Colchester 1965 Roundhead Lathe Restoration Project

Very nicely restored mate! Ive been quietly watching your progress as you started about the same time i did. Must admit i didnt paint mine so she isnt very pretty. I had some issues with vibrations at higher speeds. My lathe head is very quiet at all speeds but the vibration was very prominent at 1000rpm.
I would put the best quality cogged/toothed belt you can get your hands on. After much heart ache with belt matching etc and getting more vibration from multiple belts not tracking the same i went to a single belt.
The good thing is that a new quality single belt can easily handle the power requirements of older tech multi belt arrangements. In the specs of my belt it is good for 10hp by itself. More than enough for any of these. Be cautious on over tensioning them too as you can easily cause failure of the input shaft bearings, or in my case the bushes someone had installed in a previous repair.
Have fun, time to get it dirty again!
 
Thank you for the kind words,its one of those projects that I am enjoying.But hit a snag with my input shaft,someone before me modified it by installing a bearing where the oil seal should be and they had bored it out to where the bearing would fit.Check out my other post in this section under Oil Seal.Thanks
 
Good morning guys,well I am finally making some progress on my lathe which oil leaks have been repaired.Replace the bushing that for the gear on the swing frame then retest running it through all the speeds.While doing so I notice kinda like a hammering noise coming from the spindle head in all speeds during low gear,high gear all is perfect.So going to take the cover off,lay a piece of glass over the opening and run it to figure out what I have wrong.The problems that I have been dealing with on this lathe is in this section under Oil Seal which I kinda wanted to keep this post problem free.Just posting the process----kroll
Pics to come
 
I just read the whole thread, I'm fully impressed could stop reading. I was wondering how things have gone with your lathe since April?

Sent from my HUAWEI H892L using Tapatalk
 
could be belt noise, be careful to use matched belts, still watching with interest!
Phil
 
Match belts is something that I need to invest in.Thanks Jo I hope that my post will help others cause others post and the responses that I receive has surly help me.Up to this point I have had to take a break because of a previous comment which is what has help me finance this lathe.Only thing that I know that I need to do is to get the head lined up with the lathe.The 4 bolts that holds the spindle head down is hard to get to and the adjustment screws which will move the head left/right is also hard to get to.During the summer it is hot a heck in my shop which I really need to get this final adjustment spot on,with sweat running down my head to my eyes its just not good.Once I get started on this final adjustment will start making some swarf, and start my projects for some of my woodworking machines.Only area that is kinda a question mark is when I was going through the speeds I could hear a tapping noise or hamming noise on the higher speeds.So I need to check that again with the clear glass looking at the gears during high speed to see if I spot a problem.Anyway thanks for asking,as soon as I get caught up,and finish my other project my plan is to go back to the lathe.
 
Matched belts off the shelf I've never had an issue with them but then not done a lot with multi belt set ups now matching old with new is not a go or belts from a different manufacturer whilst they are supposed to be the same in circumference I think the composition difference allows for a variation in stretch So buying all the same brand of belts at same time from the same supplier try and get them out of the same box helps, there will still be a variation but will stretch out in time and any vibrations will fade in a short time of coarse it's only relevant to the higher speeds Just my take on belts hope it helps
 
Good afternoon guys,well today I made alittle progress in two ways.I am in the process of getting my headstock in alignment but I only have a piece of stock that after getting it chuck up there is only 4" to turn which I been told that 7" is just right so I'm short.So since its all I have on hand,I though I would just go ahead and turn an OD just for play and see if over 4" how much its out.I be dang this is fantastic,I know its metal working 101 but this lathe is so nice.The compound is nice that I can make those fine adjustments.So for the very first time using the lathe I am calling it a success,but not being familiar with Colchester I hope that the noise I hear is normal.I do want to run the lathe at all speeds and do alittle turning just to check it out before I say that its a complete success.But for now I have a smile on my face and a sigh of relief :)
Oh after turning the OD over just the 4" length there is no difference,so I guess its close for now
 
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Good afternoon guys,have very good news about my tumbler arm.But first thanks to Brain Coral aka Brian for putting me in contact with Mec-Elecpro.Not only did he make the repairs but tested the weld just to make sure it holds and he posted the repairs on Youtube.For your entertainment purpose is a link to it
Thanks for following me on the repairs of my lathe and seeing first hand what a wonderful person Mec-Elecpro is.

Thanks for sharing the video. It clearly parallels the instructions my dad gave us on how to weld cast. A nice reminder of a very talented man as well.
 
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