astronowbot

I tried this in another forum with no luck, maybe this is the right one. I have a chance to buy this lathe for $1500 but it has a couple problems and was wondering what the chances were for an easy, cheap fix.

• Colchester Mascot 1600
• Colchester Mascot 1600 Clutch Adjustment

Colchester Mascot 1600

Colchester mascot 1600 operators and service manual download.

#1 The drive clutch linkage has been disconnected I guess, because the lever just flops up and down and does nothing. The spindle runs any time the motor runs and they have been using it that way. If the clutch is trash and they just cobbled it together so they could use it, any idea what am I looking at $ wise, and are parts available. #2 The threading feed screw does not turn.

I can turn it easy with my fingers and feels smooth. Is there a sheer pin on it. Probably related, of the 3 levers on the feed gear box above the joystick, the one on the right feels like it is not connected to anything. Could that have left it between 2 gears so the feed screw does not turn.

Again any wide guesses as to what I'm up against. It has been at this shop doing one job that did not need the problems fixed, at least that is what he said. I've about decided it is more of a project than I need but thought I would ask anyway. What do they do if they want to run in reverse? You need to remove the clutch cover plate at the back of the headstock and have a look inside.

The central bobbin in between the two clutches should slide freely from side to side. It should engage with a positive clunk when going in either forward or reverse. I can't remember if there's a shear pin or not, I've changed feed box shear pins on the smaller 'Colchesters' but I've never changed one on the bigger machines.

I seem to remember the shear pins I did change being on the input side of the feed box not the out put side. Regards Tyrone.

One job machines are frequently set-up to be driven by one job or low skilled operators so its quite likely for something to have been removed from the QC gear change mechanics simply to stop any lever pulling games selecting screw cutting rather than feed and confusing the driver. If the power feed side works fine bringing the screw cutting back shouldn't be too expensive.

But do verify that the half nuts and other gubbins are still in the saddle and functional. Clutches are tough but they do inevitably wear as being designed to slip whilst the spindle comes up to speed and require adjustment which often proves too hard for low end mechanics. $64,000 question is has the thing been locked up tight 'cos they couldn't figure the adjustment or is it sufficiently worn so as to be beyond adjustment anyway without spending big ass £. Inverter drives aren't unreasonably expensive and give effective reverse / run up to speed functions. If everything else checks out and the price is still right after adding an inverter its probably not worth worrying about the clutch. If you can get the clutch to work then its more of a bargain. Frequency drive is the way to solve the clutch issue if its broken badly or to expensive to repair.

But make sure sure you get enough torque in the low rpm´s as for threadcutting and turning max od. You should see to that you have good filter (if in homeconditions), brake-resistors, analog input to control rpm - that you can use for 'constant' sfm when facing etc. Device like above is however somewhat costly and you might end up paying as much as for the lathe itself. I would be very surprised if there is no shear pin or similar device on the lead screw but be prepared it might cost. Halfnuts you should be able to check that they are in place and doing something by first closing the halfnuts and then try to move the saddle.

Colchester Mascot 1600 Clutch Adjustment

Also u can try rotating the lead screw by hand, should actually move the saddle. Is the lead screw going inside the gearbox un-divided? If not you should have a drive shaft coming out of the gear box connection to the leadscrew just outside with possible shearpin connecting them. There are very few free lunches.