Rollo Elf

[Malcolm StubbsParticipant @malcolmstubbs83038]

I have just acquired a Rollo Elf lathe, it is basic, but on the whole a fair piece of kit.

Can any one advise on the best way to check the nose spindle internal taper it seems to be too small to be a standard morse taper and can any one advise on a supplier for a mandrel so I can get a four jaw chuck.

[Malcolm StubbsParticipant @malcolmstubbs83038]

Advice

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

This would seem to suggest it had MT tapers

[IanTParticipant @iant]

I have a Rollo Elf (hand cranked version) that I've "loaned" out to a friend (so I don't have it to hand) but from memory it has an MT1` taper.

Regards,

Ian T

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Mines MT1

They're pretty dam nifty for such a small machine, reasonable distance between centres (mine the long bed), 3 speed plantary gear box allows you to change speed without stopping, screw cutting, what more do you need

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Russell Bates on 17/12/2013 18:31:11:

… 3 speed plantary gear box allows you to change speed without stopping …

.

I've never owned a Rollo Elf, and probably never will; but I always thought their use of the Sturmey Archer hub was a stroke of genius.

MichaelG.

[Malcolm StubbsParticipant @malcolmstubbs83038]

Thanks for that Gents. All the information I have received tells me it is MT1, however all the books are telling me that MT1 is to big has the "mouth" of my spindle has a diameter of between 7.5 and 8 mm. Has any Rollo Elf owner bought an arbor to fit into the headstock spindle.

Malcolm

[Keith LongParticipant @keithlong89920]

Malcolm

That sounds more like a MT0 taper – one size down from MT1. Seems a bit odd unless someone has fitted a new spindle. I might be worth looking very carefully at the end of the spindle to see if you can see a line running around on the face of it to suggest that there is an adaptor sleeve stuck in there. MT0 is pretty small and I don't think you'll find a great amount of tooling about to fit that apart from possibly watch or clock making tools, I think I'd be pretty wary of mounting a chuck on a MT0 arbor unless you've got provision to secure it with a draw-bar through the lathe spindle.

The good news is that according to the information on the lathes.co.uk website, the Elf was made with a MT1 socket in the spindle so you should have enough material to machine out to that size.

Has the spindle got a threaded nose – that usually how you fit a faceplate or a chuck via a back-plate.

Keith

[IanTParticipant @iant]

My 'Rollo' has the round bed and a simple gear train in the headstock assembly. From what I can recall though, the spindle is a simple plain one (e.g. no external tapers) – so it would be a fairly easy matter to make up a new one. The Elf nose is threaded and mine had a rather nice Burnerd scroll chuck fitted that was promptly moved to my EW when it was acquired (which is why I loaned out the Elf!)

I had originally intended to make a new spindle for the Elf with a different nose thread. The bearings are just plain CI bores (e.g. no external tapers) and this would be fairly simple to do on a larger machine (although I'd lap the new spindle to fit the existing bores).

So if you do want a different spindle, I'd suggest that you make a new one, rather than risk messing up the original. I'm not sure what the Elf 'nose' thread is but it might make sense to make any new spindle to match a more popular/modern small lathe (maybe a Sieg C0 baby lathe?)

Regards,

IanT.

[Malcolm StubbsParticipant @malcolmstubbs83038]

The Elf nose thread on my lathe is 5/8 BSF, which I did not want to change as the 3 jaw chuck that came with it is adequate. As the tailstock and spindle internal tapers are the same being sure of the size is important, I will continue to investigate.

Malcolm

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Malcolm,

Could the taper be MT1 Stub ?

Have a look at Table 1a in this book.

MichaelG.

[julian atkinsParticipant @julianatkins58923]

i do like these old lathes! a most interesting post and links!

cheers,

julian

[Keith LongParticipant @keithlong89920]

Malcolm

I'm a bit confused as to what you want a "mandrel" for so that you can fit a 4 jaw chuck. If the Elf has a threaded nose on the spindle, what you need is a back-plate that you can machine to go on to that thread. Then you machine a suitable land or spigot on the back-plate for the 4 jaw chuck of your choice, and drill and tap for the bolts to secure the chuck to the back-plate. Again have a look on the lathes.co.uk website, fitting back-plates to spindles and chucks to back-plates is explained in simple terms and in detail there.

As to the socket being for a MT1 stub taper – no chance. If the small end of a normal MT1 won't enter the mouth of the socket a stub taper won't even begin to look at it as it's the "thin" end of the taper that is truncated to form the stub. Still think you might just have a MT0 to MT1 or some other adaptor stuck in there as a possibility. Is the lathe spindle hollow ie drilled through?

Keith

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Keith Long on 18/12/2013 23:29:37:

As to the socket being for a MT1 stub taper – no chance. If the small end of a normal MT1 won't enter the mouth of the socket a stub taper won't even begin to look at it as it's the "thin" end of the taper that is truncated to form the stub.

