Gunsmithing I bought this Clausing Lathe...new shop pics up!!!

[Mgordon]

I just made my first big purchase. I got a Clausing Colchester 2500 in really good shape. It is in very good condition (my opinion) it also has a 4 Jaw, face plate, taper attachment and lathe dog plate. I need to find out what kind of tool post is on it and get some tool holders. I have plenty of tool bits and tail stock attachments, but other than that I have it already wired into my 3 phase panel and ready to rock. Does anybody know the name or kind of tool post on this lathe, there is not T-slot on the cross slide to change to an Aloris quick change, just a threaded shaft coming up. Here are the pictures.....

 

[Luke]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Have fun! You can potentially make ALOT of money with a machine like that...

 

[Mgordon]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Well, i need tool holders first......I need to figure out where I can find some!!!

 

[Glen Seekins]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

good buy !

Not sure what tool holder you have, but Aloris would most likely attach. you just need to replace the stud with T slot in the aloris with what you have. Or you play machinist and put a T slot in yours or make the stud the proper size..
I would probably just swap to an aloris (real one, not knock off) and buy your tool holders. Wedge type is what i would get.

 

[Glen Seekins]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Almost looks like you have one of these tool posts.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Aloris-Indexable-Too...=item45e6755514

Here is a good buy...I like spending someone elses tool budget for a change. You should tool up a CNC

(dont know if its the correct size for your lathe, might need the AXA?)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ALORIS-GENUINE-TOOL-...=item56332f2069

 

[rsracer65]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Great buy, a future purchase I have been educating myself on partially from your posts.

Thanks!

Adam

 

[scout67]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

I have not seen one like that but I will look in my catalogs at my shop tomrrow. Nice looking lathe, hope you enjoy them as much as I.

 

[Mgordon]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Thanks alot HeatSeekins and Scout67 for the help. Scout67, if you can find out what style that is it would help out and give me more options.

Adam, if I can be your test dummy just let me know. I have everything all wired up and I'm just waiting on tool holders.

 

[DAVETOOLEY]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

It's not an Aloris tool post. It was probably made by Clausing and came with the lathe. Do yourself a favor and hide it somewhere where you can't find it. Get on EB and get an Aloris.

 

[scout67]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Handgunner, I am still looking. I have not forgotten about it. It is an odd ball. I will let you know if I find something.

 

[x ring accuracy]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

And no comments about the 1st pic. SnipersHide is truly a gentlemens message board. Nice lathe and happy chip making.

 

[Fritzcat]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

I will check Mon. Have a larger one on a American Turnmaster 16x80

 

[trilogymac]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Super fine!
Congratulations your gonna love it.

Trilogymac

 

[scout67]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Handgunner
Dave was right, the tool post probably came with the lathe. I don't think that it is actually made by clausing but they do sell tool holders for it. I called one of their dealers in Dallas and he faxed me some info on the tool holders and on the compound. The picture matches yours. You can go to Clausing's website and look under workholding. Scroll down to "Tool holder top slide and rear quick change block". The toolholders for your lathe should be 15-776(for 3/4" cutters) and 15-777(for 3/4" bits and a V groove in the bottom for boring bars). I know these don't look much liked they would fit but from the info that was faxed to me they are the correct ones. I could mail these papers to you if you would like. These tool holders are expensive. According to the price list faxed to me, the prices are $295 and $355 apiece. They dealer that I talked to suggested either cutting a T-slot or removing the stud and mounting a standard Aloris type tool post. Good luck and let me know if there is anything else that I can do to help.

 

[Fritzcat]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

The one at the shop is a larger size, It is an Enco. The dept settings have a large thumbwheel, a smaller locking thumbwheel, and a set-screw if you want to use it. This is very adjustable and solid for repeatability.

 

[CaptLink]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Check on some of the machinery groups like the practical machinist with pictures you may also find the parts you are missing I know that is a awesome lathe you lucky stiff You could make your own holders look at some pictures of other quick change tool posts for ideas.

 

[1SMALLJOHNSON]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Only 1 problem. The shop is FAR too clean!

 

[Mgordon]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Fritzcat and Scout67,

Thank you for the time and energy on your search. I think I have a decent solution right now that I'm pursuing. I also came up with the same results, $350 for 1 tool holder.......

