New Clausing Colchester Lathe Commissioned
2/12/2009
Figure 1: The new Clausing Colchester
15” lathe.
The FY Capital Investment of the Carleton Lab continues to focus on rebuilding the laboratory’s machine shop. We are approaching the goal of a complete rebuild of the machine shop by the end of the semester with the commissioning of a brand new high-quality 15” geared head lathe.
This lathe replaces two older models that have been in service for more than half a century and would have been prohibitively expensive to rebuild. This Clausing lathe provides a quality rarely found in new machine tools: solid precision construction. The machine is not CNC controlled, but rather engineered to provide shops performing heavy machining tasks with a tool that can machine massive specimens without loss of accuracy.
Figure 2: Removal of the old Monarch 14” lathe from the machine shop.
Figure 3: Student lab workers and staff
dismantling Monarch lathe for salvage.
Figure 4: An empty machine shop after the removal of all machine tools and a thorough strip and wax of the floor. This may be the first time since the construction of Engineering Terrace that this floor was wholly cleaned.
Figure 5: Old Clausing Colchester 13”
lathe before salvage.