Colchester Chipmaster disasster- parts available

[WCD]

Years ago I got a Colchester Chipmaster from an ebay seller who assured me that the lathe was basically good despite looking a bit run down.
I unwisely trusted him because a he’d sold a Hercus lathe and mill to a friend, which were as good as promised.

A slow restoration of the Chipmaster was planned but it turned out to be a very long process due to many little fixes. Towards the end I cleaned off layers of paint and found that the headstock and bed had different machine numbers, and they were misaligned. Also the headstock spindle axis was unstable when rotating due to very worn bearings, and the spindle bearing surfaces worn unevenly due to bearing slippage from loose bearings. It also turned out that the headtock and its mounting surface on the bed had both been very badly scraped. Having put in so much time with no result, I went crazy and had the spindle reworked, and bought new spindle bearings (ouch!). Never got around to fitting these items, and later ditched the project altogether.

Happy to help any Chipmaster owners looking for parts - let me know what you want and I will post it for sale, with photos.

I need more shed space ASP, so will recycle the big bits (bed, headstock, variator, cabinet etc) in a week or two: if you are interested do let me know soon.

No sales by private messaging as per forum rules, though queries are OK.
I contacted Grahame to see if this way of selling is acceptable and he approved it, provided that each sale has full information.


I’m in Sydney. Pickup is easiest for me, but I’m prepared to post small stuff that’s not heavy (can’t carry heavy these days), or maybe send by a package delivery business.

Bill

[Jekyll and Hyde]

Well, I'm going to ask the obvious question (which I might regret) - How much for the whole thing?

[WCD]

Well, I'm going to ask the obvious question (which I might regret) - How much for the whole thing?

Mmm.. I dont even think of it as a "whole" lathe, seeing as it's all in bits that are separated in various places around the shed, and some with nasty issues. Some parts (bed, headstock, tailstock, saddle assembly etc) may be restorable, but I have entirely lost faith in the whole thing. I will sell new parts I purchased for the Chipmaster and the restored spindle but given the cost of the bearings I think it would be crazy to fit them to the dodgy Chipmaster I have, reassembled from the parts I have, some of which have problems, and some of which I may not be able to find. So I won't sell it as potentially good lathe because I don't think it is.

To put this in perspective I started my machine tool experience with a series of very worn old machines which I fixed up myself or got the work done (eg regrinding or scraping bedways etc) and I enjoyed learning how to use them. The first lathe was the basic remains of a Rivett 608 (https://www.lathes.co.uk/rivett/page2.html) with most of the parts missing, so no power feeds or screw cutting. After having the bed reground + headstock and tailstock scraped into alignment it turned into the most excellent lathe I have ever owned for very basic turning. Then moved on to one or two other lathes so I could learn to cut threads etc. All of them were old and worn, but not full of hidden horrors and really bad repairs like the Chipmaster. Basically that's why I prefer to sell the Chipmaster parts that are OK to people who need them.

Bill

[morrisman]

Hi Bill

I would be interested in the carriage handwheel , I believe it is the same handwheel as used on the Bantam .

I would also be interested in some other stuff but the shipping is a problem.... everything is heavy ! The variator in my chippy has worn drive cones , it is a common problem, one owner managed to reface the cones with a ceramic insert.

That's bad luck, you got a dud chipmaster, but it sounds like it is a good parts source for anyone looking for spare parts.

[KBs PensNmore]

I would also be interested in some other stuff but the shipping is a problem.... everything is heavy !

You might want to ask on the Member Transport subforum, if anyone in Sydney would be coming to Melbourne with some free space on board??
Kryn

[WCD]

Morrisman,

The handwheel should be OK. Will post it for sale when I have found it!

The Kopp variator is a concern since I have never run it or dismantled it, so can't say if it even works or has internal damage. Kopp's user instructions say the variators will be damaged and ultimately ruined unless Shell Morlina S2 BL10 is used as a lubricant, which seems unlikely in this case. I would hate to send you a ruined variator, so now need to decide if the variator should be a give-away or a throw-away. What do you think?

