Colchestr Triumph 2000 - Apron Leaking Oil

I have just become owner of a Colchester Triumph 2000 lathe. The oil level in the apron was low so topped it up to the correct level. After 2 days it was down to a low level. There should be a gasket between the apron and the bottom plate. At first glance I cannot see one, only possible remnants of what was possibly a silicon gasket. I have managed to take a photo and from the look of it it does not have the original apron base. There is a perimeter of bolts and then two odd pairs of bolts/screws. From what I can see of the drawings in the manual there is not as far as I can ascertain anything to be fixed to the bottom plate. Has any one got the same model of lathe and can take a look at the apron base and see if these extra screws are present. I am wondering if that was a piece of plate that had a couple of unwanted holes and the screws were used to seal them up.

It might be worth making a new plate from 3/16" or 1/4" aluminium plate and make a proper gasket.

It would be nice to know if these extra holes perform a function prior to removing the base plate.

See picture below:

Thanks,

Colin

It looks like each pair of the screws has been used to hold some small rectangular object on the outside of the plate. You can see the clean spots where they were. Possibly some kind of attachment such as carriage stop or DRO etc that was removed before sale?

  A new gasket cut from thick gasket paper should fix it. Maybe some copper washers or slicone sealer on the extra screws.

Edited By Hopper on 16/04/2022 05:49:33

I have the plate off now. They definitely do nothing now. They are just in the tapped holes with no sealant or anything. There is a very thin paper gasket but this had been replaced and then coated in silicon goo.

I have some sheets of 1/16" rubber sheet as used for flat roof's. I think I will make new gasket out of this and ensure that the 4 extra holes have sealing washers and a bit of silicon to seal them completely.

Colin

Just checked and EPDM rubber is not compatible with oil so will need to look for some good old brown paper to make gasket or look for some thin cork gasket material.

Colin

My favourite gasket material is from cereal packets. Available all over and not expensive diferent packages have diferent thicknesses.

David