Milling on the Chester Craftsman

[AdrianRParticipant @adrianr18614]

[AdrianRParticipant @adrianr18614]

Hi,

I am looking at the Chester Craftsman, but If I get the Craftsman, I wont have the funds to buy a mill.

From what I have sen it does not have any T slots on the cross slide so I cant see any way to attach my vertical slide (Myford swivel type)

Has any one used the Craftsman for milling?

Thanks

Adrian

[egaParticipant @ega]

The website seems to suggest it has a tee-slotted cross slide:

https://shop.chesterhobbystore.com/collections/lathes/products/craftsman-lathe

[AdrianRParticipant @adrianr18614]

Yes I saw that, but the images only show a large T slot in the topslide.

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Sounds like a call to Chester might be appropriate………

[egaParticipant @ega]

Sorry my comment was not helpful; I could only see one image where the cross slide was obscured by the DRO!

If I were buying this lathe I would want to go and see it. That said, it's a shame they don't give more information.

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

I use a Warco WM250V. I adapted their vertical slide baseplate to take my Myford double swivel milling slide – it fits the 2 tee slots in the cross slide top. I've been running this machine nearly 4 years now and I'd guess the slide's in use about 40% of the time, for milling and coordinate drilling etc.

[LathejackParticipant @lathejack]

From what I can remember of the Chester Craftsman lathe I am fairly sure that it's cross slide does have one short Tee slot that starts at the back and runs down the middle of the slide for a short distance. I think it is really just intended for a rear mounted toolpost.

Warco's version of the same lathe, the BH600, did have at least a couple of Tee slots machined across the width of the cross slide on some examples.

Edited By Lathejack on 30/01/2019 19:58:33

[Philip PowellParticipant @philippowell34749]

Adrian. I have a Chester Craftsman, it does have a single T slot at the rear of the crosslide. Not used it yet but I do intend to fit a rear toolpost when I get round tuit. Not sure it was designed for milling, but I'm sure it could be done.

Phil.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

The Craftsman is the same as the discontinued Warco BH600 which is similar to various 12x…. lathes sold from the nineties onwards. Careful examination of second hand machines might find some have a slotted cross slide.
Another possibility is to make use of whatever slots there are, plus perhaps drilling extra holes to mount a sub plate on which to mount a vertical slide.

There is a bit of a mismatch between the lathe and its milling capacity in this mode. People coped and have done excellent work without a mill but some careful thought about what you are making is in order.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

There is more about Adrian's situation on his 'hello' thread

So continuing from that thread…… I think you should consider a Boxford AUD if you want a gearbox or BUD if you can live with changewheels. With changewheels you can get adequate approximations to metric without a 127 gear using your Drummond charts, and possibly even adapting to use your Drummond gears.

A Boxford would cost half a new lathe and leave you enough for a mill.

The Craftsman (and Boxford) has a Norton QCGB so can do all the imperial threads and with a bit of gear fiddling the metric ones. The other lathes mentioned on your other thread have knobs to do some imperial and some metric but need gear fiddling for the others. You can bet you are always having to change things over so might as well have all changewheels.

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

I would bet tbat this lathe is supplied with a 120/127 combination gear so cutting metric threads only requires a minor ammount of fiddling with change gears. Easy to ask Chester to be certain.

Martin C

Found the manual on line. Item 129 on pages 24 & 25 looks like a 120/127 combination gear.

craftsman-lathe-manual

 

Edited By Martin Connelly on 31/01/2019 15:56:19

[AdrianRParticipant @adrianr18614]

I have looked at the Boxford and liked them, a little puzzled what all the AUD, BUD, CUD mean. I stopped looking as they stopped producing them in the 70's, and the current manual lathes start at 3 x my whole budget.

I dont have anything against buying second hand, except I don't feel I have the experience to tell if it is a gem or a lemon. Plus the whole shifting it out of someones workshop would add to the cost. New would be delivered and at least dropped on my drive. I can put it in the garage and then take my time moving it into the work shop.

I am not overly hung up about getting a gear box, i quite like setting up the gears. I am pretty sure the Craftsman has a 127t but I will put it in my list of questions for them.

