Lathe Advice - Colchester

Hi all,

This is my very first post here and I'm looking forward to becoming more involved in the community.

I am a novice in engineering. Quite experienced in fabrication. I was more more experienced during school winning a number of awards for engineering projects, however, after school, I went and followed a path in science (which I love it), but I am now looking to get back into engineering. With the ambition to buy a lathe and eventually a milling machine.

So my question: I have basically settled for a Colchester Lathe, however, I am torn between the Student MK1.5 and a Chipmaster... Could you please advise as to the advantages or disadvantages to either. It will be used for hobby engineering and possibly heavier work also.

Look forward to hearing your advice and thanks in advance!

Dave

Hi David welcome to the forum. Where are you based, it helps with suggesting local suplier etc and what are your interests.

David

Hello David

The Chipmaster is a lovely machine, but as built, its Achilles' Heel was the variator used to change speeds. However, many folk have fitted inverters and discarded the Kopp variator. You'd probably need an inverter anyway as you're unlikely to have 3 phase power available.

Tony Griffiths has the following:

**LINK**

**LINK**

They're both elderly machines now, but if they've been looked after and not abused, they'll be just fine for your purposes.

Note that the Bantam is similarly-sized to the Chipmaster; in fact they share many components.

As a 1963 Chipmaster owner, I can say it is a fine machine and echo what Nigel said above. Its capabilities far exceed mine! I have retained the variator and converted to VFD drive to be able run on single phase. Like a lot of British Motorbikes of the same era, it leaks oil like a sieve.. The Chipmaster uses the D1-3 chuck mount whereas the student uses I believe L series. I have had no issue buying D1-3 mount chucks/ backplates, but I can't comment on the availability of L Series.

I wonder if you are limiting your options by deciding so soon on one of two particular models. With second-hand machines of this type, condition and accessories are probably more important than manufacturer and model.

If, for example, a fully-equipped CVA came along at the right price, would you turn it down? Monarch 10EE? Small DSG? Harrison M-series? And do not discount the Eastern European lathes; they were superbly built (and natively-metric).

I would be deciding on a centre height and bed length and going from there.

As for specifics of the two you mention, as Stuart said, the Student is L-taper and chucks and backplates are expensive. The D1-3 of the Chipmaster is also less popular (and hence more costly) than D1-4, which is common to Far East machines.

Out of the box, the Chipmaster has a better speed range (30-3000rpm, providing you retain the variator) than the Student, good for small stuff and modern cutting tools. Its spindle bore is a bit small and it is a bit short between centres. Requires two extra and non-standard change gears to cut 1.75mm or 3.5mm pitches. Built for people about 4' 6" tall. Check it has the 4 1/2 to 3 Morse spindle bush with it. The bed stop is good to have to take advantage of the autofeed trip (but someone has them available for circa. £50 on eBay). Chipmaster/Bantam steadies seem to command unreasonably high prices if missing.

You need to find a long-term Student owner to tell you all the niggles with that machine.

Have a look at the language of threads you want to cut and make sure any machine you buy will do what you want and has the gears with it if necessary as these can be difficult and expensive to track down.

Edited By DC31k on 23/03/2020 16:14:29

I wouldn't get too hung up about the Spindle nose bush, they are as rare as rocking horse sh*t. On the rare occasion when you need to turn between centres, you can always chuck a bit of stock and turn a centre point on that.

Hi David.

I own a Continental (metric) Chipmaster and joined this minute just to answer your post. Earlier I didn't like theChippie, as it has a peculiar design, a bit of a pyramid.

But when I sold my old lathe, I suddenly liked it. And I bought one in UK - from a school, I was told.

I had to repair the variator - and I'm glad I did. The ranges 35 - 300 RPM and 350 - 3000 RPM - that's simply not possible with a VFD. Tony Griffiths of lathes.co.uk is wrong, when he tells everyone to just chuck the variator.

I bought a VFD when I bought the lathe, and I would have loved to use it (they are so sexy imo), but it would degrade the machine. The Matrix clutch works great, but the brake is useful only when threading. The rear of my headstock leaks oil, but that's my own fault. It did not, when I received it.

I would love to have the changewheels, so I could make inch threads, but I found some just once, and they went to someone else. A Thread Dial Indicator does not exist at all.

The Imperial version is really the best; it has integrated dial indicator (inch pitches only) and it still has a lot of metric pitches as standard.

Problem is, new owners don't know how to treat the variator: Only one oil must be used (Shell Morlina BL10) and you have to give the assembly correct preload (easily done).

If you choose a Chipmaster, please write me, I have all info you need.

Cheers

Erik (from Denmark)

I too would like to comment on the chip master. I got mine about 2 years ago which had been sitting in a barn for more than a few years. I spent 6 months restoring it (see photo album). I use it all the time and have retained the variator with a 3hp single phase motor. Mine has dual dials (metric and imperial), it cuts imperial and metric threads, left hand threads without having to reverse the head, a quick change tool post...... it’s brilliant. And the surface finish with the right tools and speeds is like a mirror. I also have the rare tapered spindle adapter but you can buy reproductions from home and workshop supplies.