The Colchester Student was widely used in technical colleges for training craft and technician students. They were provided with 3 and 4 jaw chucks, faceplate and a driver for between turning between centres. The Master, which appeared in some training centres, was used in production workshops.

If the lathe is on good condition (e.g., state of headstock bearings, bed) then it would be a good choice. The general appearance of the lathe will tell you a lot about its history. If you aren't experienced, it would help to take a knowledgeable friend along. Not that it will (almost certainly) be 3 phase, i.e., main motor and suds pump. 2$V bulb, if I remeber correctly.

Bill

"You can do small work on a big lathe but not big work on a small lathe". I doubt the electricity cost difference would be much compared with the cost of workshop heating. If in good condition go for the Colchester.

I have had a nice Colchester Student (ex-St. Thomas' hospital), circa 1969, for the last thirty years but if I were to be starting again I think that it would be a no-brainer for me to opt for a similar sized Warco geared-head machine. The rational being that my lathe is now 54 years years old and although this particular machine has been relatively lightly used (it had never turned steel or had coolant fitted until it came to me) not many machines will have had such an easy life. Everything has a finite lifespan and as old British machine tools pass down the years it stands to reason that they do so in a progressively degraded condition. I have never had a DRO because I can achieve all the accuracy I need through knowing the machine and a little experience. Someone will get a machine capable of another 54 years work when it's time to sell-up but it can never be as good as a new machine no matter which country it originates from, IMO.

You cannot beat good Old British iron. The Colchester was built to be thrashed every day in production shops, as Bernard says they are built like brick toilets, for me it would be a no brainer, Colchester every time.

I doubt you'll be disappointed, I have a Student Mk 1.5 (6 1/2 centre height) gap bed, 3 phase but running on a VFD.

She is reasonably old, 1970 ish and a little 'sloppy' in places (must make a new cross slide nut!) but the beds are still decent and runs lovely.

I've done some really small parts on it (having a Burnerd multi size collet chuck is brilliant) but also re surfacing tractor brake drums etc .. not a problem.

I don't have a DRO but maybe in the future.. they can be had for reasonable money nowadays.

Just take the time to set it up tidy once you have it installed .. plenty of vids of Youtube on lathe 'leveling' will give some guidance on that if you are not familiar.

The other plus point, if it's not decent, break it for parts.. they are getting like hens teeth now and you'll more than likely make more than your money back with a bit of patience. That was the main reason I bought mine, if it wasn't do er up able I would probably be able to afford a better one after!

The important thing to consider with a gap bed is not so much the diameter that can be turned but the length. With a faceplate in place that can be surprisingly small.

I have a 2-axis DRO on my vertical mill, and it is the most useful accessory I have ever bought. But I don't have a DRO on the lathe and have never felt the need for one.

Andrew

As you say you want to work in metric make sure it has the gears to allow for that probably a 120/127 combination.

As Taf hints at it is things like steadies that become hard to find and they fetch a premium, fixed one will likely get more use than the traveling

That gap does look rather short, not that familiar with it but it looks like a permanent gap rather than a removable gap piece so that could be why it is short, you would be pushed to get much in there once the faceplate fills most of it up.

I see it now.

I'm pretty sure from pics it is an imperial lathe but she has the full screw cutting gearbox looking at the pics so with standard transfer gears will cut pretty much a full range of imperial and metric threads.

There is a single gear change option to fit a 42t gearbox drive gear in order to cut 4, 5 & 6mm pitch thread (and the similar pitched imperial) but being an imperial machine you have to keep the half nut engaged for all metric threads and reverse the lathe to reset tool.

I didn't notice the Ainjest attachment on the carriage before. Totally awesome!

I have a scanned copy of the student manual, same as the master essentially bar a few dimensions. Mine is the 6 1/2 inch as were a lot of the later students I believe, I'll try and message it to you.

Either would probably suit your purposes, but bear in mind.

The Colchester should be a good machine. If ex college will be relatively unworn, but might well bear trhe marks of careless / negligent use.

Being Job's comforter, If you need extras, (missing changewheels, steadies, chucks, spares ) they might be hard to find. But folk on here would point you in the right direction, and advise if any fine tuning / repairs are needed.

Mist porobably with Imperial leadscrews and dials.

The Chester Craftsman is a new machine, presumably?

It is a genericTtaiwanese design (In uk also seen as a WARCO BH600, or more rarely as an EngineersToolRoom BL12-24., and elswhere under a number of aliases. ) Weights 300 Kg.

Most likely to have Metric leadscrews and dials (Might be dual dialled like my ETR BL12-24. )

After 20 years, still happy with mine!

Like all oriental machines, even new, may well benefit from careful checking and setting up

(I have seen a new small Chinese lathe, out of the box with the tailstock 0.022" ( 0.5 + mm  )  out of line, but fairly easily rectifiable)

As a new machine, it will probably come well equipped, and certainly with a warranty, (Useful if there are any problems ) Being a current machine, spares and accessories should be available.

(Despite being basically a Metric machine, the Spindle thread is 2.125" x 8 tpi Whit form. The chucks are retained by "dogs" for safe reverse running. )

You make your choice and pays your money , ultimately

HTH

Howard  Smoley's GRRR!

Edited By Howard Lewis on 13/06/2023 12:23:31