Metal Lathe - Harrison M250

The Harrison M250 lathe (also sold as Colchester Bantam with a different gear change and control lever layout) was designed to appeal to schools, training establishments, repair shops and those needing a strong, properly-built but compact lathe for light production work.

The M250 is a full-function machine capable of the entire range of turning operations, and through the available range of accessories its scope and versatility can be increased even further. Quality, reliability and response make it one of the most outstanding lathes of its kind especially in industry, the toolroom, training and secondary and tertiary education.

• Easy to understand headstock mounted speed, threading and feed charts
  
• Smooth power transmission through a twin vee belt drive and induction hardened and ground headstock gearing
  
• Large saddle and slide bearing areas for precision and long life
  
• Deep section top slide with dovetail guides and gib strip adjustment
  
• The combination box section cast iron bed and rigid steel base provides an incredibly strong structure
  
• A huge selection of accessories are available
  

Detailed review and discussion of Harrison M series lathes.

To request an induction please post on the forum. The induction takes about 1.5 hours.

Pre-Induction Study:

If you are new to lathe work, please prepare for the induction by watching the first 5 videos of BlondieHacks Lathe Skills on youtube (apx 35 minutes). We highly recommend the whole series.

Link to induction notes.

Link to the risk assessment.

• 290mm Swing Over Bed
  
• 180mm Swing Over Cross Slide
  
• 525mm Between Centres
  
• 35mm Spindle Bore
  
• No. 3 D1 Camlock nose
  
• 40-2000rpm Spindle Speeds
  
• 1.3kW Motor
  
• Quick change gear head
  
• Quick change tool post
  
• Metric and imperial thread cutting
  
• Power feed on main carriage and cross slide
  

PDF of Harrison M250 Manual

• 5“ Pratt Burnerd 3 jaw chuck
  
• 5” 4 jaw independent chuck
  
• Drive plate for turning between centres.
  
• Live centre for tailstock - a bit blunt and battered.
  
• Dead centre - with carbide tip.
  
• Half dead centre.
  
• Keyless Chuck for Tailstock.
  
• Parting off tools.
  
• Some Carbide insert cutting tools.
  
• Lots of HSS for making cutting tools.
  
• 2 Axis Mitutoyo DRO Digital XY readout
  
• An imperial dial indicator and stand.
  
• Cheapo digital callipers.
  
• Large and Small Precision Levels .
  
• Travelling steady.
  
• Fixed steady.
  
• Thread Dial Indicator.
  
• Change gears in the bottom draw for a wider range of screw cutting options.
  
• Morse taper reducing sleeves.
  
• Some reamers
  

The Metal Lathe is very happy cutting most common engineering materials. including:

• Ferrous metals: Steel, cast iron and stainless steel
• Non-Ferrous metals: Brass and Aluminium.
• Engineering plastics: Such as Nylon, Delrin, Acetyl are also perfect.

On very rare occasions, when there is a case for using metal lathe to cut hard wood precisely. If this is the case, please take care clean off all traces of wood dust when you have finished. After clean up, anoint the lathe with copious amounts of ways oil, repent for your sins and consider sacrificing a small mammal to the metal gods.

If you have any doubts as to whether a material is suitable, or whether it needs HSS or Carbide Tooling and coolant, please ask on the forum.

Daily maintenance is to be carried out every time you use the lathe.

Metal Lathe Maintenance

See the forum thread for the Metal Lathe Team.

In the event of anything urgent please post on the forum or contact Drew or someone from the committee.
In the event of the lathe being unsafe to use, please add a note clearly marking it to warn other members and explain why and alert on the forum or contact the committee on committee@bristol.hackspace.org.uk

Here is the list of currently authorised inductors and inducted members.