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I've decided to invest in some machine tools to make some of the parts I need to complete the EFI etc.



It's a Chester Centurian 500, made in China but looks the business.

It took some lifting as it weighs 250kg. At last I found a use for 3 teenage sons!

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

handy bit of kit. Looks good

nice!
have you used it yet?

My build thread..

http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=542985

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

Looks like it could be a good machine.

I was going to buy one of their mills as I have the Clarke combination machine (don't say anything negative, been a good machine thus far) but bought this instead .....



It's man enough to do block work and the like and was a bargin .... needs a bit of work.

Anyway, back on topic .... I'd be really interested to hear your thoughs on the build quality of the machine as I am considering one of their lathes ....

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

Roger,

As for build quality, it appears to be OK, but only time will tell.

I had a look at Clarke, Warco and Chester. I think they are all much the same and all made in China.

However, I had a word with a colleague who is a model engineer and he reckoned that Chester were thought as second to Myford, but had the advantage that they did the combined machines.

You're welcome to come and have a look.

I like the idea of a big old mill to do block work, good find there. Even heavier though and we really struggled with this.

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

LOL it was a little heavier ..... about 1.5 tons!!!!

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

Quill stack looks far more ridged than my Clarke....

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

My only criticism is that the instuctions are crap.

It's 30 years since I drove a lathe, although I did have some extensive training at the time. I've put a centre in the tailstock and I can't get it out! Lots to learn again.

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

Usually with this type of machine it's just a matter of winding the tail stock all the way in and the centre / chuck arbour will be pushed out as it bottoms agains the screw.

Try that mate

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

So it does - LOL.

The reason I chose this one is that it has a decent sized milling table - big enough for a head. I'm going to do my own unleaded conversions.

It also has a powered cross feed.

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

How much travel does it have then?

On the machine I have bought (CVA No.79 for anybody interested) only just has enough travel to face a head / block off in a single pass.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

Ok ..... Still a far bit more than I'd expected!!!

Might get away with it if you use a reasonable radius flycutter, got to be careful that it all stays where you expect at the extremes of travel.

Still should be a good machine for what you want though.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

that does look good, how much?

we have a clarke lathe/mill at work, its ok but a bit limited, i've never been over impressed with the mill on it though.

i've got a colchester lathe and keep looking out for a nic bridgeport. have the advantage of 3 phase electrics in the old boys workshop.

Do keep looking at those combo's though for when i get a double garage for doing odds and sods.

chester and warco are the same lathe just a different coulour.

i got my dads old drummond when he bought his big warco and yes they are boody heavey but a good lathe

always looking for them bigger bunches of bannanas

I am priviledged to have access to a lot of machines. At home i have a little myford lathe, and a small mill which is still in bits. Then at work we have a huge mill which came out of Brabham's old factory when they finished up and a nice 4ft bed lathe.

WOW, how smart is that! dribble, dribble.

Best 1/4 mile 13.2 seconds @116 mph
First 5 port miniturbo to make over 200 bhp on a carb?
First 5 port miniturbo to make over 200 bhp on Injection?

http://www.mattwoodsphotography.com

iian i know where theres a bridgport milling machine poss for sale

Axel, that is the size of machine I'm looking for, for my new small workshop at the side of my house. Where did you get it from??

Team Racing

I got it direct from Chester UK.

Free delivery on a tail lift on a pre-arranged date and they will move it as far as they can on a pallet truck.

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

the hardest bit is putting them together in a tight space as they are bloody heavey had to use a engine hoist for my dads warco.

has your got power cross feed on it as that bloody handy, also quick realse tool post are handy to.

always looking for them bigger bunches of bannanas

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."