I 'Want' a bigger lathe. :)

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I may 'want' one but the reality is I don't have the room or the money.!

Went to my mates today to get some keyways slotted into the hubs of some flywheels. I also asked him could I use one of his lathes that would take a piece of cast iron I have for the cylinder liner up its spindle bore so I could drill it out to something that I could later fit a bar through when it come time to line bore it.

He pointed to a Colchester Triumph 2000 half hidden under a mountain of swarf and said that ain't being used at the moment so go ahead.

Now this lathe has seen better days. But it was a dream to use. Solid, smooth and drilled a 38mm hole through this 200mm length of cast iron like a hot knife through butter. Not a single kick or flinch and did not make a single noise higher than when it was just turning over. - I suppose the quality of his drill bits, the edge he grinds on them and that cast iron is not the hardest of materials contributes. ............ But still I was impressed.!

On departing I said to him that next time I had a free day I was going to come down with a gallon of paraffin and give the thing a damn good cleaning. He replied. "Will you heck as like. Clean them and they go rusty."

Anyway, I guess the saying that 'the heavier a machine is the better' carries some. ............. weight.

Nick

Did you not ask him if it had a 4-jaw big enough to take your hopper

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Yeahh, he has. - Why what would your plan be.?

Nick

Well assuming he has a big boring bar to match you could just bore it in the lathe

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He did tell me he had some very big boring bars with some kind of special damping on the heads. ???

But I also liberated him of a couple of meters of steel to make a line boring bar out of. - Never done that so really would like to give it a go. (although I may regret it)

Nick

I do like the big Colchester lathe's, dream to work on, and as you said heavy enough to not move no matter what you put in it

I have to admit to keep looking at them on ebay, as for space, I would make the space

Allan

I used a Triumph 2000 at work before I retired, I was not a full time turner as it was a jobbing shop most of my time was on a mill or spark erosion machine. The Triumph was a nice machine to use, worn when I started there and completely knackered 15 years later when I left. Typical of a lot of companies they would not spend any money on the machines to keep them in good order.

The Triumph 2000 is a serious bit of kit; my dad used one as a toolmaker 7.5 horsepower if I remember correctly. He was a watchmaker so used to working to tight limits. he said it was his favourite machine in the workshop.

I also would like a bigger and better lathe,so, why dont I buy one? Simple,I dont think I,d know how to use it !

I have a small 6" Chinese job [ex Chester ] which does all I know how to do,no point in buying something better and maybe wreck it. 7.5 HP is a fair load for a home workshop,not sure your nabours would love you when you switch that on !

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If they are in good order a big lathe is virtually silent.

Nick

Bigger lathes are for bigger work, if you upgrade to something too big you will lose top end speed and will find your capability for smaller work degraded,

- Nick

Nick,

Maybe this one would be suitable for you - Dean, Smith and Grace, one careful owner (and a number of very careless ones). I am sure that the working surfaces are pristine under the coating of what looks like emulsion paint.....

(more photos in my album, sorry one is upside down but I can't see a way to invert it using the site software)

Spotted last year in a place that recycles building materials, so somewhat out of place in the sets of railing, shutters and second hand windows. Located on the outskirts of Aix en Provence - goodness knows what n°191 was doing here in the first place, but I suspect I can see its eventual destination.

Simon

Edited By Simon0362 on 20/03/2017 13:20:36