Cowells (http://www.cowells.com) based near Colchester in England, make a range of well-built, miniature machine tools that are very popular with knowledgeable watch, clock and instrument makers throughout the world. They are constructed from top-grade materials and close attention has obviously been paid to the detail of their design and specification - all the handles (apart from those on the miller) dials, levers and gib strips are in metal, not the cheap plastic of similar-sized lathes from European and Far Eastern manufacturers. The first Cowells lathe can trace its origins back to the Sheffield-made Flexispeed of the 1940s - a popular small machine that continued in production, in various forms, for nearly fifty years. Over many years, and several changes of ownership, the Flexispeed became, variously, the Simat 101, Meteor, Hector and Norfolk and finally the Perris, in which form it was adapted, almost unaltered, as the first Cowells model. 
For such small lathes (all are 1.75" centre height by 8" between centres) they unusual in incorporating many of the features, and hence the usefulness and adaptability, of larger machines; consequently, the "ME" lathe, with its origins in the Perris PL90, is designed for smaller model engineering use, has a proper backgear assembly with the 12 speeds spanning 60 to 2100 rpm; the bed has a gap, the cross slide is extra long and T slotted, a swivelling top slide is fitted as standard, the saddle traverse incorporates an automatic disengage mechanism and the countershaft is neatly and safely enclosed under a hinged guard. The machine is also mounted on a rigid cast-aluminium base with recesses at each end to facilitate lifting, neatly built-in switchgear and a machined flat at the back that can be employed as a mounting for a dial-test indicator or scribing block. A wide range of accessories is available including steadies, collets (including horological types) 4-way and rear toolposts, a vertical milling slide, dividing and indexing units, a roller-filing rest, etc. - and all at surprisingly reasonable prices. The lathes are hand-built on a modular system so it is possible, for example, to easily combine features from different models in the range - the plain-turning clockmaker's version with its hardened spindle and opposed bronze-bearing headstock can, for example, be fitted with the screwcutting mechanism from the ME model to give a power feed along the bed.
Cowells also make a range of other useful machines including a tiny vertical miller, miniature jig saws, a wheel and pinion cutter, a small dividing head --and, in the past, also manufactured a useful little hand-operated shaper.
Cowells Small Machine Tools Ltd.
Tendring Road,
Little Bentley
Colchester CO7 8SH
Essex England.
Tel/ Fax +44(0)1206 251 792
email: sales@cowells.com
Web Site: www.cowells.com