Maintenance on the Clausing Colchester 15- Any Other Owners Out There?

Janderso

Jeff Anderson
H-M Platinum Supporter
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I changed the oil for the head stock reservoir yesterday. Wow, it took 4.7. gallons.
This lathe is very similar to the Triumph 2000 and the 1500.
The way they designed and manufactured this lathe is incredible, at least IMHO.
The gear box oil is getting changed today.
There doesn’t seem to be many In this group that own one of these.
When I see videos on the start up, the sight glass for the headstock oil fills with oil showing good flow.
On mine, you can see the oil flow but the glass does not fill.
I noticed when I drained the oil, it looked thicker than the oil I put in. (Yes, I used the correct oil)
When I had it powered up when I bought it, I took the cover off and watched the oil lubricate properly.
I can’t power it up yet, I’m hoping the new lubricant will match the character of the videos I have seen.
I wouldn’t know where to begin to diagnose low flow. It’s a simple belt driven impeller type pump.
Anyone experience this? Do you think it could be the viscosity?
 
I have had a few of these on all of mine the sight glass on the head stock fills almost instantly. I should fill completely. Putting the correct oil in may help I use mobil dte 24. As you have said he system is pretty straightforward should not be difficult to diagnose I can video the glass filling if you need it
 
Well, I just put in DTE 24. I am changing the belts while I am at it. The belt for the oil circulation pump was about to break. The main 4 were almost new. The spring tension feels adequate.
Between the new belt and the known correct fluid, I will check it as soon as I can power it up.
Thanks guys!!
 
There is one other question.
It says to oil daily, the lead screw and the feed shaft. On the right side.035FE898-B799-48DB-B8B4-A4803D83F94C.jpeg7AC62A9B-410F-4075-8E3C-B5DB90BDA836.jpeg
How? No oiling points that I can see.
 
I'm not familiar with that model but from the drawings, I would assume that you would squirt oil onto the outside of the shafts at the right bearing block. And run your oil can spout along the lead screw threads and the keyway in the feed shaft while pumping a continuous thin stream of oil. That's the way that you do the lead screw on an Atlas. Actually, you only need to oil the lead screw threads over the region where the half nuts will run. And on that machine, unlike on an Atlas, if not actually threading, you would only need to oil the thrust bearings, support bushings and feed shaft keyway.
 
There is one other question.
It says to oil daily, the lead screw and the feed shaft. On the right side.View attachment 285180View attachment 285181
How? No oiling points that I can see.

274090537a315789d8596539198bd4de.jpg

Mine has ball-oilers at the points indicated



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
274090537a315789d8596539198bd4de.jpg

Mine has ball-oilers at the points indicated



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting, my lathe has strange female threads that appear to accept zert fittings next to the bracket mounting cap screw holes.
I don't have what you have identified.
I think I will drop the casting and see what's going on in there.
It has a bearing at the lead screw support. That needs to be serviced.
I'm on it.
 
It's amazing how there is no visible wear on the gears.
Inside the headstock I find the same thing. I cleaned off the old grease off the end gears. They all look like the idler.
Incredible.
If the specifications say, "hardened and ground bedways and gears", pay attention, look how they wear-not.IMG_1739.JPGIMG_1740.JPG
 
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