Master precision Machinist level

[SouthernChap]

Here's my opinion, and this is only my opinion.

Skip those two and get something with the controls properly laid out.

The design of those seem to be made to keep children's faces out of the line of fire with the chuck and seem like they would be less than ergonomic to use once you know what you're doing.

BTW, here's a couple of posts giving an honest update about where I've got to so far: https://www.hobby-machinist.com/thr...aned-fettled-and-the-rest.108513/post-1080871

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Interesting. The Colchester brand in general and the Student especially seems to be highly regarded

Which other English lathes (as those tend to be much easier to find in the UK) would you suggest?

I think when I upgrade I'd want it to be be something with a quick change gearbox.

BTW, upgrading isn't in the near future.

No, stick with Clausing-Colchester. I have a Calusing 13x36 mark1 in my garage, wonderful machine.

Its just that those two models were made for a specific reason, teaching.

I personally just don't like the layout, and wouldn't recommend them.

 

[SouthernChap]

No, stick with Clausing-Colchester. I have a Calusing 13x36 mark1 in my garage, wonderful machine.

Its just that those two models were made for a specific reason, teaching.

I personally just don't like the layout, and wouldn't recommend them.

Is it where the carriage handwheel is located that you're not keen on (towards the front versus towards the back of the apron)? I hadn't noticed that difference. On some images of Colchester lathes, the handwheel is towards the front of the apron, on most that I've seen though (especially the Student) the hand wheel is towards the rear.

I did think about Myford Super 7s (in the UK Myford 7 series lathes seem to be the go-to recommendation for hobbyists) but the through bore is only just over half an inch and that seems a little on the small size. Maybe I'm being too picky and besides, an upgrade for me won't happen for a year or so anyway.

Anyway, all different opinions are interesting, to me at least.

 

[AllenV]

Is it where the carriage handwheel is located that you're not keen on (towards the front versus towards the back of the apron)? I hadn't noticed that difference. On some images of Colchester lathes, the handwheel is towards the front of the apron, on most that I've seen though (especially the Student) the hand wheel is towards the rear.

I did think about Myford Super 7s (in the UK Myford 7 series lathes seem to be the go-to recommendation for hobbyists) but the through bore is only just over half an inch and that seems a little on the small size. Maybe I'm being too picky and besides, an upgrade for me won't happen for a year or so anyway.

Anyway, all different opinions are interesting, to me at least.

As far as I know, on the Clausing Colcheter Student and master. The standard bed (they called it a straight bed) put the carriage wheel on the left. The gap beds have the carriage wheel on the right.

 

[Larry$]

half an inch and that seems a little on the small size

Depends on what you want to make. You can save quite a lot of material by being able to put the stock through the spindle, turn you part, part it off and not have wasted much at all. If you have to cut the stock extra long so you can hold a piece in the chuck you are going to waste a fair %.
4" part, 3/4" in chuck 1/4" for parting and finishing. =25% waste. 4" part, 1/4" for parting and finishing with the rest of the stock still in the bore = 6.5% waste. Maybe I'm just a tightwad but ..... My lathe has an 1.55" bore and I sometime wish it was larger.
1"x 36" Brass bar stock from Online metals $155 +frt $16 + tax $12 = $183. 25% waste = $46 6.5% = $12....... Your small bore just cost you $34 on just one piece of metal. Whether you can buy it cheaper or not doesn't really matter, it is still a significant cost.

I just checked Midweststeelsupply.com prices, a lot cheaper. But the waste % still holds.

 

[SouthernChap]

Depends on what you want to make. You can save quite a lot of material by being able to put the stock through the spindle, turn you part, part it off and not have wasted much at all. If you have to cut the stock extra long so you can hold a piece in the chuck you are going to waste a fair %.
4" part, 3/4" in chuck 1/4" for parting and finishing. =25% waste. 4" part, 1/4" for parting and finishing with the rest of the stock still in the bore = 6.5% waste. Maybe I'm just a tightwad but ..... My lathe has an 1.55" bore and I sometime wish it was larger.
1"x 36" Brass bar stock from Online metals $155 +frt $16 + tax $12 = $183. 25% waste = $46 6.5% = $12....... Your small bore just cost you $34 on just one piece of metal. Whether you can buy it cheaper or not doesn't really matter, it is still a significant cost.

I just checked Midweststeelsupply.com prices, a lot cheaper. But the waste % still holds.

Yep, the Colchester lathes all seem to have a around a 1.5 inch bore and I was surprised to see a half inch bore on such a well recommended lathe like the Myford 7 series lathes.

Given everybody's advice seems to alway be 'buy bigger than you think you'll need", it seemed surprising that such a limitation appears to be ignored.

Maybe it's due to the strong tradition of 'model engineering' in the UK. That kind of work might not require the larger through bore and so the Myford 7 and Super 7 lathes became the go-to recommendation over here.

They are kind sexy looking too.

 

[jwmay]

Given everybody's advice seems to alway be 'buy bigger than you think you'll need", it seemed surprising that such a limitation appears to be ignored.

This belief is fairly young, as I take it. Most home shop guys of the 1900’s had an Atlas, Craftsman, Southbend, or Logan 6-10” machine. All have small spindle bores. It was just the way it was.

 

[tim81]

It’s your money. Lol. My daughter buys clothes with torn and ripped holes in them brand new. My opinion of either purchase is completely irrelevant. And 90 percent of people here wouldn’t spend money on what I have. Enjoy!

All tastes are good

 

[Nesse1]

I received the VIS 12" today and she's a beaut! It weights almost 3 lbs. The seller packaged the level inside it's wood box, but it moved around inside the box in transit, and punched out the ends of the box. Repairable, and the seller was cool and gave me a nice kickback for beer money while I glue it back together. All good...

 

[Old Iron Guy]

Hi guys,

I was looking into the measuring tools for lathe/mill and I found this”

Accusize Industrial Tools 12'' Master Precision Level in Fitted Box, Accuracy 0.0002''/10'', S908-C687”​

while venturing on Amazon:

https://a.co/d/iBVhZ76

Do I need to get a precision machinist level at my very very early stages of learning.

=Tim

IMHO you need a decent level but that's overkill to start. I've done lots of accurate machining after levelling various lathes with a relatively cheap Starrett's 0.001 level. When I started a carpenters level was better than nothing (and better than a 100 year old lathe). Once you have a bunch of projects behind you and start to chase tenths then it gets more critical. I have one now but sometimes wonder what I get from it. It really makes you realize how even big cast iron lathe beds warp, set and twist. Takes a lot of experience and care and attention to detail if you want to reach tenth accuracy on a manual lathe, no matter how you level it. Especially if its something many decades old or a poorly built far east machine.