New Chester Craftsman or Colchester Master Mk1.5

One thing to be careful of, after reading all the (entirely justified) warnings above about old lathes, is assuming that there is some fault with the machine if it doesn't do what you're expecting. Not turning parallel is probably number one for this. It may be that the bed is worn, but it may also be lack of experience on the operator's part. I certainly spent much time fooling around making test bars and the like before realising the machine was fine, it was me not appreciating how the workpiece can deflect under load, etc.

So, read books (I'd second getting Sparey), and also check out some of the stuff on YouTube - there is of course much nonsense there, but also genuinely useful advice from real experts. Joe Pie's channel is particularly good.

I 100% totally agree with you, the issues are more than likely going to lay with me rather than the lathe or tooling.

I will have a look in to the Sparey book and will likely get hold of a copy. I consume a very large amount of Youtube machining content so I do feel somewhat prepared for what lies ahead. That said I would love some in person guidance, there is only so much I can pick up from books and videos.

I have not been able to find any local part time or evening courses (they are all full time or apprenticeships in the Bristol area) and I have only asked The Bristol and machinists Reddits if there is anybody local that could offer tuition/mentoring (nothing came of that). I may well make a separate thread on ME asking if there are any local mentors available and willing. I've got lots of small projects lined up to cut my teeth on so I can learn that way but as they say;

Smart people learn from their mistakes, even smarter people learn from other people's mistakes.

That is a phrase I live by. I am not afraid to ask questions and seek answers before I go and do something. I don't like operating blind without knowing. There is always somebody before me that has done what I am/will be trying to do.

Edited By Rooossone on 15/06/2023 10:42:38

Rooossone, have you considered this book? Lathework for beginner's much more up to date than Sparey's one.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 15/06/2023 12:35:34

Why does the Chester Craftsman not list a faceplate in the accessories?

When I bought my Crusader deluxe I had to ask for the faceplate. Didn't cost any more, but I had to ask.

I did wonder if they omitted it because the spring covers on the leadscrew stopped the saddle over 4" shy of the end of the bed. The faceplate wasn't exactly reachable until I removed said spring thing.

All jolly good fun

I have no answers for you I'm afraid.

And Nicholas, I will consider getting that book though it is somewhat more expensive.

Although Spary's book was good and still is in parts as Nick says it is rather dated in others. For example you won't find mention of insert tools which will come into their own on a large project like a 4" TE and as for finding Whale oil, there are more modern alternatives now.

Regarding Sparey being dated, as Jason said, whale oil would be somewhat scarce these days, but then, I suppose corsets might be too !

Just saying .

Sparey is good, but was heavilo biased towards the Myford ML7 which was almost THE model engineer's lathe at the time.

Stan Bray and Harold Hall wrote their books later, and were more likely to cover other machines. (Stan used a ML7 but also used a little TOYO )

David Clark, Dave Fenner and Neril Wyatt have all written books specific to the mini lathe.

The basic principles are the same for all lathes, but it is the detail that varies.

Howard

Hi Rooossone, I understand there is a difference in the price. I have a second hand 1993 edition, which was bought from A.J. Reeves & Co. in 1993, how do I know this, because the person that bought it, left the till receipt and the Visa slip, inside the pages, and it cost £8.50. Reeves 2000 sell the 1998 edited edition with just the same amount of pages, but a slightly smaller and thinner book for £8.95, so I guess the value of it has gone down in real terms. I think I paid about £3.00 for mine about five years, which is still in near mint condition. As JasonB has said, there's nothing about index tooling in it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not chucking the baby out with the bath water, as there is still a lot of good info in it, but things do move on, and of course the choice is yours.

Regards Nick.