CovMac Lathes

The covmac LIVES! Got it finished Friday afternoon. As an added bonus, everything works, ran through all the feeds and speeds, and it's all good. Did a meticulous clean of the three jaw backplate thread, oiled up the nose thread, and fitted it. Interuptions notwithstanding, on Monday I will be finding a suitable pump from my collection, for the coolant system, and looking at making the missing hinge block for the plinth door, and then it will be truly finished, and fully usable. I will combine the pump search with a tidy up and general sort out of my "stores" which contains quite a large quantity of stuff which will be bound for the scrapyard, which gives me a chance to go poaching for materials! Hope this link works! https://youtu.be/bYIWqdY8FmQ

Edited By Phil Whitley on 15/09/2019 12:28:06

Edited By Phil Whitley on 15/09/2019 12:39:16

Phil,

Congratulations! I am very pleased to hear this, and will watch your You Tube video

Best

Chris

Well done Phil.

I don't like to be critical, but was there an element of variable speed running in the higher speed you demonstrated?

Next test of course is to make some swarf.

Best wishes Woody

yes Brian, very keenly observed! it was a bit variable in the higher (lol) speeds, and I had noticed that the lathe was harder to turn manually than I would have expected, when turning the input pulley, so I need to check the clutch, and check the freeness of the headstock. I took the cap off the headstock to observe the oil splash, and got a rather closer view of the oil splashing than I would have prefered! After I had cleaned it off the wall and me, I drew the conclusion that the oil was somewhat sticky, and may be part polymerised, so a good warm up and oil change is on the cards. I think from checking lathes site that the headstock is all bushes apart from a ball thrust bearing, and it gives me an excuse (as if I really needed one) to take the top off the headstock and have a look. I found all manner of spare parts in the bottom of the Colchester headstock and once I am happy with the Covmac, I will be stripping the colchester headstock (which I think is noisier than even a Colchester headstock should be, and has had the  bearing adjustment nuts "messed with") with a view to changing some bearings, including the main spindle bearings, which I was lucky enough to get an immaculate set of for reasonable money, and if I need any bushes or spacers making for extracting the bearings, I can make them on the Covmac. Onward and upward!

Edited By Phil Whitley on 16/09/2019 10:25:59

Edited By Phil Whitley on 16/09/2019 10:26:42

Edited By Phil Whitley on 16/09/2019 10:27:34

First Covmac swarf! finally found half an hour at 4-30 yesterday to put a tool in the covmac and do some turning to asses the lathe. turns really well, no chatter, no play on bearings, excellent finish and a surprisingly concentric 3 jaw chuck. the lathe is still hunting a bit on speed, but the oil is so gluey I am not really surprised. I also found that I had got the toolholder from the original pics and used that for its return to use excercise. I was rushing, and the tool was good, but not brilliantly sharp, i had touched it up on a diamond plate and went with it!

original tool holder

and some new swarf!

Just found this link......

**LINK**

I make this approximately 7 left of both models

Interesting John, although this one looks to have been modified for some particular purpose, note the big pulley in the quick change box. That is the 13" geared head model, like mine!

Phil

Hi everyone, new to the site and live in Australia. I have read on a covmac thread that these lathes are rare and that their is only one in Australia. I just bought one, so I am thinking there must be two. Unfortunately my new (old) lathe is missing the gear cage door, the screw in cap on the headstock and the jaws from the four jaw??? Does anyone know if these parts are available in England - in any condition? It would 've so good to be able to have the lathe complete.

To search for the jaws for your 4 jaw chuck, you need to know the make of chuck, and its size (ideally the maker's number) .

Then, you can either appeal on here, or Google, and possible sources may become known.

Howard

Thank you Howard, I thought it may have been original from covmac, Good to know I may still have a chance

I have several sets of 4-jaw chuck jaws. No idea what they fit as they came in a bag with a load of others,

Measure your screw pitch, jaw width and slot width Thomas and I'll see if any of mine are close.

Hi all, this is a very informative post with some great detail explained throughout, with little information available on these machines, this is a great resource.

I’m not sure if this officially counts, but I too have a what I believe is a Covmac 13” geared head Lathe, it’s just branded SELSON on the end of the bed (does that make it a COVMAC or SELSON). I have only had my machine a couple of months and don’t know any of its history and I am also located in Australia.

Mine matches pretty much exactly the picture shown on Tony’s website with the matching legs left and right, however there are a couple of components missing. Mine is not equipped (or no longer equipped) with the clutch and overhead bar and the gear cover has been replaced with a very crude cover, I assume it’s been damaged over time.

Another item of note, compared to the pictures throughout this post, mine does not have the hole through the bed below the spindle for lifting.

It only has a few minor modifications, a tool and junk holding bench and quick-change tool post that I have added and more interestingly a fully plumbed oiling system, operated by a small pump at the back of the headstock. It is also missing the thread dial and what I assume is a swarf protecting cover on the left of the carriage.

For its age, it is in excellent condition, with no detectable slop in any of the bearings or slides.