.

I stand corrected.

MichaelG.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

It could have a taper similar to the Super Adept, there is much discussion on this one, some say it is 0 MT, others say it's near to 0 Jacobs taper, just as the spindle thread seems different on some machines, mine is 3/8" BSF, on the box it has 3/4" with the 4 over- stamped with 8, while others say it's 5/8"BSF, or 1/2" BSF.

I made new centres, using hit and miss methods, and bearing blue. Sorry a bit OT, but similar problem. Ian S C

[Malcolm StubbsParticipant @malcolmstubbs83038]

I only require a small chuck, so a chuck/arbour combination as supplied by companies like RDG Tools would have been the easiest solution. But it looks like I will have to go down the back plate route. As to turning centres I have not done that since I was an apprentice, but it is a possibility. The search will go on however.

Malcolm

[anthony bryantParticipant @anthonybryant10021]

I have a Rollo ELF (hand crank, flat bed )the nose thread is 5/8 BSF .I think the taper is a Brown & sharp 1 or 2 . Sadly the lathe came without a chuck. Has anyone got a manual for the Elf.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Malcolm, Anthony,

Welcome to the forums! I tried to find out more about the Rollo Elf from Lathes.co.uk but the site keeps asking me for a username and password!

Most odd… still it looks a neat wee lathe.

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Neil,

You should be able to get to the home page … where you will find this explanatory message:

• Site temporally unavailable due to technical problems being suffered byFasthosts.co.uk the hosting company. It is hoped that it will be back up later today. However if you need to order manuals or parts, etc.store.lathes.co.uk is on a different server and working

MichaelG.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

I'll quickly correct myself for the benefit of others who may dig this up in the future.

The tailstock is MT1, I went to put the centre in the nose…. no chance, it's tiny – whoops!

Sorry for the bad advice Malcolm!

I'll try to gauge exactly what it might be the next time I have a need for it – One sold on ebay for £125 odd recently with a cracked bearing housing and what looks like a complete box of original accessories – I might try and get in touch with the winner and see if they can help out

– maybe they can sell me a faceplate too, if they're breaking it, as mines gone AWOL……

Edited By Russ B on 10/03/2014 09:13:01

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Well, I finally got to view the pages on Lathes.co.uk – actually I have seen one of these in an old advert.

I remember endlessly adjusting those Sturmey Archer links to get reliable gear changing on many a bicycle!

I like the two arrangements of the single speed gear – gear up with a motor, down for hand cranking but use the same two gears! The hand cranked version must have been deathly slow to use!

Neil

[IanTParticipant @iant]

It wasn't really practical Neil and I was going to motorise my (hand cranked) Rollo as it is quite a sturdy little machine.

It would be quite easy to put a pulley on the spindle rear end but mine also had a degree of wear in the headstock. As there is no way to make any headstock adjustment (the cast iron bearings are not split) it really would have needed a new spindle and possibly boring out – back to round.

Mine is on permanent 'loan' to a friend who uses it for various manual operations on small brass fittings that he repairs ("remakes"?) for musical instruments. I know he's modified it to suit his needs (he's a very skilled mechanic/craftsman) but I don't know any specifics. He seems happy enough with it though. So it's found a good home and is being used, which is all any old tool wants. So I guess it's happy too!

Regards, IanT

[ryan burtonParticipant @ryanburton16109]

Hi,

I bought the Rollo elf from ebay recently and came across this thread whilst trying to find some more info on the lathe. I am a split cane rodmaker and have bought the lathe to try to learn to make some basic components for my rods. I am a novice when it comes to lathes so if anyone has any tips they can pass on I would be greatful

thanks

Ryan

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Welcome, Ryan

Could you maybe start an Album here, with some picture of you Rollo Elf

… I'm sure that some of us would find it of interest.

Thanks

MichaelG.

.

P.S. … For Neil [re: Hub Gears]

here is an article about the workings of a Shimano Nexus hub.

[ryan burtonParticipant @ryanburton16109]

Thanks for the welcome!

im not too sure how to post pictures on this forum, but will try later.

I fitted the lathe to a worktop when I got it, so I could connect the motor to check it works. there were a few problems! The original tool post is missing, but a perfectly adequate replacement had been made. also there are a few missing parts for the screw cutting facility, but I have no plans to use this so am not too worried! The main problem however was that the lathe did not run true, at all.! I took it in to work ( I rent a workshop from an engineer) and measured the run out at about 0.040! I feared the worst at this point, but after being shown how to adjust the chuck on the backplate, within 10 minutes that had been reduced to 0.0015, which I am told is very good with the 3 jaw chuck!

I must say I am very pleased with thios little lathe. I love the fact it is old and british made, and am looking forward to learning how to use it properly!

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