Colchester Bantam 1600

D

DaveF

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Recently purchased a Colchester Bantam 1600. I have removed the 2 speed 3phase motor and replaced it with a new 1.5kw 3 phase motor.
Have removed all existing wiring and installed an Invertek inverter which now runs fine on 240v single phase supply.
Only problem I have now is oil is leaking behind the chuck when running at faster speeds. Any help with solving the oil leak would be appreciated.
Many Thanks
 
Was Colchester made anywhere else besides Colchester England?
 
As far as I know they were always made in Colchester UK
 
So, if you have a manual that shows what seal is on the spindle you can decide if it’s worth going after it. For me, if the leak is minor I would run it until I needed to tear the head down for something like new spindle bearings.

Oil is cheap. ;)

John
 
I have the Clausing Colchester 15x50. It's the Triumph 2000 in the Colchester model. Clausing just marketed it in the states as the Clausing/Colchester.
Oil leaks?? The apron is double walled with o-rings for all the levers and gear shafts etc. They all have o-rings on the outboard of the casting. They all leak after 50 years. I agree oil is cheap.
My spindle doesn't leak yet but it seems where ever there is an oring, it has to be hard as a rock by now.
I'm planning on keeping the oil level up and running it.
Maybe one of these days but if I have to replace spindle bearings the lathe will be scrapped. I understand the bearings alone run over $3,000.
Proprietary Gamet?
 
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