Colchester Bantam Mk1 1600

[Dieselman 63]

My goodness. You have worked wonders with it. Your work inspires me to progress my own restoration efforts.

Yes, it certainly helps having the online community to kick-start me into more work. I was having a play on a lathe at polytech the other day, made me want to get my own finished so I can play on one at home, too!

 

[Carl Wilson]

There is nothing like having a machining capability when it comes to engineering type hobbies.

 

[Ton-up]

Yes, it certainly helps having the online community to kick-start me into more work. I was having a play on a lathe at polytech the other day, made me want to get my own finished so I can play on one at home, too!

You are going to use it then, it looks too good to use Chad!

 

[dobbslc]

What's a back lit sight glass?
Nice lathe DK!

 

[Carl Wilson]

Yes I'm interested in these back lit sight glasses.

 

[Dieselman 63]

What's a back lit sight glass?
Nice lathe DK!

I thought a backlit glass was one of the ones where the sight glass had a piece of reflective metal so you can see the oil level more clearly rather than staring into the abyss of the gearbox! I may have the term wrong!

 

[Dieselman 63]

You are going to use it then, it looks too good to use Chad!

Oh definitely.

I’m wondering though, there’s a Newall DRO for the bantam, does it work if there’s a taper turner attached to the lathe? The place it sits is a bit crowded...

 

[mylesdw]

Sight windows: these folk refer to them as 'standard type', 'level type' or 'open type'

http://www.bijurdelimon.com/fileadm.../24027_B_ACC_Window-Units-Flush-mnt_DS-R2.pdf

 

[Dieselman 63]

Rack on - had actually forgotten about the rack until I saw it on my shelf! One less thing to lose the screws for...

Found these pics on my phone - long way I’ve come, these are from Feb 2018.

 

[Carl Wilson]

Brilliant progress. Rock on and rack on.

 

[Dieselman 63]

VFD ordered. 1.5kw 230v 1ph to 400v 3ph.

I could really use this machine up and running!

 

[Brad93]

VFD ordered. 1.5kw 230v 1ph to 400v 3ph.

I could really use this machine up and running!

You can’t convert 230v to 400v can you? Without an inverter or rotary phase converter?

 

[Agroshield]

You can’t convert 230v to 400v can you? Without an inverter or rotary phase converter?

Conventional way is a static or rotary converter as you say.

You can modify some VFD's internally so they take in 230v single phase 50Hz and give out 415v three phase, at variable frequency. Have a look at Drives Direct in UK. I have had one of their 5HP units for over 10 years.

 

[mtt.tr]

You can’t convert 230v to 400v can you? Without an inverter or rotary phase converter?

I believe they use stepup transformers

 

[Hopefuldave]

You can’t convert 230v to 400v can you? Without an inverter or rotary phase converter?

Being versed in the ways of wiggly electricals (and a skinflint), I hacked a vintage ABB VFD to fool it into thinking it had 480v in - pretty simple, moving the incoming neutral onto the copper between the two banks of HV bus capacitors, linking two of the 3-phase live inputs together, it's now a voltage doubler after the mains rectifier.
Certainly voids all warranties, UL and CE approvals, shortens the life of the bus capacitors (when they are on the way out it tells you with an occasional "undervoltage" at high loads, not that expensive to change).

Probably causes Gerbil Warming and Ozone Depletion too, but it works and left me with a £50.20 4 kw 415v feed for the lathe's Unusual and Irreplaceable motor. The odd 20p was for a brass bolt and nuts and a spade terminal to go through a hole drilled in the PCB.

The rotary convertor has a step-up transformer though, to feed the mill and TIG 415 3-phase.

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[Dieselman 63]

I finally got the locking collars off this piece which runs in the bracket, holds the leadscrew in place. It wasn’t moving easily. Full of sawdust and oil - unsurprisingly. It’s going to be cleaned and the bracket is going to be filled and painted. Covid 19 has gifted me precious time!

 

[Dieselman 63]

I finished painting the headstock. This has enabled me to finally screw it to the bed. There’s also a locating pin which you have to hammer in. I used foam plugs from packaging to block the holes, worked well. These holes contain bronze plugs which act as bushes, you can adjust them as required. The stoppers were a pain to get out and worse to get back in, so I filed the slot wider and used a drag link socket to put them back in, much easier.

 

[Dieselman 63]

The saddle is painted, and @Seadog ‘s nice oilers have been driven in. I’ve spent a bit of time today making new felt wipers, naturally using red felt to match

With the headstock painted, the chip guard can be installed, and now we’re really moving places!

 

[Dieselman 63]

All the headstock pulleys, bars for the cover and the changewheel banjo have been refitted, oiled, looks good. I need to work on that guard, but that’s purely cosmetic and isn’t holding anything else up. The Gamet badge I got off the student will look good on it!

Next project - the apron. There’s one more bit of filler to do, then paint. The end is in sight!

 

[Seadog]

It's good to see it so near to completion. I do like the aesthetic touch with the red felt

Don't forget to paint the tail stock