lathe restoration

Best regards to all
I am working on the restoration of a comesa lathe 1500 if someone can give me data of the manufacturer or explodes, user manual, I would very much appreciate it.

I want to learn how to make my own tools for this lathe

A hug to everyone

Hi juan_alberto_13 - welcome to HomemadeTools.net :welcome:

Can you post some pics of the lathe?

Thank you Jhon

see you the photos lathe comesa 1500

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Look at the photos you download from the internet is almost the same because there is no page or manufacturer associated with this name comesa 1500.

I'm going to be uploading the disassembly photos so you can see what I'm doing and if anyone can give us a hand I'd like to thank you very much.

I'm going to move this one into our Tools in Progress subforum; something tells me we'll have some people who will be interested in this restoration.

A lot of machines are re-branded for importers and companies to sell, but built from a common collection of castings. If shifters and levers are arranged in the same locations, and they are independent feed and threading shafts, it's a real lathe and chances are the same machine. That makes finding manuals easier. [*]You'll do best by recording in text and jpegs details about clearances; end play, backlash, runout, fastener torque and location, locking tabs etc.[*] Plastic bags and coffee cans; drink lots of coffee, the cans are very handy.[*]A lot of the drive shafts are pinned offset from the measured centerline.[*]Because of all the castings and blind holes, screw length is particular. [*]Look for areas that chafe wire insulation. [*]Identify wire with commercial markers or narrow athletic tape and Rapidograph style pen. [*]Figure on testing the variety of electrical components fuses, relays, heaters. [*]Save carriage wipers what ever condition they are in to produce new ones. [*]There could be cotton wick and/ or 'pipe cleaners' that carry oil from reservoirs to lube points, headstock especially. [*]Start looking for supplies; small copper, brass or steel capillary tube for oiling, should be soft enough to form by hand. [*]Investigate how to make leather seals for shafts.[*]Reseal all the unexposed areas with GE Glyptol or enamel paint, usually red lead or light colored to see metal shavings later. It also traps whatever sand remains from the original castings.[*]There are all kinds of drip lube canisters that will improve the maintenance routine. Here a brand is 'Gits' Lubrication | GITS Manufacturing is one, but many more exist. [*]Painting outside surfaces is best with oil-based enamel over glazing putty, like automotive repair paste but that doesn't stick to cast iron well.[*] And replace the worn silk screened charts and labels with acid photo-engraved panels.

I'm sure plenty more responses will occur, it strikes me that 'our' projects have worldwide exposure.

Thank you all the people who can illustrate me on this subject and although I am an engineer I am missing a lot and I see that here we have people with a lot of knowledge.

If someone has manuals or images of the new lathe or better conditions I would be grateful and I assure you that I will be commenting my progress regarding this project because I believe that not only should we be buying new equipment and not of the best quality and not as These with a little affection remain as new and last many years

Thank you toolmaker51

I will try to show all the advances regarding this project and I hope your collaboration and advice when you are not knowing what to do.

That's why we join! May the engineer in you be happy as kids in a toy store; SurplusRecord, Sterling Machinery, Rohner, Williams in the US and what turns up in Europe. You might look at 100 files or 1000; but certain yours is not the only one. One more detail to try is some clue whether shes Euro or Asian, eliminating or at least narrowing the field. I will say those shifters on the headstock seem familiar.
I suspect Comesa might be a brand, not the actual maker. That is very common. An Italian member here named ''rendoman'', might be worth your time email wise.
I'm currently hampered being English language only, in common speech and the gigantic vocabulary of the metal trades; the translation feature in these pages operates by interpretive manner, but likely hasn't 'learned' our vocabulary 100%.

Best regard
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I left them for a few days for my occupations but I continue in the restoration here I show you some photos of the ones you have done I hope you like them and make your comments.

As some parts of the lathe are in poor condition, I must assemble it and manufacture the parts that I will replace

I think to leave it flawless is going to spend some time I hope your help and understanding but I will not leave this project.

I apologize for the photos but my photographer is not very good.
I leave others of the car where the supports of the pads that clean the bench of the winch I show how was one of them with some paint and as they are left with a superficial sanding I hope that when I finish it looks like a mirror
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Best regard
I have been working with this lathe for many days and I hope you like how you are staying to work with him.

