1953 Colchester Student Mk1 6" gap bed - A restoration project

[mygoggie]

From the other 4x4 forum I received a lead from John Lindsay (quite a while back I must say) for the oilers and the oil level windows.

I finally got to the stage in my timeline where I need to order these. Thanks again for the lead John as Lubrication Equipment, 6 Liebenberg Street, Alrode can supply the oil level windows but none of the 1/4" oil cups. No stock in SA. Sounds so familiar .... I need to wait six weeks which sounds fair as I am not in a hurry.

I now need to work out how many oilers I do need. The manual says something like 13 but I will need to check this.

Anyway tomorrow is another day for such fun!

[mygoggie]

The parcel from Stellenbosch arrived this morning. I really do not know what the hoo-ha is about TCG but they only give good service over here.

The two adapter clips are sturdy with a very strong spring action. The chrome work will not last over here for more than a few months. I will spray these with some Tectol I think. 





As I thought I will have to make two short DIN rail pieces. One for the contactors and one for the circuit breakers.






Now I need to work. Play time is over. 

[Gerlach]

@mygoggie nice to see you getting it close to finish. I got a South Bend 9" Lathe that still to clean up and resto and assemble it. Got it 5 years ago from someone that brought it all the way from Namibia and was standing in his garage. It was running that time. Got for free with box's of parts and tools and taps and adjustable reamer tools.

It looks like this one:

[mygoggie]

@mygoggie nice to see you getting it close to finish. I got a South Bend 9" Lathe that still to clean up and resto and assemble it. Got it 5 years ago from someone that brought it all the way from Namibia and was standing in his garage. It was running that time. Got for free with box's of parts and tools and taps and adjustable reamer tools.

It looks like this one:

I hope for your sake your lathe is shining like that! 

Look on groups.io and you will find the South Bend group. They will help you with all info you require.

Start your own thread so we all can see what you are doing ... or not ... 

[Gerlach]

@mygoggie nice to see you getting it close to finish. I got a South Bend 9" Lathe that still to clean up and resto and assemble it. Got it 5 years ago from someone that brought it all the way from Namibia and was standing in his garage. It was running that time. Got for free with box's of parts and tools and taps and adjustable reamer tools.

It looks like this one:

Hahahahah!!! i wish it looked like that. Mine is in a good condition but i just need to give a nice clean and polish and adjustment and a nice layer hammerite paint. It's got a massive V belt on the center shaft that i need to get off and get one of that adjustable belts in the photo from Bearing Man, because the adjustable speed configuration on that pulley setup can take a lot space.

Will post some pics when I'm busy with it   

[mygoggie]

Yesterday it was all work and no restoration work. This morning I grabbed an early hour to see how far I can get with the contactor mountings.

First step was to find the correct machine screws to fasten the contactor to the DIN rail adaptor. It appears that M4 is the size!

The holes line up perfectly! 






The DIN real measure, cut to size and mounting holes drilled.  And ... the mounting plate hole covered 100%. "Good job" says Brain in his sarcastic voice ... 





Oh well, as we say: "Boer maak 'n plan". I marked the location of the hole on the back of the DIN rail and the centre therof falls exactly on two different level surfaces. "Keep quiet Brain" was my first reaction!

No use drilling here. Best bet is to countersink first and then drill the hole.








Drilled and test fitting. Looks like it will allow a screwdriver to fit through ... Yes, it will allow the screwdriver access but the machine screw's head does not fit through.

Oh well, get the nasty dentist pain maker out and cut a shallow groove. There we are!

NO, the hole edges have NOT been cleaned so relax OCD guys.






Pop rivets fitted and ready for fixing.






And ... the machine screw fits but the alignment is out ... 

Out came the pain maker and some deeper root canal work is done. Note! No pain killer was administered!






This time I took my time and made sure it will fit and the screw aligns perfectly with the mounting post hole. All done and the mounting plate secured with the one contactor fitted.





And the second.






Next step is to decide what Circuit Breaker (C/B) to get and fit. I will aim for a similar one as this.






I need to see what the motor and coolant pump requirements are in terms if startup current and get the correct A3 rated C/B for this combined load. I also need to check what the characteristics of the C/B should be if the supply is a VFD.

I have also decided to run a seperate 230VAC feed to the DRO and the lamp circuits and mount this on a post with the Start/Stop/Reverse and E-stop buttons in this post mounted panel. Very similar to this design. It will just have the small panel below it.






Well that is what I had time for this morning. Now onto work!

Brain chirped something about his claxon .... 

 

[mygoggie]

I have asked on the Colchester Group at groups.io and @Don Kinzer was so kind to check against his lathe and the manual.

