What Is Original Colour For A Colchester Dominion?

[Techie1961]

I have a Colchester 13x36 Dominion lathe and would like to clean it up since it is pretty sad looking right now. It was painted grey but a lot of that has flaked off. Under the grey is a light green that is a bit of a creamy colour and under the light green on the upper, it is a dark green. I have heard about them being two-toned but the dark green under the light seems to me that it was all one colour.

But then I was thinking as I looked at the rests that I have. One has the darker green under the light green but the steady rest is light green only. Maybe they painted them completely in dark green and then did a secondary paint on them to get the two-tone.

Anybody have any input on this? In this photo, the headstock shows the light green which is over the dark green.

 

[hermetic]

Hi Techie, I have seen them in both colours, but the light green seems to be the most common over here. your steady is original colour, but as you say, they were available two tone, "to special order".
Phil

 

[Techie1961]

Thanks Phil, so two-tone wasn't the norm but rather the special option. Did you have any involvement with them in the past being across the pong and all?

 

[pdentrem]

Our Colchester Student is also a light green. At least what is left of the paint.
Pierre

 

[hermetic]

I own a Colchester student Mk1, in dark green, same as yours, but shorter bed, and i think the dominion is larger centre height. mine is 6-1/2". mine also has the early mk1 apron with two slots and a sliding lever to select the sliding and surfacing power feeds. yours is the later mk1-1/2 with the later single knob safety apron. they are good machines!
Phil

 

[Techie1961]

This is a photo of the machine in all its glory. I think it's a mk1 though I don't have a clue as to its age. Center height is 6.5" for 13" x 36".

 

[hermetic]

Yes, it is the Mk1, identical to mine with a longer bed. It is a Master, the Dominion was 12x36, the student 6" x 24" (though most were actually 6-1/2") the master 6-1/2" x 36. You will find all this info and more at www.lathes.co.uk/colchester Mine is a straight bed model with the large handwheel on the left of the apron. They are fine machines, many thousands made and sold all over the world. There should be a round badge on the Tailstock end of the bed which says "The world turns on Colchester Lathes" Also look for a transfer on the front of the bed which says "Induction hardened bed" . If you look on top of the bed front rail at the tailstock end you will find a serial number, which you can use to find out the year using this chart.
http://www.lathes.co.uk/colchester/page34.html
Good luck, post up more pics as you do it up!
Phil.

 

[hermetic]

Just to add, if you go to lathes.co.uk, you will see the later "safety" apron which has the single control knob, and this designates machines slightly later than yours and mine as the Mk1.5 although I don't think it was officially called that in the catalogues. I would put yours about early 1960's as it has the same black and red ball handles as mine, which is
mc no, 2/39248 colchester student 1961.
Phil

 

[hermetic]

Have you got a manual for it, I can send you a .pdf one if you Haven't.

 

[Kroll]

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