In the photos you can see the state in which it was and now how it is, basically dismantled the cross carriage, the paint was removed and the polisher was passed to remove the hammering of the metal that I'm told comes from the factory and of course It looks very professional someone painted it and although it looks medium well I do not think that its finish is the best, for this reason I preferred to remove the paint from some parts and leave it in the metal exposed which gave a touch of personality.

In some places of the lathe was sanded and painted again with the painting that was more assimilated to the one he brings as I am told.

The truth is a lot of work for a single person and more than my work in the company where I work does not leave me much time to dedicate and I am not mechanical engineer but if I understand something to disarm and assemble again and more pieces so heavy and without great complexity.

I have to do some other things but I will be commenting.
Even does not appear who is the manufacturer of this, nor user manuals, nor cutting sheets and although it seems that is not the best lathe is bulky and massive and I think we can make magnificent pieces in it.

I'm waiting for your comments and suggestions.

I hope you like my humble work.

With appreciation from Colombia and I apologize for my bad English.

A brotherly embrace

good luck with the restoration!

I Juan
I myself have done restorations on milling machines, lathes, drill presses, and surface grinders just to mention a few, Allot of work goes into the restoration, especially if you do a complete restoration and not just surface cosmetics,
Like ToolMaker51 said, the badge of the machine does not necessarily mean thats the manufacture, there is a web site that you might be able to get the manuals and documentation from, but of course you will have to pay for them, but give this place a shot and see if they can help you.

Lathes

Best Regards
Doug Ross

Best regard

Thanks Doug.

I have found out a lot about my lathe and I have got the necessary information although I would love to have it out of this one.

I tell you that the lathe is Spanish and I made it a man who had some foundry and machining companies in Spain and as it was a society had some inconveniences with his partner and then he started to work alone, this manufacturing several lathes among them the one that I have And others that are not documented in the pages more important as the English page where there is almost everything in regards to machinery.

I already have it almost ready in the restoration but I do not want to work with your tool holder because I do not like to lose half a day changing a burin and I am in the process of making a tool of fast change or looking for who does it because I do not have milling machine and the truth here In Colombia this is a challenge one for the costs and the other because those who do these jobs are like Gods and do things when they feel like it.

So I bought the lathe to do my things because I invented tools and things that intrigue me or my children.

Now I'm looking for a milling machine and I see some very good in the US but the costs are still not within my reach and beyond that sending is expensive and here in my country it's just for millionaires.
**
I appreciate all your help and if you could help me with my work I would thank you from the bottom of my heart.

A brotherly embrace from Colombia

Please excuse my English is bad and I use the google translate.

With love

Juan Alberto

And I again, Juan; good morning.
The Lathes.uk site is certainly far beyond just 'lathes'; being UK where lathes held by avid Model Engineers must number in thousands, is just a blanket title. I enter that site for history lessons, detective work, and general reading frequently.
In keeping with that, I Googled.com "Comesa Lathes" for images and there is 4-5 jpegs of one from an auction, on risers, apparently quite a lot like yours.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pola...=comesa+lathe+

As I suspected, certain features stand out. The arrangement of gear shift handles in the headstock, and clutch lever in the foot post couldn't be any other design, regardless how it is 'badged'. The fact it is clutched, to me, signifies a pretty sophisticated and stout machine, even if economically designed to meet a certain price.
And that is a common aspect. Those designed to meet industry requirements first, where price is secondary or even not regarded, usually are excellent machine tools.
Those where 'market share' is a goal simply and rarely have what it takes to meet industrial use. Where I work, 2 Clausings head up the good lathes. The 4 large lathes are all Asian are just plain clumsy in use, and human engineering is worse than just an afterthought.
When my favorite feature and measure of excellence vs. price is visible, ergonomics come high on the list. Poor ones are; flat handwheels, or too little clearance between hub and outer ring for my normal sized hands. Tail stock locks that interfere with quill levers or coolant risers, and fall down unlocked basically out of reach. Clumsy shifters for gears and feeds. Quill diameters barely larger than their taper size. Narrow carriage width across the wings. Any apron lever that is obscured by other controls, or too many that are multi-function.
And its time for me to leave for work...

I would be glad to help you with whatever you need,

Doug Ross