Another Colchester Student

Hello, this is my first post. I have a Colchester Student, (serial number not to hand). The main bearings are now rumbling, it will not engage top speed correctly and oil leaks from the thread cutting gearbox. I would very much like to do the repair work myself but do not have the confidence to tackle it on my own. I was wondering if there is anyone in the Ipswich area of Suffolk who is knowledgeable enough who would be willing to mentor me to enable me to repair and learn at the same time. Thanks Andy.

Hi Andrew

Welcome to the forum, it's a great place to learn with plenty of very knowledgable contributors. Unfortunately I can't offer any constructive advice regarding your Colchester. However I would suggest you price up the headstock bearings before deciding if it's worth repairing. If they are indeed shot, the Gamet bearings are notoriously expensive. Pretty sure they come as a matched pair and are in the 'hundreds of pounds' bracket.

Good luck with it, hopefully someone will be along to offer advice.

Alan

Hi, I also have a Student (Mk1) but I am in Yorkshire! They are a bit noisy anyway, so be sure it is the mains rumbling before you do anything drastic. Take the top off the gearbox and take some pics. The Screwcutting box probably just needs a gasket and a bit of Hylomar! The most serious problem (potentially) is the gear not selecting. I would not use it till you have at least checked that out!

Phil

.

They could be linked.

No.2 could give the 'impression' of potential problem of No.1 While in reality No.1 problem may not actually exist.

You need to take it's hat off and find the issue of No.2 as the priority job IMHO

Nick

Edited By Nick_G on 18/10/2016 22:27:02

Thanks for the advice. Nick I have taken the top off, drained the oil so I could see what I was doing and turned the lathe by hand but could not establish what was stopping the gear engaging. I do not have enough knowledge about the way the lathe should come apart, i.e. what is an interference fit and would need a puller and what is maybe just a tight fit and needs persuading off. I am afraid I may damage something through my ignorance.

Hi, I have a Master which I believe is the bigger brother to the Student, but very similar in construction and usage.

By not engaging top speed, I presume you mean the front central lever not going from right to left (counterclockwise)

Or are you referring to the top levers, I sometimes have trouble with lefthand one not wanting to engage unless the chuck is rocked, these levers can be a source of trouble, this can give a horrible rumbling/grating noise.

As has already been mentioned the main headstock bearings are extremely expensive, prohibitively so for an aging machine.

Bernard

I have a Colchester student and when in business I had three other colchesters.The people I had dealings with are Nobilla Machine Tools who are based in Hertfordshire I think. They can be contacted at simon@nobilla .co.uk they are Colchester specialists and are Colchester trained. I can recommend them.

Ken Price