When is a Cowells a different Cowells?

[Jo]

They both have their own personal vacuum cleaners  This is what they normally look like, covered with swarf  :



Jo

[sco]

The little Sherline 4 jaw self centering is a rarity as it comes with the soft jaws, the slightly larger one comes with hard jaws. (I do like 4 jaw self centering chucks )

Simon you might want to keep your eyes out at the shows for a chuck for your table I picked up a brand new P&B 4" 4 jaw independant that had a boxford back plate on it for £60 from one of the more expensive second had tool dealers. The fact that it was a 4" meant that no one wanted it for a lathe but it is ideal for my Elliot indexing head or for mounting on a rotary table and it is nice and thin, much thinner than my TOS chucks of a similair size.

The smaller P&B 4 jaw independants fitted to both Cowells are also very nice . I don't know about the quality of the latest version of 4 jaws that come with Unimats.

Jo

Thanks Jo - I'll keep a look out.  I can see the convenience of the self centering 4 jaw but like the versatility of the independent. You see to have a sixth sense for locating these bargains - it's almost becoming a challenge to find something that you would have bought had I not got to it first 

Simon.

[Jo]

 

You will have to try wandering round some of the shows with me I normally find more bargains than even I choose to buy  .

Jo

[tangler]

I don't need a Cowells lathe

I don't need a Cowells lathe

I DON'T NEED A COWELLS LATHE


(so why do I keep following them on EBAY?)

[Jo]

The best way of curing yourself of this addiction is to come and try one of mine.. The problem will quickly sort itself out after that  .

Jo

[sco]

Sounds like kill or cure to me.

[Jo]

They tell me that it is better to known true love once than to die not knowing what you missed   

Jo

[JimG]

Physically the older machine has the coarse 1.5mm by 14mm thread and the later one has the 1mm thread. What this means is you can buy cheaper accessories to fit other lathes that will also fit the later machine. But you get what you pay for.. I have a few Unimat 3 chucks and they are not a patch on the Bison/Prat & B ones that came with the two Cowells.

Jo,

Going off on a slight tangent,  I got a Bison three jaw delivered with my Cowells just over three years ago.  It looks to be the same model as the one in your picture in the centre of the top row.   However I am definitely not getting on with this chuck.  Operation of the chuck is very stiff and has not eased off with use which I had hoped might happen.  I've actually opted to use my ML10 with its forty year old Burnerd three jaw for some jobs where gentle gripping was required.  Before I delve in to taking it to bits,  has anyone has similar problems and found an answer?

Jim.

[Jo]

No my 3 jaw Bison is nice and smooth. I don't think she has had much use as the original owner was a watchmaker and the lathe spent most of its time working between centres. It was still in its original box when I picked it up.

There is a slight difference between the two as the name badge is resessed on mine.

Jo