# Building 17" Colchester



## mike (Jan 7, 2017)

Hello all

I have posted in the past but its been a long time. I thought this might be a good place to post a project I am going to be starting and it will be over a long time I am sure. I will post pictures as it starts and I think this may help anyone with Colchester questions and maybe give and reciprocate ideas .   I do have a 13" round head 6500 and a 21" 8000 series that I had to dismantle quite a bit and get up and running.

What I have is a bed and stripped head stock and some other parts that was parted out from a 17" x 80 , 8000 series lathe. I was able to get a complete head stock, apron, saddle, and a partial feed/speed box . I have a stripped down tail stock , lead screw and some other odds and ends.

I know this sounds like a expensive project to start , but the bed and parts didn't cost anything, and the head stock , saddle , apron, and other items I have , well suffice it to say I have 500 bucks into it so far.

Its supposed to warm up a little this week , and I have the bed outside with grease on the ways and a tarp over it, I will be posting  pictures of it basically Before and After type pictures.

I hope not to bore anyone here and as my son said lets build it up and sell it, but I have to say if I go through this it would like trying to sell a kid. At least that's how I feel about it.

Mike


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## FOMOGO (Jan 7, 2017)

I'm sure we would all like to follow along on your build. Being away for the winter, I have to live vicariously through other folks projects, so post away. I know what you mean about them becoming like family members. Mike


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## mike (Jan 11, 2017)

Not to keep anyone hanging but I may not be able to start until next week or so , but I am making room in the shop to start this project. In the mean time if anyone should come across any parts or such for a 17" 8000 series please let me know , who knows what all may needed .    Thanks.  Mike


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## billd (Feb 4, 2017)

Mike, you don't happen to have a spare half nut for a Colchester Student mk1.5  . Like you I am also rebuilding a Colchester lathe and need a new half nut. Will be following your rebuild with interest.


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## mike (Feb 4, 2017)

I had hoped to have already started this project, but have had a few issues unrelated to the lathe that I am working on . At least I have the space to start now, so maybe later this week. As far as the half nuts go , I do not have any spares , wish I had, call Frank at FDK 3 in Texas he's a pretty good guy. I will be making some buts that's down the road.  Any way I will start by showing pictures of the piles of parts I have and hopefully start seeing some sort of assemblence as time marches on . Should be interesting.


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