I have just had a reply from Chester regarding the T slot and fitting my vertical slide. They offered to fit their vertical slide FOC, If i buy it of course. I assume they must drill and tap the cross slide as the one shown on the site has 4 mounting holes.

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Posted by Adrian Revill on 31/01/2019 17:29:00:

I have looked at the Boxford and liked them, a little puzzled what all the AUD, BUD, CUD mean.

I can put it in the garage and then take my time moving it into the work shop.

A means quickchange + power everything

B means change wheels + power apron

C means plain lathe only and really cheap

U means underdrive so it comes with a cabinet so you can't store much beneath it.

I would advise against burning the guarantee leaving it in the garage unused, a few weeks can soon turn into months, quite a few need to be returned.

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

Since you are in East Lincolnshire you may be interested to know that a relative in Boston has one of these lathes. Due to age and a hip repair I don't think he will be using it anymore. This machine is in excellent condition (he is an ex machinist who worked in Ben Kents, Boston). I will find out if he is willing to sell it if you are interested.

Martin C

Edited By Martin Connelly on 31/01/2019 18:45:02

[AdrianRParticipant @adrianr18614]

Hi Martin,

Yes I would be interested, but I am at a loss how to shift it. I guess your relative got it in, so he must know how to get it out. I am a few months away from having the workshop ready though.

Adrian

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

Hire a truck with a lift gate at the back and a wheeled engine hoist. Some cheap ratchet straps to secure it in the van. Final thing is probably a friend who will assist for a few beers.

I will find out if he is willing to sell it and if so arrange a viewing.

Martin C

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

A Boxford strips down fairly easily. I brought one home in an 850cc perodua nippa though I did take out the seats. The under drive models are a bit more fiddly but still doable. The bed is the heaviest bit and only weighs 60 lbs.

The craftsman and similar models do come with a 127 gear.

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

I have a Craftsman lathe and sad to say,it has only one slot at the back of the cross slide. I suspect this is intended for mounting a back tool post,thats what I use it for anyway. When they said it had a slotted cross slide,I assumed that meant several slots for mounting other fittings. This is not the case, so I,m not sure it could be used for milling.

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

Adrian, the relative with the lathe in Boston also has a small mill. If he is willing to sell the lathe it may be possible to sell both machines as a package. I will see him Sunday and ask about them. Both together for less than you were planning to pay for a new lathe should be possible. That would solve the problem of fitting a milling slide to a lathe.

Martin C

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

My lathe is an Engineers ToolRoom BL12-24. This is very similar to the Warco BH600, and the Chester Craftsman.

I adapted a Vertical Slide for a Seig SC6 to fit on my cross slide. It is pretty easy.

Removing the Top Slide and Front Toolpost reveals a 25mm hole. The dowel on the bottom of the SC6 Vertical slide is 10mm, so make up a hollow dowel 25mm OD and 10mm ID (Put in a M6 tapping, so that you can extract it afterwards. )

I used brass, for the adaptor, to minimise any possible damage where it would bear on the Saddle, when the Cross Slide is moved.

You will need to scribe two fresh fiducial lines, one to align with the graduations on the Cross Slide, the other for the height adjuster Handwheel dial.

The bad news is that only one M8 Capscrew will be accessible to pick up on the "nuts" that clamp the Top Slide to the Cross Slide. (It will need to be longer one than those used to secure the Top Slide )

The article, giving further detail is on Page 34 of MEW258 (September 2017)

Since then, I have drilled the Base and upper half, and inserted a rollpin, before removing the three M6 capscrews, to separate the two parts to fit a second M8 Capscrew,. After clamping the Base in place, the two parts can now be reunited in alignment. (There is already a dowel between the two parts, so only one roll pin is required to retain accurate alignment )

Howard

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Forgot to say, when you remove the four way Toolpost, from the Top Slide, be careful not to lose the very short spring that presses the pawl upwards against the underside of the fourway tool holder block.

Howard

[AdrianRParticipant @adrianr18614]

Thanks Howard,

I actually have that copy of MEW thanks to my wife buying me a whole load of back issues for Christmas.

Adrian

[Author]

Posts