Chester Conquest Lathe

[Mexican jonParticipant @mexicanjon]

I'm currently rebuilding a little Chester Conquest lathe that has been seriously abused by someone in the past! I realise with the time I'm spending and the parts I have purchsed it probably isn't worth it. Saying that once I'm finished it will hopefully be a cracking little lathe. So anyone got any tips on what i should modify / do to make it a worth while project. 1 reason for doing this rebuild is the fact that i hate to see machines get scrapped.

Cheers Mex

[Mexican jonParticipant @mexicanjon]

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Mex,

Here are my mini-lathe mods:

• Round end of cross-slide nut to get 1/2" extra travel.
• Studs on sides of reverse tumbler mounting plate to match slots in gear cover to allow rapid removal without removing screws.
• A t-slotted cross slide table.
• Heavy duty toolpost from 2" cast iron as alternative to top slide.
• Fit rollerbearings to headstock
• Plastic plate on back of apron to seal gears against swarf.
• Swarf guard over leadscrew
• Camlock tailstock
• Fit brass gib to tailstock to allow smoother adjustment and alignment.
• leadscrew handwheel
• leadscrew index wheel
• tailstock index wheel
• Tachometer
• Saddle stop
• Tapped holes in cross-slide to mount a small dividing head
• Lever for instant disengagement of leadscrew gear train
• Modification to topslide to prevent rubbing of index (possibly not a fault on later lathes)
• 63-tooth gear for metric gear cutting (with imperial leadscrew)
• Replace motor with 1/3 hp fixed speed motor and three-step pulleys (
• Replace screws holding on splash tray with new ones with large diameter knurled heads (easier to remove by 'feel' round the back!

And my wish list:

• Inverter drive
• 100mm 3-jaw & 4-jaw s-c chucks
• metal gears for headstock
• gear cutting gearbox
• QR toolpost
• Fine adjustment for tailstock set over
• Lever or capstan feed for tailstock
• Taper turning attachment

Is that enough for now

Neil

[AndyfParticipant @andyf]

You might find Mike's website gives you a few ideas, Mex.

Start here : Link

Andy

[Mexican jonParticipant @mexicanjon]

Ok

Here's a clue to what I'm starting with

Is any one interested in me running a post on what I do and How I get on ?

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

Is any one interested in me running a post on what I do and How I get on ?

If it's not too much trouble to document what you find as you go along, I would be interested.

I think that is the model I bought from one of Chester's open days as the basis of a CNC conversion – the machine appeared complete apart from missing it's electronics box & the changewheels. It even came with both steadies, the 3 jaw chuck & a QC toolpost with 1 toolholder fitted. It looked as though it was a new machine had had the complete electronics box removed – possibly to be supplied as a spare part ? – but was the disposed of in the sale incomplete rather than having the electronics replaced.

As many parts will not be required for my use, I'm sure we could come to some arrangement if I am discarding parts that you find you require.

Regards,

Nigel B.

[Mexican jonParticipant @mexicanjon]

Hi Nigel

That would be a great help as I've said this really is a job to far but my time is free and at the end I'll either have another well set up lathe or a lathe i can pass on to someone else who maybe can't rebuild a machine or doesn't have the time to do it but wants to get into model making etc.

Regards Mex

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Cripes Mex,

Throw bits ina box and drop teh bed on top – was the previous owner cross with it?

I'm hoping that you have a headstock in there!

Neil

[Mexican jonParticipant @mexicanjon]

Posted by Stub Mandrel on 01/08/2012 20:36:02:

Cripes Mex,

Throw bits ina box and drop teh bed on top – was the previous owner cross with it?

I'm hoping that you have a headstock in there!

Neil

Hi Neil

Been through the box and all the main parts are there it looks like someone had ideas above their capabilities and made a mess of it! I've had most of the bits out and blued the head stock saddle etc. and being that i have a good machine shop already i believe i can get it back to an accurate usuable lathe. As I've said I couldn't see it go in the scrap bin as that just goes against what i believe. So watch this space. The other thing I looked at is ignoring my time It will probably stand me in at less than a cheap import out of the box that would need a load of work to be at the standard i hope this will be by the time i finish. Once I finish the machining and setting up I'll probably strip and repaint and then rebuild for a final time.

Regards Mex

 

Edited By Mexican jon on 01/08/2012 20:53:20

[JonParticipant @jon]

What they do Nigel is strip new machines to satisfy an order for parts. They are notorious for blowing the earlier boards but even the newer US ones played up two new and one repaired and never run for more than 20mins total.

Hope you didnt pay too much £120? I probably had the change wheels and tool holders two of everything 5 or 6 years ago.

Have you seen out the back, TIR containers stacked three in height and who knows how many side by side all full of stripped down machines.

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

Hope you didnt pay too much £120?

£90 IIRC

Most of the machines I saw at the Harwarden open days appeared to be damaged in transit, rather than having been stripped for parts. I guess that the price they pay for complete machines is so low that it is cheaper to canibalise some for parts rather than hold a dedicated spares stock.

[JonParticipant @jon]

There used to be bargains but that ended 8 years ago when myself and two mates bought the place. Three large trailer loads plus two car fulls ie 626 for £450 brand new loads of them damaged. Catch the right person and get the parts required from the containers. Think i had my Super Lux then £900 unused when was £1500, mind was first there on the Thursday reckon everyone thought it was 3 phase. Proper power feed, transformer and ancilliaries to convert/adapt £170 all in. Even declined a Lux round column £210 brand new. Havent been for 4 years, waste of time.

Conquest bought 6 years ago brand new with metric lead screw £230. Best thing ever did was sell it, couldnt do a thing with it. Board alones £85.

Got a Boxford TLC125 hiding under a work surface, must get that going one day.

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