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Colchester triumph 2000

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zebbguy

Aluminum
Joined
Oct 19, 2020
Hi im looking at a Colchester triumph 2000

The machine looks good but ...

The saddle seems to be notchy a tight while moving along the bed, can this be adjusted ?
It will travel fully both ways and doesn't slip or slop, but remains notchy and slightly stiff

may it have been over adjusted in the past?

the bed is true


Any advice is appreciated
 
Its a lathe and works but i have used one better than it...but it did not have a name and did not search the internals for a name damit...
only recall the style.
If price was ok then yes but if your after better the proof is in the use of it, do a cut to 0.040 to size then 0.0005 cut and see if it does it on both occasions.
check taper over a length, move the toolpost and repeat at a shorter distance. you don't want to be chasing the tool post all the time.
Just set and go.
Ideally need something that at least goes to 2000 rpm.
 
Street said:
Its a lathe and works but i have used one better than it...but it did not have a name and did not search the internals for a name damit...
only recall the style.
If price was ok then yes but if your after better the proof is in the use of it, do a cut to 0.040 to size then 0.0005 cut and see if it does it on both occasions.
check taper over a length, move the toolpost and repeat at a shorter distance. you don't want to be chasing the tool post all the time.
Just set and go.
Ideally need something that at least goes to 2000 rpm.
Click to expand...

Regarding the Colchester 2000 and the top speed the clue is in the name. I think Colchester's are Ok just as long as they haven't been flogged too hard.

Regards Tyrone.
 
Check the carriage lock (square head on right hand side on top surface of the carriage)
 
The same machine has been made for some forty years,so someone must think them OK.Not everyone needs a battleship like an Axelson or a Reed Prentice where the saddle is so heavy it needs its own little steam engine to be racked along the bed.
 
Maybe I’ve used some shit lathes in my time, but I think Colchester’s are the best manual lathes out there.
 
Luke.kerbey said:
Maybe I’ve used some shit lathes in my time, but I think Colchester’s are the best manual lathes out there.
Click to expand...

Colchesters are fine enough lathes for the first few years of their life, longer if they're actually looked after. However, in that context, Harrison M series are much nicer lathes to use.

Unfortunately, both are far down the list in terms of quality and longevity.
 
gregormarwick said:
Colchesters are fine enough lathes for the first few years of their life, longer if they're actually looked after. However, in that context, Harrison M series are much nicer lathes to use.

Unfortunately, both are far down the list in terms of quality and longevity.
Click to expand...
I have spent MANY hours on different sizes of Colchesters.
All were very accurate and good running machines.
All were true UK made models, with some years on them.

We also have a M400 Harrison on my job. It's also a nice lathe, very similar to the Colchester, but in my book not any nicer to use.. [emoji4]

All lathes can be destroyed in few years. And all can have a super long life if well maintained. So it's not possible to say it's that simple..


And as a new lathe back then, for the price and accuracy I don't think it was easy for the competitors to deal with a Triumph 2000..
I don't know which list you have, but In mine it wouldn't be that far down.. [emoji4]


Colchester - The world turns on Colchester lathes.
 
Its a Chevy / Ford / Chrysler thing - you either love em or hate em

''
Colchester - The world turns on Colchester lathes.'' LOL - just don't expect a kick back from the 600 Group, tighter than a ducks and meaner than a bear with piles.
 
Historically,dont think Colchester is connected with the 600 Group any more.....seem to recall they went broke with a miscalculation of the truck and forestry crane market in the 90s..........Once Hiab was Sveedish for truck crane,the Black Hiabs with offset geometry didnt look right,and had multiple component failures ....one of ours had a boom breakage .Anyhoo ,recent decades Palfinger and a horde of others have taken over the truck crane market......Not small peas,either ,a mid size crane can cost as much as the truck its mounted on.
 
It's funny really.

I was speaking with a guy who had a Colchester master 2500 the same as mine which he used in his daily buisness. I use mine for hobby work and it seems to be in very good condition and I'm sure there are better our there but it does what I ask of it. Curious to know what someone using the same machine every day I asked him what he thought of of it. He said "I was a bit disappointed, I thought it would be a lifetime machine". I asked if he bought it new and how long he had it. He said it belonged to the company he did his apprenticeship with, the company folded so he bought the company and the tooling. I asked some dates and he had to think but by the end of the conversation he had worked out that the machine had been running every day in a money making workshop for 28yrs.

I don't know how long people expect machines to last but what type of spinning / moving machine that get used very day for 28yrs either doesn't wear out or hasn't earnt it's money back? Is a machine that costs twice as much but lasts twice as long better or do you just end up with expensive outdated technology in your workshop?
 
I know a guy(recently deceased) has had a Triumph from new in 1979...cost $10,000 ,his new house cost $24,000 previous year...So ,he had it 40 years,Its in new condition,only possible gripe is he fitted a Oriental taper attachment ,because the OEM was about 1/2 the new machine price.He did nothing but motorbike work ,all his extensive collection of equpitment was in as new ,or better condition.
 
The only way a colchester would ever last 28 years in production is if the production was extremely light and the maintenance and care was extreme to the point of being ridiculous.

Just about every machineshop in the UK has a colchester or harrison lathe tucked away in a dark corner, and they are all, as a rule, completely fucked.

Obviously there are going to be exceptions, but you must understand that they are exceptions.
 
I have a 1977 tool factors cat in front of me, Col' Tri 2000 UK prices as follows.

straight bed 30'' between centres £2692

'' '' 50'' '' '' £2752

Gap Bed 30'' '' '' £2722

'' 50'' '' '' £2782

Those prices were for bare machines (no chucks steadies etc etc) and were in the UK subject to a sales tax (8% rings a bell) that was ''offsetable'' for businesses.


To give you an idea, in that same year (77) an end of terrace 2 bed cottage in Norfolk, in need of full modernisation (it had a cold tap and an earth closet) was on offer at £5,490 ......and sold (to lil ol me :)) for £4,950 ...............which was where my new motorbike and TOS lathe went!
 
I too have spent many hours standing in front/of a Colchester lathe. The bottom line=is that they are a good fairly solid machine so when you evaluate the=one=you are considering have a listen to it running under load in all speeds, Colchesters get noisy when well used, gear spares are very expensive.
If all seems ok and your work is not very tight tolerance, buy it, the comments bout Colchesters in the corner of UK toolrooms is probably true, but they were there because they fulfilled a need.
 
Limy Sami said:
Its a Chevy / Ford / Chrysler thing - you either love em or hate em

''
Colchester - The world turns on Colchester lathes.'' LOL - just don't expect a kick back from the 600 Group, tighter than a ducks and meaner than a bear with piles.
Click to expand...

I think they are are overrated. Definitely considering what you pay for them.
 
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