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Thread: Colchester parts... WTH??
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29th Jul 2012, 09:24 PM #1Intermediate Member
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Colchester parts... WTH??
Evening Gents,
I have grabbed myself a Colchester Student MK 1 for the shed, nice condition and very sturdy bit of kit.
One issue, the cross slide nut is shagged, its threads have been worn heavily, not even a ACME thread anymore as the threads have been work from flat to sharp points.
The cross slide screw is a ACME 3/4-5TPI by my measurements, the screw itself is in great nick with nice threads.
Due to the worn nut, I can move the cross slide back and forward by about 3mm by hand, not too flash. I saw a seller on ebay offering spares and sent an email for a quote on a new bronze nut........$665.00 + post!! Or, for my happiness, they could offer a new cross slide for 1.5K, unbelievable to put it politely.
Whats the go with these parts and prices? How can a cast bronze nut weighing in at 148 gm's cost nearly $700.00 to post to my door? Just obscene, no wonder the seller has not got any feedback, no one will buy his gear.
So, I plan to get the local machinery blokes to do me up a 3/4"-5TPI nut in bronze, I imagine it will be considerably less than the quote I got.
Begs the question though, is there a market for replacement parts for older machinery you think? I can see a bloke with some skills able to provide a service for a much lower cost than what seems available on the market.
Thanks,
Mike
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29th Jul 2012, 10:08 PM #2
parts
Hi
Congrats on buying that fine machine
Seems to be a exhorbitant price you were quoted .
Have you thought about making a new nut yourself , assuming that you have another lathe ? You could practice on a cheaper material first . BTW you could make a nut out of cast iron , if bronze isnt available
Having read posts from forum members, that's the problem with Colchesters, spares are dear . And those special headstock bearings could be a potential disaster if you have to replace them
If somebody here in Aust. did offer a service making new cross feed nuts for lathes and other machinery , I'm sure they would do well because there seems to be nobody doing it right now .
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29th Jul 2012, 10:23 PM #3Senior Member
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- Jul 2007
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- Perth
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Mike,
It maybe worth trying Ambassador Machine Tools (Tom) 08-93213611 used to sell Colchester bits, not sure if currently does though. No connection etc just a customer in times past. Alan.
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29th Jul 2012, 10:44 PM #4Senior Member
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- Sep 2007
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- Newcastle NSW
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I made a cross slide nut for my lathe a few years ago. I made it from mild steel and cut the thread in a piece of P.B. rod and loctited it into the steel body. Could you bore the worn thread out of your nut and loctite a new thread in? You would need access to another lathe obviously.
Russell
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29th Jul 2012, 11:06 PM #5Senior Member
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- Mar 2009
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- Blue Mountains
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- 195
Hello Mike,
have you tried Robert Pringle they are a UK manufacturer who advertise that they have off the shelf parts for Colchester and Harrison lathes. I have no connection and have not tried them but they might be worth a try.
I would be interested how you solve your issue as I have a Colchester Chipmaster .
Mm.
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29th Jul 2012, 11:22 PM #6
Gumtree
Mike
This could be your saviour
Colchester & Harrison lathe spare parts | Other Business Services | Gumtree Australia Caloundra Area - Caloundra
Mike
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30th Jul 2012, 10:07 AM #7Most Valued Member
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- Jun 2011
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- Australia east coast
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Situation normal with Colchester. I got quoted well over $1000 for a replacement rack for my Chipmaster.
After I stopped laughing, I made one myself, and a new pinion gear while I was at it.
So that's my advice - make one. Not difficult and think how much raw material you can totally ruin before you approach the price of a bought one.
PDW
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30th Jul 2012, 10:18 AM #8Most Valued Member
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- Nov 2008
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- North Brisbane. Qld. Australia
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Same seller.
Colchester & Harrison lathe spare parts | eBay
Nev
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30th Jul 2012, 10:53 AM #9Distracted Member
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- May 2010
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- Lower Lakes SA
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Think of a number and multiply it by 600.
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30th Jul 2012, 03:26 PM #10Mechanical Butcher
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- Oct 2004
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- Southern Highlands NSW
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30th Jul 2012, 06:09 PM #111915 17"x50" LeBlond heavy duty Lathe, 24" Queen city shaper, 1970's G Vernier FV.3.TO Universal Mill, 1958 Blohm HFS 6 surface grinder, 1942 Rivett 715 Lathe, 14"x40" Antrac Lathe, Startrite H225 Bandsaw, 1949 Hercus Camelback Drill press, 1947 Holbrook C10 Lathe.
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31st Jul 2012, 10:23 PM #12Intermediate Member
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- Apr 2011
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- Mandurah, WA
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- 41
Thanks for the advice fellers, I went to a machine shop today but they could not do this type of job.
Did give me some nice offcuts though, including some Delrin round, plan on having a try at making a new nut out of this stuff. There is a thread on HSM describing how to do this, apparently it works very well indeed.
Sold my 10x22 Chinese lathe to a couple of mates last weekend so I have to machine this nut on the mill. Will be a good test of my recently acquired rotary table and tail stock.
Will let you all know how it works out for your reference.
Mike
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2nd Aug 2012, 10:09 AM #13Most Valued Member
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- Oct 2010
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- melbourne, laverton
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hi mate i have an old colchester as well scored a new nut on pommy ebay for around 40 squid.
i was quoted over $2000 for a replacement cross slide screw.
any pics of your lathe?
aaron
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