Hello from the west country

Hello everyone.

I'm just outside Bath. I haven't flashed up a lathe since my apprenticeship in the Navy in the late 80's but have been wanting to get back into it for years. I took the plunge last weekend and picked up a Colchester Chipmaster. I just need to work out how to connect it to a VFD and I will be back to making chips!! Cheers Colin

Welcome Colin. Roughly whereabouts outside Bath!! The Boss and I used to live in the married quarters at (the then) RAF Colerne, then at Radstock. This is a terrific site and masses of knowledge!!

cheers

Bill

Hi Bill.

I live in Bradford-on-Avon but my workshop is very close to radstock

It's in a very small hamlet near Peasdown call Foxcote.

Welcome along Colin, as stated earlier a vast amount of knowledge on this site. I spent 50 years as a toolmaker and can still learn from folk on here. Do a search on this site re Chipmaster and VFD, my memory tells me it is not straight forward with the original motor but doable.

Welcome!

LOTS of experience on here in all sorts of fields.

You won't be the only Colchester user, by a long way. Search for posts about Colchesters, there should be several.

Just like me, not touching a machine tool after the Training School, until YEARS later, "Can you come in and show the nightshift" The partially sighted leading the blind, or maybe the other way round!

Howard

Welcome to the forum

H

Hi Colin, you may or may not be aware that a lot of VFD,s on the market do not have a proper earth build in. So please don’t purchase a cheap unit off eBay or Amazon. You can purchase a safe unit for around £200 with full back up. I have a Colchester bantan running off a VFD, the wiring at the VFD end is simple, but making sure you have your motor in the correct configuration is the most important bit. I live in Yeovil, so if you need help call out. Michael

Welcome aboard, I have a Chipmaster in Frome so not too far away. Unfortunately I can’t help with your wiring, mine is run off of a phase converter.

Thanks everyone. I think I'm going to be making good use of all your knowledge. I did have a nightmare with the electrics today. Not properly sorted but I managed to turn some steel. Not much but its a start.

Terry I would be super interested in you recommendation as I have done exactly what you said not to do (buy a cheap VFD)

I thought your name seemed familiar Colin, now I know where you are ! Welcome aboard shipmate ! I;m in N Norfolk. If you have a question, someone here will have an answer for you. Best wishes, Noel.

Hi, RJW motors and inverters are my go to. The young woman as so much knowledge of the subject it’s a joy to take to her. She will sort out what is needed to suit you. And they give full back up.

Noel- do I know you of old?

Terry - thanks for the recommendations