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Post by simplyloco on Oct 25, 2022 15:28:55 GMT
The lathe arrived today. The boxes were a bit heavier than I expected, and when I opened them the reason became clear. The seller had decided to clear his workshop and I was the lucky recipient!  Here's a better view. Hundreds of carbide tools, drills with ground 0MT shanks, 29 various 0MT hard centres including a drill pad, cup and flange, you name it. Two live centres - male and female, precision chuck, unused fixed steady and stuff too numerous to document!  It has the M1.5 spindle, and has obviousely done a lot of work, but I've overhauled the slides, trued up the tailstock (0.015" out), oiled up everything and it works fine e.g.  There is no perceptible runout on the SS 1/8" bar...  I'm quite chuffed with it, although the RPM seems a little pedestrian for such a small lathe! I checked the speed using my Roman built tacho, and it was spot on 880, so I'm open to suggestions to speed things up a little. I also don't 'get' how the back gear works as the book says to disengage the driven pulley!  |
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uuu
Elder Statesman
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Post by uuu on Oct 25, 2022 15:37:27 GMT
I think you disconnect the belt pulley from the spindle, so it doesn't drive direct - it spins free. Grub screw? But it still spins the gear mounted on its left, which engages with the layshaft behind, which in turn drives the spindle by the overhanging gear on the left end.
Wilf
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Post by simplyloco on Oct 25, 2022 17:12:00 GMT
I think you disconnect the belt pulley from the spindle, so it doesn't drive direct - it spins free. Grub screw? But it still spins the gear mounted on its left, which engages with the layshaft behind, which in turn drives the spindle by the overhanging gear on the left end. Wilf Got it! Never had to use one before! |
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uuu
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Post by uuu on Oct 25, 2022 17:27:52 GMT
The Cowells website suggests this lathe will go up to 2100 rpm, so you should be able to do that at least. Me, I'd fit a teeny three-phase motor on it with a VFD drive, to get a fully variable speed, and maybe a bit faster. Both off ebay - needn't cost too much.
Wilf
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uuu
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Post by uuu on Oct 25, 2022 17:43:49 GMT
Of course, just as one wonders how someone would pay £10,000+ for a Myford, paying £3,500+ for one of these tiny things is also a stretch.
They are rather sweet, though.
Wilf
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wink
Active Member
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Post by wink on Oct 27, 2022 21:27:40 GMT
The later models have a different countershaft with double motor pulley to give the 2100rpm top speed. The older versions will only do about 850rpm. Expensive to upgrade. But they are lovely little lathes with a good range of accessories still available to order.
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Post by ettingtonliam on Oct 28, 2022 6:29:15 GMT
Was it just a matter of upgrading the countershaft to get 2100rpm, or were the bearings upgraded as well?
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Post by Jo on Oct 28, 2022 7:24:49 GMT
The earliest Cowells (1977) had a 1/2"BSF thread nose the same as the Perris PL90 and dimples on the headstock for oiling the headstock bearings. They retained the oil pockets on the headstock when they went over to the legacy 14mm by 1.5mm threaded nose.
Is one of the spare spindles the later 1mm thread?
Jo
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Post by simplyloco on Oct 28, 2022 7:43:27 GMT
The earliest Cowells (1977) had a 1/2"BSF thread nose the same as the Perris PL90 and dimples on the headstock for oiling the headstock bearings. They retained the oil pockets on the headstock when they went over to the legacy 14mm by 1.5mm threaded nose. Is one of the spare spindles the later 1mm thread? Jo Hi JO. It is 14 x 1.5mm. There is a new spare spindle which is the same. I have 'fettled it up' by adjusting gibs and headstock bearings and now it runs quietly and smoothly. Everything works as it should, apart from some belt slip when I'm being a little too ambitious! The finish obtained on a piece of 3/8" steel was quite amazing! I just love the way all the bits fit together: the rear toolpost is a perfect fit on the cross slide, and the die holder is a similar fit on the tailstock barrel. Lovely! The seller bought a new headstock in the expectation of greater accuaracy: I don't think he realised that the bearings could be adjusted without resorting to this. I fitted the new one for the hell of it, and it made no difference. and the back gear barrell is a different size, so I took it off again! Anyone want to buy a headstock? I owned a Unimat SL for a while and moved it on. This is in a different league but I will have to speed it up a bit. I can do without the lower speeds so I might just make two replacement pulleys to bump the speed range, provided there is clearance at the motor end. I ordered the Bolton Triple Expansion yesterday... John |
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Post by ettingtonliam on Oct 28, 2022 11:27:32 GMT
I'll be interested to hear your report on the Bolton castings when you get them.
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Post by simplyloco on Oct 28, 2022 18:07:38 GMT
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Post by ettingtonliam on Oct 31, 2022 11:24:11 GMT
Are the spindle nose and tailstock barrel 1MT or 0MT? Reason I ask is that I've got a new old stock, still in its wax, 1MT -0MT reducer sleeve that I will never use. Could you use it?
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Post by simplyloco on Oct 31, 2022 11:40:12 GMT
Are the spindle nose and tailstock barrel 1MT or 0MT? Reason I ask is that I've got a new old stock, still in its wax, 1MT -0MT reducer sleeve that I will never use. Could you use it? Good morning! The spindles are both 0MT. However, I could use some of the Cowells tooling in my EMCO V10P if I had one as I have a 1-2MT adaptor... John |
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Post by ettingtonliam on Oct 31, 2022 13:26:52 GMT
PM me with your address and I'll put it in the post
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Post by simplyloco on Oct 31, 2022 14:22:01 GMT
PM me with your address and I'll put it in the post Brill! Many thanks John |
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wink
Active Member
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Post by wink on Nov 1, 2022 15:26:55 GMT
Well done with the new drive pulley! I feel ashamed now that I've been too lazy to bother...
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Post by simplyloco on Nov 4, 2022 13:38:22 GMT
PM me with your address and I'll put it in the post Received today, many thanks! John |
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Post by ettingtonliam on Nov 4, 2022 14:45:42 GMT
Thats not bad for Royal Mail! Posted Thursday morning in Warwickshire, delivered in Hampshire Friday morning.
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Post by simplyloco on Nov 4, 2022 15:32:56 GMT
Thats not bad for Royal Mail! Posted Thursday morning in Warwickshire, delivered in Hampshire Friday morning. I'll have to find a way of thanking you for it. I might have something up my sleeve!  |
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