# Clausing Colchester



## PeterT (May 9, 2021)

Some nice shots of the innards during disassembly. Lots of cosmetic work but end result looks purdy.


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## CalgaryPT (May 10, 2021)

Wow. The finished product is a work of art. Thanks for posting.

I love the blue colour.


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## Canadium (May 10, 2021)

PeterT said:


> Some nice shots of the innards during disassembly. Lots of cosmetic work but end result looks purdy.



Many thanks for posting this! Since I am currently faced with trying to do something similar with my new lathe and wondering just how far I'm willing to go with that this is very timely for me. Gives me a lot of food for thought and also raises a lot of questions. Like what is that black stuff he puts on his backsplash? What is he using for filler before painting? Doesn't look like Bondo. What kind of paint is he using? Did he just clean those machine tags or get replicas made?

I've seen on other forums where professional machinists bitch about people who repaint their equipment. It seems they would rather see all the battle scars on their machines. I would take issue with that point of view. It may be fine for someone who's just in it for the business and time spent is expensive but for the hobbyist whats wrong with taking pride in and pampering your machine?


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## DPittman (May 10, 2021)

CalgaryPT said:


> This guy looks way too vegan to remove a motor or lift a chuck


  he hee hee.


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## David_R8 (May 10, 2021)

CalgaryPT said:


> Wow. This guy looks way too vegan to remove a motor or lift a chuck, but holy cow...what a great job. The finished product is a work of art. Thanks for posting.
> 
> I love the blue colour.


I've exchanged some messages with him. He said he's only been learning machine work for the past 4'ish months. Long time fabricator but new to machine work.
He did a nice job on a blade guard for a Wadkins planer.


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## CalgaryPT (May 10, 2021)

David_R8 said:


> I've exchanged some messages with him. He said he's only been learning machine work for the past 4'ish months. Long time fabricator but new to machine work.
> He did a nice job on a blade guard for a Wadkins planer.


Well please tell him how impressed we are with the restore.


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## Tom O (May 10, 2021)

Yes she’s a beauty!


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## PeterT (May 10, 2021)

I'll have to watch again but from memory I think the black stuff he put on his apron is steel blackening solution. Maybe for aesthetic color contrast? It wouldn't be my  personal choice because its very thin penetration, it will scratch & show through blotchy with use. At least my tools do. Personally I would have stuck to what looks like high quality paint, just a different color.

The black rubbery pebbly texture stuff he was rolling on looks like that truck bed protection layer or similar materials. Again, not sure how that would wipe down with chips & swarf. I think smooth finish is easier to clean up. But that textured stuff might be good for inside surfaces vs. plain cast iron, maybe rust prevention. But I've also seen some wrinkle finish harder coatings used on outsides of metal parts so probably more options to ponder.

He was a bit liberal with some of the Bondo application but I bet 90% was sanded off again just eyeballing the castings. But I think you want it relatively thin in rougher environment areas, dropping a wrench down might be enough to chip. My prior RF-45 mill had Bondo peel disease but I suspect they probably used drywall spackle or flour & water vs a good quality filler.


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## Canadium (May 10, 2021)

Of course it looks beautiful but is it durable? Does it really matter how it looks or does it matter more how it works?

The black rubbery pebbly texture stuff doesn't look like a good idea to me. I don't see how that would be easy to clean from oil and swarf. He uses a similar product to Bondo called "Evercoat Rage Body Filler" and uses primer first. Don't know if it's any better but seems to me Bondo is notorious for peeling off.


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## Brent H (May 10, 2021)

Nice “re-paint” but I would not call it a “restoration”.  Would be nice to find out why he re-ground the saddle and compound and if there was scrapping, re-fitting the gibs?   Was the VFD or speed control original or ?? What knob came off for the speed control to fit?  

I think the bed liner application will be problematic- especially if coolant is used.  My back splash is smooth stainless and gets gummy with oil and debris.  
Looks very nice - 57 Chevy blue - same as my drum set and cyclone dust collector.


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## David_R8 (May 10, 2021)

The fellow is very friendly, I’d ask on the video comments.


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