Colchester Triumph 2000 15 x 50 Lathe - My FREE Acra Turn Champion 1250 by Da Shin

[Mr.510]

I wanted to start a thread about my 'new' old 15 x 50 manual lathe but wasn't sure where to put it. Before I post a bunch of pics and tell the story of this machine and bringing it back to life I figured I should make a quick post and be sure I'm in the right place. What it's badged, who made it, what it's best known as, and who still makes it today are all different things! I figured putting this thread under the name it's best known as, and (hopefully) collecting all the names it was sold under in this thread would help others figure out what they have and where to get manuals and parts. I was pretty confused before spending a few hours researching on the web!

-My lathe is badged "Acra-Turn Champion 1250"
-It was made by Da Shin Machinery Company in Taiwan in the '80s
-The original manual that came with the machine is for "Da Shin Lathes Champion 750/1250" (the number is bed length in mm)
-It's best known as a "Colchester Triumph 2000" or "Clausing-Colchester 8033"
-Da Shin is now called Jesco and they still offer several versions of this machine that look like all the same castings
-It's been sold in various markets with at least half a dozen other nameplates over the years

From what I could figure out from the web it seems Colchester designed it and had it produced by Da Shin. Da Shin also sold it under their own name, and private-labelled it for various other companies over the decades. I think Clausing was the US importer of Colchester lathes back in the day and that's where "Clausing-Colchester" originally came from? I've read that they're now the same company, or have the same parent company, something like that.

People like to call these "Taiwan clones" but that's not really true in this case, since the "genuine" Colchester is exactly the same machine, built in the same factory. Does it makes sense to you guys for this thread to be in the Colchester sub-forum?

 

[Beckerkumm]

The original Triumph 2000 was designed and built in Essex by Colchester in the 1960's and remains very similar to this day although all are made in Taiwan or China now. Any 15x50 clutched lathe available is basically the old Colchester design so lots of info is available. Clausing made machines in China for some years but there were problems so I believe Clausing machines are now made in Taiwan. The Sunmaster clone is probably the most common. Clutched lathes are rare now so this size with a clutch is very desirable unless run with a vfd.

Dave

 

[Mr.510]

This isn't a clutched head lathe, it's a gear-driven headstock with no clutches. From looking at parts diagrams I think the clutched head machines have "VS" at the end of the model number or something?

I noticed something else interesting. I found the flyer from when the Clausing-Colchester 8000 series was first released and there's a note saying that straight bed lathes have the carriage turn wheel on the left while gap bed models have it on the right for safer operation when working in the gap. Mine's a gap bed with the handle on the left. I prefer it there anyway as most of the lathes I've run in my career had it on the left.

This is a link to the nearest current version of my lathe direct from it's manufacturer, the Jesco Champion 1550: https://www.jesco.com.tw/champion-series.html
I would not be surprised if it's sold under other brand names as well. And here's the only pic for reference, for when that web page is long gone:

 

[jwmay]

We don’t have an Acra forum? I would say the best place for it would be in an Acra forum, if such a thing exists.
I’m trying to think of a good car analogy that would explain why I wouldn’t include it in the Colchester forum.

The following is copied from the web “While all Trans Ams are Pontiac Firebirds, not all Firebirds are Trans Ams. This is due to Trans Ams being a type of Pontiac Firebird started as a specialty package in 1969. The Trans Am essentially took the Firebird's performance to the next level.”

I guess that sums it up. Other than that, I’m excited for you. I know a guy with a couple Acra machines that paid for themselves in roughly 6 months.

 

[Mr.510]

We don’t have an Acra forum? I would say the best place for it would be in an Acra forum, if such a thing exists.
I’m trying to think of a good car analogy that would explain why I wouldn’t include it in the Colchester forum.

The following is copied from the web “While all Trans Ams are Pontiac Firebirds, not all Firebirds are Trans Ams. This is due to Trans Ams being a type of Pontiac Firebird started as a specialty package in 1969. The Trans Am essentially took the Firebird's performance to the next level.”

I guess that sums it up. Other than that, I’m excited for you. I know a guy with a couple Acra machines that paid for themselves in roughly 6 months.

I'm a lifelong car guy that spent most of his machining career in the racing industry (manufacturing, not automotive machine work) so I understand the comparison. If the info I've gathered on this lathe is correct this is more like asking what's the difference between a Mitsubishi Starion and a Dodge Conquest TSI? Answer: They are exactly the same car, made by Mitsubishi, that Dodge slapped their own badges on.

In all my searching I haven't found a single pic of a machine with the Acra Turn logo that's on mine, so I don't know if it's related to the company Acra. Acra sells some similar-ish machines, but the castings are obviously different so I don't think they're made by DaShin/Jesco.

There's no serial number anywhere I can find and I think I've looked everywhere one could be. The "Champion 1250" plate on my machine has obviously been cut in half with a shear to remove the brand name that was on the left... This leads me to guess Acra Turn was an early importer that didn't survive. Or maybe they became Acra. Who sold machine tools with no serial numbers 40+ years ago?!?! lol

Hopefully posting what I've found somebody will come along that knows the real story.

I'll continue this thread and it can be moved somewhere else if we figure it out.