Colchester lathe - for woodturning?

[Wildman]

Whilst the various Coventry machine manufacturers were great the fact remains Colchester outlasted them. They are a quality product with years of life left in them. As their slogan says "The world turns on Colchester lathes". No affiliation by the way just a user of many year standing.

 

[CHJ]

=D> =D> =D> That's what I like to see, machine tools used to their best advantage to produce a quality product without the inhibitions of the 'classic' turning brigade.

If you do keep it bear in mind that a three jaw metal chuck is not really suitable for gripping timber and could be dangerous

..

If you've got an Axminster Precision or a Versa Chuck then you can use it with a standard ISO back plate to transfer it to a metal lathe as required. (I do)

 

[MusicMan]

You can also get six-jaw self-cantering chucks which will hold wood safely in a metal lathe, but they do cost a lot.

Keith

 

[graduate_owner]

I have owned a Myford ML8 for wood turning for quite a few years, and more recently bought a union graduate, but when the chance of a Colchester Master came along I grabbed it with both hands (well, both hands and a winch / rollers). It is a rock solid beast weighing about 3/4 ton. I have a spare spindle for the graduate and this can be mounted in the Colchester chuck so I can screw on my Axminster Evolution chuck. I was thinking that would allow me to use the topslide to hold tools for decorative effects or for screwcutting. Also I have been thinking of turning up a metal spindle to fit through the Colchester headstock and held in the 3 jaw chuck. A left hand thread on the 'outboard' side and a free standing rest would enable me to turn bowls with 3HP of power behind it.

Another idea was to mount the graduate spindle offset in the Colchester 4-jaw chuck instead of buying an offset wood turning chuck.

Then of course there's the potential for metal turning - a whole new Hobby.

In other words - keep the Colchester!!

K

 

[chaoticbob]

Another vote for buying it from your Dad. People on engineering forums are apt to faint with shock, or become apoplectic with anger at the suggestion that one might machine wood with metalworking tools. I've been doing it occasionally for many years, and not had any problems. You will surely be able to tackle more ambitious woody projects than pens with this machine.
I don't see why outboard turning is out of the question either. You could make a fixture (using your rather lovely lathe!) to fix a chuck onto the left hand end of the spindle. Not done it myself, but I don't see why not!
Regards, Robin

 

[woodfarmer]

I used my Holbrook to "joint" some greenheart for a project which was a bowl on a stand. The "secret" was that the stand was hollow and the two bits screwed into each other. So a hiding place in plain sight.