A Few Machines from my Workshop

[awemawson]

As a newcomer here I thought rather than expand my 'Hello' post I'd start a thread showing a few machines from my workshop.

What floats my boat is taking something, usually unloved, and often slightly off the main line of things, and bringing it back to life for my own use. In the last few years I've restored / rebuilt several machines.

Starting with my Colchester Master 2500. I bought this when I was contemplating early retirement. At the time I had two Colchester Students - a 'Roundhead' gap bed and a 'flat head' straight bed - both I'd rebuilt but I didn't need two lathes - the gap bed was relatively slow at 550 rpm tops, and the straight bed was faster at 1200 rpm. But which to keep? I decided to trade them both in for the Master 2500, which was a long bed with gap with a top speed of 2500. The machine was relatively tidy but had seen some work. The ways were rather worn by the headstock and it needed a little love and attention. I farmed out regrinding the bed and other ways, turciting the sadle and scraping it back to alignment. Came out very well in the end and some twelve years later it's still a nice lathe to use. Pictured here in my previous workshop before I move a few years back.

[awemawson]

Next on the list of useful machine in my workshop has to be my Bridgeport milling machine. It's a 1969 belt change that I found in an injection moulding shop where I was buying some bits. It was literally buried under a heap of plastic offcuts and beads. It had ceased to be used when various bits stopped working, and had been abandoned lonely and unloved in a corner :(

Folding money changed hands and it followed me home precariously balanced on a single axle trailer on the back of my Volvo 240 estate - a nerve wracking journey if ever there was one!

Total strip down, all ways reground professionally, new leadscrews and nuts, many new bits in the head and the addition of a shaper head make it a very versatile machine.

[awemawson]

Another handy machine is my J&S 540 surface grinder. I got it in fairly complete condition, just tidying it up and adding a Newall DRO. I also added the PG Optidress wheel forming attachment which fixes on the head of the grinder.

[awemawson]

In the same area I have my J&S 1300 EUIR cylindrical grinder. Capable of 27" x 10" work, and holding tenths of a thou easily despite not being used very often. It's well equipped with internal spindles, large variety of work holding faceplates, collets, chucks and magnetic vices. I was lucky enough to arrive at a tool dealer as he was scrapping one, so acquired all it's accessories and tooling.

[awemawson]

Still in the grinding area - I've got my Clarkson Mk2 Tool and Cutter Grinder. All I've done to this is replace the spindle bearings, and voraciously acquire any accessories I've been able to track down. I now have, apart from the normal centres and sleeves, the Drill Point and Tap Lead grinding attachment, the Air Bearing Flute Grinding attachment, the Radius Grinding attachment, and the Clarkson three axis vice. Still missing the Controlled Spiral attachment.

[awemawson]

Moving on to more recently acquired machines, there is my Fanuc Tapecut Model M wire EDM machine. Although I already had, and had resurrected, a die sinker EDM machine, wire EDM was new to me.

Basically working but much neglected this machine was me dipping my toe into new areas ! The Fanuc control was working except that it's control panel had so many keys, lamps and buttons not working it was impossible to tell what it was doing. The wire path on the machine wobbled all over the place and was obviously in need of attention. Wire guides in the less critical areas are ceramic pulleys with small ball races in their centres. These all had to be pressed out and replaced. Not all ceramic pulleys survived the experience and some had to be re-made. The critical guides for the final part where the wire enters and leaves the work are rubies, and thankfully were sound.

[awemawson]

In the less precise category, I've recently upgraded my sheet metal work equipment. I have a 1250 mm by 2 mm guillotine that came to me with a faulty trip clutch and broken pull down straps that someone had welded rather badly. Ended up having to pretty well strip it right down to get the flywheel and dog clutch out to re-machine on the Bridgeport. Back together now and very useful.

[doubleboost]

You are well "tooled up"
The EDM sounds interesting
Looking forward to pictures
John

[awemawson]

In the same category is an FJ Edwards Box and Pan folder (4 foot x 2mm )to replace my Gabro BF1000 which only bends 1 metre wide. This was in a bit of a rusty state when I came across it, so a few before and after pictures follow:

[awemawson]

Here is another machine that came to me as a bit of a state. It's a 'Dominion Elliot Universal Woodworker' comprising a rip saw, a cross cut radial saw and a 16" planer / surfacer. When I got it every adjustment and slide was rusted up as it had been pushed to one side in a barn for years and left to rot. It's proved very useful in last years house re-build :)