligned bed gap piece, a few screws missing and the odd few bottomed out before they were tight. The plain bushes supporting the gearbox input shaft wore out prematurely, and just recently a very small selector fork in the gearbox broke and the headstock started lifting off the bed by a couple of millimetres after the rather small securing bolts came loose.

After the tiny bronze gear selector fork for the leadscrew and feedshaft reverse mechanism failed early on, the headstock cover was removed to check the internal condition. It was as clean as a whistle with no swarf or foundry sand inside, but a magnetic probe dipped inside pulled out an M6 cap screw and a 30mm diameter washer. The correct location for these inside the headstock was already occupied by identical items, so the fitter must have dropped them inside and simply fitted some more instead of fishing them out.

It is not used as a production machine but gets regular light to medium use. It does however, machine superbly and is as solid as a rock with an extremely hard bed. I cannot recall at the moment how much it cost, I will have to check.

The geared head lathes that have long been supplied by Boxford are unique to them and do not seem to be offered by anyone else, so maybe Boxford do make them, somewhere.

Some of the lathes offered by BSA Machine tools are quite good Far Eastern copies of the original Colchester lathe design from the 1970's, such as the Student 1800 and the larger models.

Edited By Lathejack on 03/08/2014 22:28:51

Edited By Lathejack on 03/08/2014 22:34:13

Around 17 years ago I bought a new Record 5 inch drill vice from a local shop. It came impressively packaged in a moulded polystyrene case with an image on the box proudly illustrating the guaranteed clamping force possible between the jaws.

At first glance the vice looked good with superb accurate castings. But the vice did not have any machined surfaces anywhere other than the underside of the base, it was just left as cast and nicely painted all over.

There were no hardened jaw plates fitted to the unmachined jaws, the guideways for the moving jaw were not machined and underneath the guides for the moving jaw keep plate were also not machined. There wasn't even a keep plate fitted to stop the jaw lifting, but the keep plate mounting hole positions were marked on the jaw but not drilled or tapped.

The handle had not been knurled and no tee bar was supplied, so it couldn't even be tightened. When I did try to use it the sliding jaw just lifted by a mile, so the vice was just about next to useless.

Record must have been trying to keep the price competitive with all the cheaper imports.

A few years ago I bought a Soba drill vice, sometimes badged as Neal, the Soba was a similar price to the Record but is far better. It has hardened jaw plates and wide ground slideways for the long moving jaw and keep plate, and has a tee bar fitted so it can actually be used, it works extremely well. Even the jaw feedscrew is better than the one on the Record vice.

I still have the Record vice and have machined all the nessesary areas to make it usable. Although as supplied it was a big disappointment for a product that at the time was still made in Sheffield.

Edited By Lathejack on 27/07/2014 11:37:06

Hello Nobby.

Your shorter bench top drill with the milling table on the drill base casting looks more suitable for milling. My Elliot Progress is a taller floor standing type, so I had to mount my milling table on the drill table. I bought exactly the same milling table as the one you have modified, I got it from Axminster Tools almost twenty years ago, I think it was called the CT1, Home And Workshop Machinery sell them now.

I used a 2MT milling chuck, for threaded cutters, from Modeloy, remember them? With a simple but effective mod to the milling chuck and drill spindle to keep it in place.

I only experimented and used it briefly all those years ago, as once I restocked my workshop with more machinery it was returned to just a drill, the milling table is still under the bench somewhere.

You seem to have the whole thing well sorted, and it obviously works very well.

All the best.

Hello Thomas.

The one you were looking at on Ebay is just a common Far Eastern mill drill, still available today in various forms with geared or belt change heads. They work well as a drill, some have quite a long quill stroke which is usefull.

As a milling machine they also work well, but the main criticism is the loss of the head position when raising or lowering the head on some of the types that have a round column. The type with a dovetail column do not have that problem.

If you don't have room in your workshop for a separate mill and drill then these machines are a solution. Just be extra carefully when drilling on the mill that you don't run the drill into the nice tee slotted table.

Although the low cost mill drills from the Far East have had their fair share of criticism over the years, they work quite well and have given plenty of people the opportunity to own a milling machine who otherwise could not. As a second hand buy they can sometimes be a bit of a bargain.

All the best.

Edited By Lathejack on 22/07/2014 16:27:26

Edited By Lathejack on 22/07/2014 16:29:46