New (to me) Viceroy 280 VS in need of TLC and a few bits. .

[Spike1000]

Hiya,

I'm now current custodian of a rather neglected, ex-school, Viceroy 280VS. It's needing a fair bit of TLC (and some spare parts).

I'm getting through the cleaning stage. She's mechanically sound underneath all the crud. Needs a rewire to take a VFD but I'm concentrating on the 'metal bits' first.

I have a number of parts missing so I thought I'd see if you can help with any of them:

It's missing:

1) The tool post; so I could do with a tee nut and lever mechanism. Just the nut would be a start
2) Tailstock barrel locking lever (for the bit that winds out not the lever that locks it to the ways)
3) Suds pipework that bolts onto the saddle.
4) Screw cutting position indicator from the apron.
5) D1-3 4 jaw chuck and reverse jaws
6) Reverse jaws for 3 jaw Pratt Burnerd 1272-21305 125mm scroll lathe chuck
7) Coolant pump switch
The 'splashback' or whatever you call the vertical 'back' of the lathe behind the chuck

If anyone has any of these parts going spare or are willing to sell please drop me a PM.

I'll update things to let you know how how I'm progressing. . .

Spike

[Pete.]

Hiya,

I'm now current custodian of a rather neglected, ex-school, Viceroy 280VS. It's needing a fair bit of TLC (and some spare parts).

I'm getting through the cleaning stage. She's mechanically sound underneath all the crud. Needs a rewire to take a VFD but I'm concentrating on the 'metal bits' first.

I have a number of parts missing so I thought I'd see if you can help with any of them:

It's missing:

1) The tool post; so I could do with a tee nut and lever mechanism. Just the nut would be a start
2) Tailstock barrel locking lever (for the bit that winds out not the lever that locks it to the ways)
3) Suds pipework that bolts onto the saddle.
4) Screw cutting position indicator from the apron.
5) D1-3 4 jaw chuck and reverse jaws
6) Reverse jaws for 3 jaw Pratt Burnerd 1272-21305 125mm scroll lathe chuck
7) Coolant pump switch
The 'splashback' or whatever you call the vertical 'back' of the lathe behind the chuck

If anyone has any of these parts going spare or are willing to sell please drop me a PM.

I'll update things to let you know how how I'm progressing. . .

Spike

For a tool post I would give serious consideration to getting a quick change tool post and holders. A BXA size would suit your machine.
Locking lever is easy to make - if you have a lathe
Suds pipework I'd go for loc-line and make a mount
Screw cutting position indicator - do you mean threading dial? What you need depends on whether you have a metric or an imperial machine. Personally I just reverse the lathe and leave the half-nuts alone.
Reverse jaws I might be able to help you with, almost certainly can in fact.
Coolant pump switch can be anything but take heed your pump is probably 3 phase so you'll have to jumper it for 240v and jury-rig a capacitor to it to run it on single phase.
Splashback is gonna be rare. Bash one out of some tin.

[Spike1000]

For a tool post I would give serious consideration to getting a quick change tool post and holders. A BXA size would suit your machine.
Locking lever is easy to make - if you have a lathe

Thank you for your reply. Yes I'm in a little bit of 'needing a lathe to fix a lathe' situation I have bought a quick change post that should do the trick, just need to get/make the bits to attach it. I'm more than happy to fabricate the bits I need but if I can buy/acquire any that may save me a bit of time.

Suds pipework I'd go for loc-line and make a mount
Screw cutting position indicator - do you mean threading dial? What you need depends on whether you have a metric or an imperial machine. Personally I just reverse the lathe and leave the half-nuts alone.

It's a metric lathe. 'Threading dial', that's the thing. Been a while since I've used a lathe

Coolant pump switch can be anything but take heed your pump is probably 3 phase so you'll have to jumper it for 240v and jury-rig a capacitor to it to run it on single phase.

Yes the pump is 3 phase. Think it'll be set for 240V already (the main motor is according to the plate on the bed - the main motor is not easy to get to at all to verify). I'll look into adding a capacitor to it. I'm trying to do a 'sympathetic restoration' if I can so am looking to keep the 'look and feel' of the lathe but upgrading the parts that would benefit from being 'modernised'.

Splashback is gonna be rare. Bash one out of some tin.

I do have half of the splashback Not sure why it's been butchered, yeah, I can always fabricate the other half. . . Will PM you about the jaws.

Cheers

Spike

[Spike1000]

I must just take a moment to thank Denford for running this forum providing and sharing drawings, manuals, knowledge a experience on some of their older machines. This forum was the main reason I've bought my Viceroy 280 VS I would never be in the market for a new lathe but being able to find key information to breathe new life into a neglected but very capable machine is really really appreciated. Too many companies just want to sell their new range of equipment but there's a lot of us amateurs and hobbyists who can't justify brand new equipment but can keep the quality brands running long beyond their commercial lifespan. Thank you Denford.

Spike

[Pete.]

Well I don't think you're in too bad a place.

The nut for the quick-change post is something that you can make quite easily, or someone could make one if you give dimensions for the tee slot and post bolt thread.
The threading dial for metric will have three or four interchangeable gears. Really though you don't need one, I have turned loads of threads and I never had one fitted. Just use the 'reverse the motor' method.
The cut down splashback probably still does it's job. Most of the turning is done by the chuck and half a guard probably covers that.

[Spike1000]

Does anyone know the colour code for the original blue colour of my 280 VS? (They do seem to have been available in a variety of colours)

The bed/saddle/tailstock etc have all been painted a light 'engineering' green; but the original blue is there underneath. It's a darkish blue not the 'duck egg' blue that I've seem on some viceroys.

Spike