According to the manual these are the lubrication points to check.






As per @Don he found thirteen oilers as per his very welcome and detailed description: "The oilers on my Mk1.5 are 1/4" Gits-type oilers. I think that there are thirteen of them. Two on the top of the tailstock, two on the tailstock end of the bed where the feed rods end, two on top of the quick change gearbox, one on the front of the apron, one on the crossslide handle, one on the crosslide to feed the nut, two on the right side of the saddle, one on the compound and one on the compound handle."

I worked through the parts list and get to a total of 18 oilers. This as follows:

• Feed rod ends - 2
• Tailstock - 2
• Saddle and slides - 9
• Apron - 1
• Indicator dial - 1
• 120T change gear shaft - 1
• Gearbox lid - 2

Working though my project photos I find a total of 17. This then as follows:

• Feed rod ends - 2
• Tailstock - 2
• Saddle and slides - 4 (on the RH side of the saddle with two being in one slot) + 1 (cross-slide handle) + 1 (on cross-slide to oil the nut) + 1 (on cross-slide screw keep) + 1 (compound) + 1 (compound handle) = 9
• Apron - 1
• 120T change gear shaft - 1
• Gearbox lid - 2

I think I can reuse quite a few of the oilers so I will order ten new ones.

So my order to Lubrication Equipment therefore reads as follows:

• 10 off the ¼" oilers.
•   2 off the 1½" drive fit oil level windows with the steel backing plate with the two holes.

So there we are ... another item ticked off my list! 

[mygoggie]

I was itching to get the electrical panel done in terms of mounting everything. After an early dinner, I moved to the garage to tackle the final assembling work.

First was to fasten the contactors with the new machine screws I got this afternoon. Alas, the lady never gave me back my sample and now I am one screw short ... 

I will have to go back and get my sample! I am not going to let this stop me and fastened the contactors to the DIN rail plate adaptors with the seven screws I have in hand.






Yes, of course! A view from the other side!






The next step was to fasten the two old three pole switches. I scoured the internet to see how these should be mounted and it seems that the word "England" on each must face outwards ... maybe to defend the castle?

First I had to grease the rollers of the switches. I took some high temp grease from my Pajero restoration project and coated the rollers with a small coating of da blu grease.







Then it was onto fastening the switches facing the world. 

I am so glad I have a range of British AF spanners that work on this lathe. The nuts are ⁵/₁₆" and it was a breeze to tighten the nuts.






Alas ...    The Brutish Butcher was here as well!  He knocked the one machine screw's head wings (or whatever you call the two sides) together. I could not fit a screw driver in the slot. I drilled a hole in a block of wood to hold the screw and hammered the wing into position.

The next step was to cut the slot to size again. Always cut screw slots using a piece of wood to guide the saw. Then the slot will come out nice and to shape. I used a junior hacksaw for the task.






There we are, a new fancy looking slot!






Do not forget to align the switch so that the spindle is in the centre of the hole! Yeah, yeah I know. How do I know???






There we are! Switches mounted and fastened.






Next step was to mount the fuse holders. First step was to install the mounting plate.






Did I mention I am happy to have a ¹/₄" spanner just hanging around?

The other side for the OCD guys ... Yes, you can STILL see the spanner as well ...






Alas the Brutish Butcher was here as well. I did clean the fuse holders a few moons ago, but I never disassembled these. So when I wanted to fit the covers, these simply did not fit correctly. Somehow our meaty man got the insides the wrong way round when he assembled these. Took me nearly an hour to get everything loose and into the correct position.

There we are, holder and covers neatly in place. Sadly never to be used again.





Brain chirped from the side: "Show them the inside!"  OK, OK here you are






Last step was to mount the C/B DIN rail. I cut a new length of recycled DIN rail to suit the space.





The hole locations set out and punched. This time no screws covered! 






There we are. Just an isolator and a C/B to fill the space and let me get a better view of what is what. I must say it is a tight fit. I think I will run two bars across the termination blocks to fasten the wires onto. I will leave this design to Brain. He needs something to get his mind off his missing claxon ...





And yes .... 





Off to bed for me ... super tired after doing a gazillion things today.

Brain is also yawning ... 

[mygoggie]

Today I wanted to fit the enclosure onto the electrical panel to form the equipment closet.

Disaster ... 





Do you agree that the two distances look more or less the same?






With all my good intentions, the DIN rail adapter plates took up the vertical space between the contactor overload protection section and the inside surface of the enclosure.  I wonder why Brain is suddenly so quiet???

I have learned in a situation like this do something else and hope Brain creeps out of his hiding place and come up with a good plan.

