Manual for Harrison M250 or late Colchester Bantam

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Does anyone have a pdf manual they could share with me for the Colchester Bantam or Harrison M250, I just want to make sure I’ve adjusted the spindle bearings properly on my Myford 280 which looks like it’s cut from the same cloth as the above two machines.

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Russ

If you don't have the Myford 280 manual you can get it here by joining the group

**LINK**

Emgee

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Thanks, i’ll take a look. The lathe came with a user manual and parts diagrams but I don’t recall seeing any maintenance info beyond oiling etc

Edited By Russ B on 19/10/2020 19:40:40

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Russ B

Just checked the Bantam manual and it states adjust the rear bearing until end float is 0.0001" when the chuck should still turn freely. It does warn not to overtighten so care is needed in making any adjustment.

Emgee

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

Hi Russ,

There is a Colchester group on groups.io that you may find useful.

Thor

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Lathesdotco say they were designed to compete with those better manufactures (not to the same design) – a subtle difference that Tony at lathesdotco likely understood.

I would expect the Raglan lathes are more akin to these myford designs? Certainly the 254 looked like a Raglan redesigned with an oil filled gearbox…

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Not sure about the Raglans, the 280 looks identical in many ways to the Harrison M300, same bed casting, same saddle, same headstock casting but the two speed change levers are mounted on top of the Myford but are still basically the same inside the box. The apron and the screw cutting box are different but elsewhere the similarities seem never ending!

It seems no one knows anything about their manufacturer but I’ve seen so few out in the wild I wonder if they ever produced them in any reasonable quantity. Someone must know something, I’d assumed they were made in nottingham but never seen any photos of the production, whereas there are many pics and history of the rest of the range. I’d be surprised if they weren’t made by Harrison.

[Author]

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