# Old Colchester



## mfletch (Dec 29, 2014)

Hi all a friend of mine said he knows where there's a old lathe and its going to be scrapped so I said lets have a look at it first;

Anyway I fell in love with the old lathe its a Colchester dated 1918-1919 I had to save this peace of history 

It had been in a barn for 20 years just left to rust

The story didn't end there as I found out the lathe used to belong to a Thomas William Ward of Sheffield

Thomas William Ward was born in 1853, at the age of 15 he started work as a coal merchant and in 1878 he had his own business as a small domestic fuel supplier. Throughout the 1870's there was a big demand for scrap metal in Sheffield and 1881 with the help of his brothers Joseph and Arthur he began a scrap metal business that became vital to Sheffield's foundries and steelmakers. Thomas Ward developed an expertise in dismantling big structures such as ships and he eventually became the biggest scrap metal dealer in the country

http://www.nfa.dept.shef.ac.uk/jungle/index4d3.html

I've got lots of pictures but here is a small selection of the pictures 

[video=youtube;T3DlPdpwixw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3DlPdpwixw&amp;google_comment_id=z12qzzpomw3c  sjg1x23ldfxgwtq4gzik4&amp;google_view_type[/video]


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## autonoz (Dec 29, 2014)

Great find and awsome work. Beautifyl machine.


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## Terrywerm (Dec 29, 2014)

You've done a beautiful job of cleaning her up and bringing her back to the land of the living, so to speak. I applaud your efforts!


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## mfletch (Dec 29, 2014)

I think another 5 years would have finished her,


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## core-oil (Dec 29, 2014)

Nice piece of history Mfletch, You have done a good job in bringing her back from the brink, I have an old 1920/s cone drive Colchester ,(3 cones flat belt drive with back gear from an overhead countershaft) I was taught turning on a similar one when I was 15 years of age in 1955, so therefore it is of sentimental attachment to me.


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## Lood (Dec 29, 2014)

Very nicely done, Mfletch. I have a question, if you don't mind: how do you get the bare surfaces back to shine as they do?
The surfaces on my lathe has no rust, but they're quite dull looking and I'd like to "polish" them up a bit. I tried a wire brush in the hand drill and helped somewhat, but they're still a way from what I'm looking for.
Your advice will be appreciated.


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## Smithdoor (Dec 29, 2014)

Very nicely done

Dave



mfletch said:


> Hi all a friend of mine said he knows where there's a old lathe and its going to be scrapped so I said lets have a look at it first;
> 
> Anyway I fell in love with the old lathe its a Colchester dated 1918-1919 I had to save this peace of history
> 
> ...


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## mfletch (Dec 30, 2014)

Lood said:


> Very nicely done, Mfletch. I have a question, if you don't mind: how do you get the bare surfaces back to shine as they do?
> The surfaces on my lathe has no rust, but they're quite dull looking and I'd like to "polish" them up a bit. I tried a wire brush in the hand drill and helped somewhat, but they're still a way from what I'm looking for.
> Your advice will be appreciated.




It only looks that clean because it's just been cleaned I used a very stiff wire cup brush in the hand grinder nice and steady though then I coted it with EP 90 gear oil it's the oil that's giving its shine it's ann gone back to a old brownish colour now 

and believe me it took a long time


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## Lood (Dec 30, 2014)

OK, thanks for the reply.


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## Ulma Doctor (Dec 30, 2014)

Hi mfletch ,

what a beautiful lathe!!!!!!
:man:


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## Ski (Dec 30, 2014)

Your lathe looks great !


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