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12" Colchester Student - $325

Yes, I was looking at that and tempted as a project - but not home to really do anything about it - would have to check into everything it might need - could build a new tailstock I suppose.........
 
Ya, you'll want to take a look at it first. There appears to be something funky going on with the spindle. Also appears to be missing apron levers etc. The ad has been posted for 25 days already, it will probably still be available when you get home.
 
Always inspect before buying - if the spindle is bad or the gear box is in pieces you may get much bigger project then you wish for.
 
See that big dent in the chip pan....that is right below the missing longitudinal feed handle - could be a drop. The spindle is one of those L-0 type and that could be very expensive. Missing the back cover and the gearing looks sketchy but seems to be intact. A rusty old tailstock from the UK is about $750 plus shipping: https://www.ebay.ca/itm/CLAUSING-CO...178350?hash=item4d901b1f2e:g:-9IAAOSwUgVd3Vpu

Probably not a great project unless parting it out over a very long time
 
I believe that's the same machine as This Old Tony runs. He commented on the challenge of finding L-0 tooling.
Would probably cost at least twice the purchase price to bring that machine back to spec.
 
Well if anyone buys it I have... spare... L0 chuck :)

At least till I remove the thread and mate it to an adapter plate for D1-6. On a list of things to do.
 
Tom Kitta said:
Well if anyone buys it I have... spare... L0 chuck :)

At least till I remove the thread and mate it to an adapter plate for D1-6. On a list of things to do.
Click to expand...

What type of chuck is it? I might be interested in it since I just picked up the same model of lathe.
Colchester Student Lathe.jpg
 
Yes, I've looked at that lathe too. Price is attractive but still a pretty big "pig in a poke" Looks like its had a rough life, $$ to bring it back to life.
Bed too short for me - I'm looking for 36" min. bed length, 40" better.
I was looking at another Colchester, did a search, ended up on a Practical machinist thread re: Colchester lathes. One guys comments were something like: "have a reputation for noisy headstock bearings, still available through Colchester but Eye Wateringly expensive".
 
UltraExpensiveLathe.webp

This just sold in AB. So given the price plus fees above maybe a beaten old student is not such a bad idea? I would not pay a $1000 for lathe in the picture, maybe I am missing something given sale price of around $3000.
 
cuslog said:
I was looking at another Colchester, did a search, ended up on a Practical machinist thread re: Colchester lathes. One guys comments were something like: "have a reputation for noisy headstock bearings, still available through Colchester but Eye Wateringly expensive".
Click to expand...

I can’t comment on the Student - because I don’t have one (or ever ran one). I can, however, give some info regarding the Master. There were similar comments on PM about my lathe, and I was reluctant to buy one. But I did it anyway. Yes, the headstock was noisy, but not because of the spindle bearings, but rather because of an intermediate shaft gear alignment issue and poor lubrication to it (by design from factory). In this thread I deal with the problem:

https://canadianhobbymetalworkers.c...-and-gear-bushing-replacment.1186/#post-11760

Together with a new clutch shift fork (it was worn unevenly and marginally designed), better lube (for more even distribution to the parts), and the new gear bushing with an offset shift fork for it (to improve the mesh), the noise is all but gone. It was mainly the bad meshing that made 95% of the noise.

Maybe the Student’s innerts are different from the Master and the noise could be from something else...but Colchesters can be very quiet lathes.
 
Tom Kitta said:
View attachment 11984
This just sold in AB. So given the price plus fees above maybe a beaten old student is not such a bad idea? I would not pay a $1000 for lathe in the picture, maybe I am missing something given sale price of around $3000.
Click to expand...

Well, I guess auctions can be funny, depends who's bidding etc. I'm with you, hard to imagine it being worth that much looks like an old flat belt machine. All in the eyes of the beholder I guess.
 
RobinHood said:
I can’t comment on the Student - because I don’t have one (or ever ran one). I can, however, give some info regarding the Master. There were similar comments on PM about my lathe, and I was reluctant to buy one. But I did it anyway. Yes, the headstock was noisy, but not because of the spindle bearings, but rather because of an intermediate shaft gear alignment issue and poor lubrication to it (by design from factory). In this thread I deal with the problem:

https://canadianhobbymetalworkers.c...-and-gear-bushing-replacment.1186/#post-11760

Together with a new clutch shift fork (it was worn unevenly and marginally designed), better lube (for more even distribution to the parts), and the new gear bushing with an offset shift fork for it (to improve the mesh), the noise is all but gone. It was mainly the bad meshing that made 95% of the noise.

Maybe the Student’s innerts are different from the Master and the noise could be from something else...but Colchesters can be very quiet lathes.
Click to expand...
Yes, I've seen / heard some mostly quiet ones too and heard more good than bad about them. Still on my list of "desireables".
 
I have the Chipmaster lathe which is the top dog (as far as I known) of their small lathe line and was to compete with US Hardinge lathes. I noticed zero issues with the headstock. It is build like a tank. Main issue is the nosy variator made in Switzerland. There are only few gears in the head stock.
 
That snippet of bid history looks like "auction fever", to me. Two bidders going toe-to-toe in the final minutes of the auction. Both #2 and #9 bid $2,500 at the same reported time. #2 must have been a fraction of a second earlier to be given the nod as the "winner". I presume #9 had time, via soft close, to increase his bid but decided that enough was enough.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

Craig
 
While some junk goes for 2500 in AB plus fees that poor student cannot find a new home - I am sure 250 or even 200 would have taken it home now. It is $100 in scrap yard value. Maybe no one in Ontario has any time to play some restore on her?
 
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