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What better way to preserve the heritage of these tools than by using them. I have a few hand made measuring tools given to me by local chap 'KS' many years ago who passed them on to me as he knew that I was an Engineer. He was time-served and had spent a lifetime at a local brickworks (at one...

Ive spent hours and hours using very fine metal polish to remove the surface tarnish whilst restoring an old surface plate. After many evenings of work there is minimal fine pitting left in some places but I didn't want to use anything too abrasive and risk compromising the trueness of the...

There is a book "Building A Small Lathe' by L.C.Mason (TEE Publishing reprint) which is very useful for ideas on building a lathe and it uses lots of stock materials for the main components; however you still need access to a lathe to machine a lot of the parts that Mr. Mason describes and his...

Thanks Jo; I'm always interested in other peoples experiences with convertors just in case I ever find myself in a position where my 3ph Colchester could be accessed and used - but for now it remains stored elsewhere.

You have a good sized work area and a very clean looking lathe.

I'm considering attending this year; if I do then it will be my first.

Is your Colchester lathe running on 1phase or 3phase supply Dr Jo?

Lovely workspace with some very useful machinery in a good range of sizes :)

I've mused about fitting these oilers to my machines as I gradually bring them back into use - now I know where to source them. Thanks for the link ;)

Like to see indoor workspaces and I admire you for doing woodwork inside and managing to keep your area clean. I'm looking to make some space in my room/office/den for a small workbench to take my small bench drill and one of my small lathes but I need to clear out some of my excess stuff/junk...

WOW - It looks like it has just been delivered from the factory! 8)

I would say use it - it is what it was made for unless it is extremely valuable and/or especially rare then possibly sell to a collector and use the proceeds to finance another machine. If treated with respect then hobby use certainly won't harm it. I think that there is something very rewarding...

At 175GBP - what a great deal for a machine that has only just been run-in. With a service and a little cosmetic work she'll be good enough for years to come. I haven't used a shaper for many years but I would love a small hand operated one to add to my collection ;)

You have certainly achieved that with your attention to detail - nice work :)

It is always good to see another old machine tool in sympathetic hands. The old gal looks fit for a further 50-odd years of work. Great restoration ;)

Thanks for the welcome guys ;) I'm gradually reading through the various threads on the site - there are some really great projects going on that have given me a few ideas for the future. I always get drawn towards articles on workshops and tools - particularly lathes :o

Hello, I'm Chris and have recently found this site through one of the garden railway sites that I often browse. I love engineering and have a bit of a thing for machine tools too. Not been active for several years due to other commitments but I'm looking to get back into tinkering once again...