I removed the shaft in the compound and found out its a metric thread. Its 12mm x ????? I dont have a metric pitch gauge. I also bought a pretty decent Aloris style tool post. Its nice and tight and seems to be halfway well made. It will work for now, I plan on replacing it down the road with an actual Aloris or Dorian system. As of right now I need to find somebody local to make me a shaft that has the correct metric thread and jumps up from 12mm to 5/8's and then has a standard thread. This shaft will screw into the compound and secure my tool post with its 5/8's inside dia. and then provide enough thread exposure to use the top locking nut. Right now I'm just using a metric bolt to secure the tool post to the compound, there is about .2" play betweeen the bolt and the inside dia of the tool post. Not ideal, just temporary until I can get a new shaft made. My lathe did not come with any metric gearing...

Anyway, here are a few pictures of the shop as of now. I added a really nice work bench, plus a few little items.

Dealing with zoning and sending my FFL Type 7 application off is the next thing. This building does not have its own address, and our zoning does not want to grant it one unless its a residence. I just might have to move in...haha

You can see in this picture the metric bolt that secures my tool post......for the moment.

Here is the Spider I made with my Hardinge Diving head that came with the lathe. I also picked up 2 Hardinge 5C collet chucks, and another Hardinge 4V Collet dividing head. I paid an extra $100 for them!!!

 

[Mgordon]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

This work bench was picked up for $20. It was taken out of a huge machine shop and they were basically throwing them away. It has great lighting, drawers, shelves, and plenty of space underneath for storage.

Here is an old South Bend lathe that we have on our farm, I cleaned it up and I will use it for big stuff and doing projects for our farm. Its belt driven and does not turn very fast. Its an oldie but a goodie!

 

[300sniper]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

looks like you have a real nice set up there. while you are tooling up the new lathe, i'd buy a new chuck back plate for your spindle and make a spider chuck. it shortens up the overall length of your headstock and if you use fine thread screws, makes it much easier to dial a barrel in.

edit: one cool thing about clausing is there are still parts available for old lathes. i had a (guessing) 50+ year old clausing 6304 and they still carried parts for it.

 

[NukeMMC]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: US Handgunner</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here is an old South Bend lathe that we have on our farm, I cleaned it up and I will use it for big stuff and doing projects for our farm. Its belt driven and does not turn very fast. Its an oldie but a goodie!

</div></div>

That is the lathe that is installed on every submarine I have been on. It's what I was trained on. We had headstock dividing attachments, lathe-mounted milling and a toolpost grinder attachment.

 

[Mgordon]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: NukeMMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: US Handgunner</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here is an old South Bend lathe that we have on our farm, I cleaned it up and I will use it for big stuff and doing projects for our farm. Its belt driven and does not turn very fast. Its an oldie but a goodie!

</div></div>

That is the lathe that is installed on every submarine I have been on. It's what I was trained on. We had headstock dividing attachments, lathe-mounted milling and a toolpost grinder attachment. </div></div>


I hope your lathe did not have roller wheels on all corners like this one does...haha

 

[the gman]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Dude, your tool post is a very, very common one in the UK. Until I started a machine shop course here in the US, I had never seen any other kind of tool post.

That toolpost allows you to mount up to 3 different tool holders on the post at any one time. It also allows you to remove the tool holders whilst maintaining perfect center height. You can also use the main handle to adjust the angle of the cutting tool to the work piece without tools. You also have the index ability of the Aloris.

All in all, it's a great tool post system & if you don't want it, I'd take it off your hands for free & pay shipping....

 

[lightman]

Re: I bought this Clausing Lathe...new shop pics up!!!

US Handgunner,Nice shop,Nice equipment!Someone did some really nice looking conduit work. Pete

 

[NukeMMC]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

I didn't even see the wheels on it. How true are those bedways as a mobile assembly???

 

[scout67]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Handgunner,
I could make one at my shop if you would like. Send me a drawing with the dimensions. Or you could find a 5/8 bolt that is a little to long. Then cut the head off, turn down part of the bolt to 12mm and thread to the correct thread with a threading die. Let me know if I can do anything.

 

[scout67]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Handgunner,
Are you interested in selling one of the collet chucks? I love that style of chuck and have been looking for one. Nice looking old Southbend. A Southbend lathe is what I started on. Great looking shop, I hope you can get everything figured out for the FFL.

 

[1SMALLJOHNSON]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Looks just like my 16" SBL. Is it? I'm in the middle of "cleaning" mine up. Any thoughts on installing a spider on the old brute?

 

[Mgordon]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: NukeMMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Its never been checked. I have a nice Starrett Machine level that I used for mine.

Its level right now, and I have the posts resting right on the concrete, should I have metal or something under the leveling screws to protect the concrete or to help keep it level?