But thanks: you have helped by reminding me to list for sale my unused 20 litre can of Shell Morlina S2 BL10.

Bill

[Zsteve]

Hi Bill,

dont throw away the variator, definitely worthwhile complete or parts.

couple of questions
any idea of age? or if you know the serial number we can look it up (so I can check if close to mine).

metric or imperial model? can we assume it has the standard change wheels?

Certainly interested in parts like possibly clutch, tailstock handwheel, oil would be good, possibly other general spares. postage may be an issue, but I could come for a drive.

cheers

[WCD]

You might want to ask on the Member Transport subforum, if anyone in Sydney would be coming to Melbourne with some free space on board??
Kryn

Kryn,
Thanks for the thought, but I feel it's better for potential buyers to explore that aspect because I really can't chase up the details of what is acceptable to the buyer and transporting person.
Bill

[PDW]

You'd be doing a lot of us with Chippies if you split your 20 litre drum of Mornina into 1 or 2 litre containers. I'd certainly want a couple of litres.

Also like a tailstock handwheel because mine has been broken in the past though I note someone else has already asked on that.

If we could work out details I'd take the saddle with cross slide & top slide and apron. Mine are OK but...

Also the rack for long feed.

I have a use for the spindle but only a butcherous one so if someone needs a good one, better it went there.

If you have any of the P-B narrow body 4 jaw chucks I am definitely interested, don't care what diameter they are, I need them from 6" up.

Sad to hear this, I've had 20+ good years of use from my Chippie.

PDW

[WCD]

Today I managed to find most of the parts so can move forwards.
Thanks to those who have said what is of interest - I will prioritise those items.

1. Kryn suggested photos and I managed to make a bit of space for photos of the lathe skeleton:

main4.jpgmain1.jpgmain2.jpg

2. Found two handwheels that look similar, but one with a keyway and the other splined to its shaft. Just need to check which is for the apron and which for the tailstock.

3 Serial numbers are G4132 for the headstock and lead/feed gearbox, and G3945 for the bed, tailstock and saddle. Both numbers indicate built in 1967.

4 I will put up the Kopp speed variator (never taken apart by me) as a spare parts item not known to be in working order.

5 Shell Morlina oil for the Kopp variator: happy to sell that in small quantities - but need to get tins sized as people wish. The 20litre drum I have has very prominent safety warnings - will post a photo of those.

6 There is a Pratt Burnerd 5 inch 3jaw chuckfor a D1-3 spindle - looks good for use, no obvious heavy wear or gross damage. Sadly no 4 jaw chuck, though there is a nice faceplate

7 Saddle, slides parts and apron (I think they were ground + scraped) should be OK, though I do need to check something.

8 The spindle bearing areas are well restored (I believe) but the D1-3 chuck mount contact faces probably needs remachining and do need new parts (may have them) that secure the chuck.

9 It's an Imperial model, but the cross-slide and topslide feedscrews show inch and millimetre readings. I presume it has the standard changewheels but I would need details of what is wanted.

Bill

[lamestllama]

Hi Bill

I would like to buy the 5 inch 3 jaw chuck and the toolslide/topslide complete if you have it. I am in Adelaide.

Regards

Eric

[PDW]

Hi Bill

I would like to buy the 5 inch 3 jaw chuck and the toolslide/topslide complete if you have it. I am in Adelaide.

Regards

Eric

Just want to point out that when I said I was interested in the saddle and cross slide complete, that included the compound slide...

PDW

[WCD]

Well I am getting on with things, but It's turning out to take longer than expected due to getting older and also needing to look up the parts manual to identify how things go together.
In some cases I found there were parts missing or wrongly assembled when I pulled it to bits.

I'm sorry to say that slow progress is inevitable.

Bill

[Poloris]

I would like to buy the faceplate if it is available.
You would need to post it to Perth..
Thank you Mark

[WCD]

I would like to buy the faceplate if it is available.
You would need to post it to Perth..
Thank you Mark

Yes Mark, that is on the list. Posting to Perth is certainly possible.
I wanted to get all of this done ASP, but did not realise how long it would take to reassemble parts from my collection of disassembled bits.
Bill