So ... onwards we march. 

The plug connection block.





This fits onto the inside surface of the enclosure protrudes through this hole.





If you still do not understand, like this ... 





It will not matter if the plug connection block fits like this (original version) ...






 .... or like the mygoggie's version ...






Let me allow Brain to ponder on this issue. He is still sulking I think about his claxon ... maybe I must design one in that sounds when it is coffee time!

Assembling the plug block starts with screwing these three machine screws through the tubes and out the other side. 








Now I can measure the issue of the gap distance I need to solve. The level of the inside of the enclosure surface in the original installation is easy to transfer to the two contactor blocks.





Yes, the block is correctly plugged in. It is not skew. OK, maybe 2/1000" but if that bothers you, drink something ... 






If I measure carefully I get to 12mm I need.





At this stage I think the best option will be to make two spacer rings. One for the enclosure to mount onto and one for the plug block to mount through. I will see what gives me a safe 14mm clearance.

I can always take a screwdriver and a hammer and knock a hole in the enclosure so that the contactors can poke through.  I think our dear friend, the Brutish Butcher will agree with this solution!

I will wait on Brain to come up with yet another elegant solution!

 

[mygoggie]

I decided to sit on one of the two rescued chairs my wife almost finished fixing up this week. Why, because it started to rain and that is a time when you get quiet and enjoy this life giving gift.





Brain softly said: "Perspex" .... huh??

Then I remembered! My son built a router sled and he used a sheet of perspex for the sliding surface.     

Searched for two off-cuts and presto!







Fits perfectly! I think I will add a thin rubber strip on either side to give an effective oil and dust seal as well. A job for the weekend!

 

[mygoggie]

I had to do a trip to J'Bay to day to pick up a bearing puller I need for the Pajero project. I also visited one of my colleagues to discuss work related things. My Saturday therefore was a bit out of town for a change which was really nice.

This afternoon I decided to see if I can make the spacer around the plug socket block.

The first step was to stick some masking tape on an off-cut piece of Perspex.






Then I could measure the spacer out. I decided I am not going to work too tightly nor too neatly as nobody will ever see this spacer. Maybe the electrons but who cares about these chaps?






There we are! All neatly laid out. I allowed an extra 1mm gap between the block and the inside of the spacer.






I was lazy and cut it by hand using a thin cutoff blade in the angle grinder.






Then it was drilling three holes in series in each corner to allow me space to get the coping saw into each side to be cut.






And ... then it was time for dinner. Resting the coping saw is important. It needs a break as well ... 






After dinner I finished the last side and there we are. A rough spacer.






I sanded the outside flat on 80 grit paper held on a piece of glass and then tackled the inside surfaces with a rasp. Perspex hates files and will use any excuse in the book not to be filed. Even labour unions ...  So use a rasp! No finesse in this approach, just brute, vicious force!






First fit and it looks like it will do the job.






Next step was marking the holes for the machine screws.






I sommer drilled it by hand. 






It fits perfectly and testing it for thickness shows that with the rubber seal on each side, there will be enough space for the contactor to operate without hindrance from a cover.





I cleaned all the masking tape off and any glue remaining and did a final fit.






And yes OCD man, the other side as well!






I will cut the larger spacers strips tomorrow from the scrap sections and then try and find ether or chloroform on Monday to glue these four pieces together.

I think the problem is solved!

 

[mygoggie]

This morning I received a WhatsApp message from @SinWolf on the 4x4Community forum. Yes, I still use WhatsApp. Also all the others for many moons... 

He has collected his Colchester Student Mk2 lathe! Congratulations @SinWolf !!

One problem he has is that the cross-slide screw keep on his lathe is broukên.








We did a bit of a back and forth discussing how it can be repaired and then I thought to myself that I actually has one that could work. This for my vertical slide project.

I unpacked it which was a mission on its own and sent the details through to @SinWolf.






Measurements these I did ...






etc and etc and the final dimension






Perfect replacement! The courier will collect it tomorrow.

@SinWolf will make me a replacement as one of his projects. I am glad I could get him going!

 

[Zx14]

Mygoggie, I have followed this on 4x4community from day one, and all I can say is that your skills and patience are incredible.

[mygoggie]

I started another thread about white metal casting as this is an art that has sadly died away.

You can follow it here - https://www.avforums.co.za/index.php/topic,92210.0.html

[fredeb]

Yes , this is insane dedication and resilience , I don't understand half of what's going on there but it sure looks like Herman and Brain know what they're doing . 


I'm quietly hoping you're going to start building a tone arm with that lathe , other tools and skills once it's going . Then a platter and bearing . Go Herman go !