Clarke CL350

[Jon CameronParticipant @joncameron26580]

Here is a thread on the mamod forums of this lathe back in 2010, and it was second hand then!!!!, still at least this lathe is this century.

It does show the lathe assembled, and a few better shots of it, can anyone tell me where the DRO's can be aqquired from on the cross slide and top slide, also are they any good since they appear to now be missing.

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/modelsteam/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=28842&p=472024&hilit=mini+lathe#p472024

Edited By Jon Cameron on 10/04/2018 14:45:07

[richardandtracyParticipant @richardandtracy]

One of the cheaper places to get a DRO seems to be Arc, **LINK**

Never been convinced that I'll get an answer I can understand from most of the E-Bay sellers of such things.

Regards

Richard

Edited By richardandtracy on 10/04/2018 15:10:27

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

Posted by Jon Cameron on 10/04/2018 14:35:32:

…can anyone tell me where the DRO's can be aqquired from on the cross slide and top slide, also are they any good since they appear to now be missing.

I don't think those shown in the link photo  are proper DRO's more of a rotary encoder that counts turns and multiplies by the leadscrew pitch. So only as accurate as the leadscrew and takes no account of backlash! You are possibly better off without them.

John

Edited By Journeyman on 10/04/2018 15:12:54

[Jon CameronParticipant @joncameron26580]

Thanks for your replies that was my thought, and probably why they are no longer fitted, a lateral slide with a DRO, (such as a vernier) would be far more accurate. (can you tell im a little excited to be getting a new toy)

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Jon Cameron on 10/04/2018 13:40:07:

ok thanks Neil, So its a chester mini lathe then.

Is it easy to change that to a quick release such as using a nut with a handle attached, similar to the toolpost. or is it better to look at redesigning and make a camlock type?

As i said i'm doing my research, I found a wonderful website which the link is on my phone, which shows a lot of the mods that can be done with these lathes. Will post the link later on.

Once i have my hands on it i will be checking for wear and making any minor improvements to the bed. I have seen these turned into nice capable machines, which would be a benefit. As the ML4 is definately on last legs before some major refit is required.

Edited By Jon Cameron on 10/04/2018 13:40:19

You could always buy the book I wrote about mini lathes

Neil

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 10/04/2018 13:33:28:

Presumably no-one finds it interesting that Clarke uses the 'brand' Metalworker

… as does Bellmex, for a 350W lathe of this style.

MichaelG.

You will find Cromwell have 'Metalworker' stickers on their badge-engineered mini-lathes as well.

Although Chester's in house stock now have 'Chester' labels, this Chester Conquest sold by a third party used machine supplier has a 'Metalworker' sticker. Also old-style tailstock.

I suspect the 'metalworker' sticker is/was one of SIEG's innumerable quality and cosmetic options.

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 10/04/2018 16:07:18

[Jon CameronParticipant @joncameron26580]

I wish sometimes, that you had a like button on this forum. Nothing like a self plug of ones book

Nice bit of detective work there Neil, that looks spot on. So back to original question if the board has the same ID on it as the ones used in C3 and they apear to be the same, i guess i can take it that using a C3 board in this lathe should have no ill effects.

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 10/04/2018 16:00:56:

You will find Cromwell have 'Metalworker' stickers on their badge-engineered mini-lathes as well.

Although Chester's in house stock now have 'Chester' labels, this Chester Conquest sold by a third party used machine supplier has a 'Metalworker' sticker. Also old-style tailstock.

I suspect the 'metalworker' sticker is/was one of SIEG's innumerable quality and cosmetic options.

Neil

Same here in Australia, this one is 12 years old.

* Danny M *

[John RuddParticipant @johnrudd16576]

Should you opt to use a C3 board, yes it will work.

Just ensure you connect it up correctly.

Edited By John Rudd on 10/04/2018 17:24:24

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 10/04/2018 16:00:56:

You will find Cromwell have 'Metalworker' stickers on their badge-engineered mini-lathes as well.

Although Chester's in house stock now have 'Chester' labels, this Chester Conquest sold by a third party used machine supplier has a 'Metalworker' sticker. Also old-style tailstock.

I suspect the 'metalworker' sticker is/was one of SIEG's innumerable quality and cosmetic options.

Neil

.

Thanks for enlightening me, Neil

Have you identified any others with 350W motors ?

MichaelG.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 10/04/2018 17:32:55:

Thanks for enlightening me, Neil

Have you identified any others with 350W motors ?

MichaelG.

Well I'm enlightened too.

It seems there's an Indian company selling C2s and C3s with 250W and 350W motors and 'metalworker' stickers.

Neil

http://www.amitengineeringindia.com/mini-lathe-machine.html

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 10/04/2018 17:55:44:

It seems there's an Indian company selling C2s and C3s with 250W and 350W motors and 'metalworker' stickers

.

Intriguing !

I naively thought the Indians and Chinese were competitors in this market.

MichaelG.

.

P.S. The Company Profile makes interesting reading:

http://m.amitengineeringindia.com/profile.html

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 10/04/2018 19:03:38

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 10/04/2018 18:56:59:

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 10/04/2018 17:55:44:

It seems there's an Indian company selling C2s and C3s with 250W and 350W motors and 'metalworker' stickers

.

Intriguing !

I naively thought the Indians and Chinese were competitors in this market.

MichaelG.

I suspect that despite hints they 'manufacture' the lathes, their mini-lathe range being identical to SIEG's suggest they import them. If they made them I'm pretty sure they wouldn't copy SIEG's generic export sticker.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 10/04/2018 19:27:02:

I suspect that despite hints they 'manufacture' the lathes, their mini-lathe range being identical to SIEG's suggest they import them. If they made them I'm pretty sure they wouldn't copy SIEG's generic export sticker.

.

I'm sure that's correct, Neil

Did you follow my PostScript link ?

MichaelG.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> Did you follow my PostScript link ?

Yes, up to 10 people is a bit of a give-away…

Neil

[John RuddParticipant @johnrudd16576]

I kinda like the reference they make to the quality products they supply as being 'invincible'….lol

Reminds of the computer programmer Boris in Goldeneye….

Edited By John Rudd on 11/04/2018 15:06:00

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

IF it is Chester mini lathe, it should be a Conquest.

One version of the Conquest Super was fitted with DRO on Cross Slide and Top Slide, (mine is).

Strangely, I would prefer to convert mine back to direct reading dials, (Should be metric, but in my case the screw pitch appears to be 10 tpi)

The conversion does not look to be too difficult

Howard.

[Jon CameronParticipant @joncameron26580]

Thanks Howard, i think that confirms it then.

Also thanks to others that have helped to try and identify it and given me a chuckle too. "Invincible"….click click click click click click……BOOM

[Author]

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