 

[NukeMMC]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: US Handgunner</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: NukeMMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

First, here's some good info if you don't already have it:
http://www.wswells.com/partslist/lubrication_chart_6503.pdf

When we set machines for our customers, we normally anchor them, herd shim for precision level (we use optical alignment to get very accurate level - within 0.001" on machine tools) then grout. When checking level on your ways, ensure your precision level is one that will show a very slight change in level (the bubble moves 1/16-1/8" when a .003" shim is placed under one end of the level).

 

[Mgordon]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1SMALLJOHNSON</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Looks just like my 16" SBL. Is it? I'm in the middle of "cleaning" mine up. Any thoughts on installing a spider on the old brute? </div></div>

It looks like it could be done. Mine just has such a long headstock/gearhead length. Plus the spindle bore is actually quite small for a lathe this size. Let me know if you need help making it.

Mark

 

[oneeyedmac]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Your lathe is just like mine only newer. They weren't made by Clausing, they were mad in Europe by Harrison. What you have there (and I have in my shop) is a Harrison M250. Actually yours may be the Harrison M300. These are very precise and very, very well made. Yours is a lot cleaner than mine. Mine came out of a technical school in Pennsylvania and then went to a small shop in Richmond, Ohio and it was replaced by a CNC. I traded an AR15 and a Swiss K31 for mine. Not bad since I've seen these advertised for upwards of $6,000. I really like it and you will too. This link will have some info for you:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/harrison-m/

Since you showed us your I'll show you mine:

If you need any help wading through the ATF paperwork I've been through it with the Columbus office and I'll help if I can.

 

[Mgordon]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: oneeyedmac</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Your lathe is just like mine only newer. They weren't made by Clausing, they were mad in Europe by Harrison. What you have there (and I have in my shop) is a Harrison M250. Actually yours may be the Harrison M300. These are very precise and very, very well made. Yours is a lot cleaner than mine. Mine came out of a technical school in Pennsylvania and then went to a small shop in Richmond, Ohio and it was replaced by a CNC. I traded an AR15 and a Swiss K31 for mine. Not bad since I've seen these advertised for upwards of $6,000. I really like it and you will too. This link will have some info for you:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/harrison-m/

Since you showed us your I'll show you mine:

If you need any help wading through the ATF paperwork I've been through it with the Columbus office and I'll help if I can. </div></div>

Thanks, I might actually take you up on that. I travel to OSU all the time.

I do see quite a few simulates between our lathes. I need a good DRO and a 3 jaw and I think i will be all set. I did some threading today. Worked great!!

 

[oneeyedmac]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Looking at yours makes me want to get some industrial paint and pretty the old girl up. Although beauty is in the eye of the beholder, unless you're wearing decent eye protection, then it bounces off.

I'm about 20 minutes north of Polaris and always available for a cup of coffee.

 

[hunter223]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

any new pics of the shop Mark?

 

[Clark]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

8 years ago I got this lathe from an auction for $800.
When my wife saw that ugly thing in the car port, her reaction was that I needed to build a shop.

So now I have a shop, and I have replaced the old 1967 Clausing with a new 2008 Precision Matthews.

 

[Mgordon]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

Nice, lets see the pictures of the new shop and lathe!!!

 

[AXEMAN]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

wow, those lathes take me back to Jr High industrial arts. i was gonna ask if all the lathes came with the cute rep to help with setup. nice stuff man, i may have to finally get a trade or see about an apprenticeship

 

[RMPSTRAT]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

what size is your Millport, looks just like mine which is a 9x42. I picked up a new lathe, nothing as nice as yours, I picked up a 12x36 Taiwanese lathe for the price of a surface grinder a friend gave me

 

[Mgordon]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Parga</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> what size is your Millport, looks just like mine which is a 9x42. I picked up a new lathe, nothing as nice as yours, I picked up a 12x36 Taiwanese lathe for the price of a surface grinder a friend gave me </div></div>

You know, I'm not quite sure what size the Millport is. It works pretty well for what I use and the only thing I can ask for is a DRO for the mill and lathe.

I do need a good surface grinder though. I'm filling up my shop very fast and I'm thinking that older Southbend will need to find a new home.

Mark

 

[RMPSTRAT]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

yeah the DRO is the next thing for me as well

 

[Mag 300]

Re: I bought this lathe.......Clausing Colchester 2500

They say that with a lathe and a milling machine you can make anything at all .
Congrats on the lathe!!
Bill