Member postings for Dave Sawdon 1

Bit of a sidetrack but ... I'm intrigued to see that spirit level device for finding centre height. Is it really better/easier/faster than trapping a 6" rule and making it vertical?

Thanks for the replies.

Matt Harrington I may be showing my age, but Aliexpress always seems a bit too like the "wild west" ("wild east"?) for me, with unknown quality, difficult returns, potential import duties and long lead times ... but that's all said without any real knowledge.

Dave Wootton I have a genuine Swiss A size Multifix set from a previous lathe and was hoping to use it on my new-to-me 254S, but the lathe centre-to-top slide distance is only 20mm. I haven't tried fitting it yet because I'm still repairing some things on the lathe but, according to this, it should be OK with 10mm tools ... but only just.

I was interested in Create with the idea of selling my genuine Multifix and buying a more suitable size at Chinese prices - what size did you buy from PeWe and what did it cost?

BTW, I realise that I could remove the top slide and make a spacer but would prefer not to do that.

Dave

Edited By Dave Sawdon 1 on 17/11/2022 10:14:46

Dragging this thread back from the grave ... I've been trying to find the Create Tools website but createtool.com has "Thank you for choosing our service, your space has expired, please renew as soon as possible, please notify us to open after renewal" - at least, that's what M'sieu Google says the characters mean. Is there an alternative way to contact them?

Thanks everyone. I'll be using a Multifix size A toolpost (subject to checking tool height range) so will need to drill a couple of holes for the dowel pins but then will put the grub screws back and stop thinking about them.

(Steviegtr: they are in tapped holes in the compound slide but don't penetrate the foot of the tool post. There's a single steel pin to prevent rotation)

Dave

I haven't owned a "7" so don't know what they're like. The grub screws are item 5 in this extract from the 254 parts manual and described as "grub screw - plug" - so are they just plugging holes that can be used by the 4-way toolpost?

Mine has the standard clamp, as shown in the picture, but I have a size A Multifix tool post and it looks like this will fit if I sleeve the "clamp post" ... but first I need to replace the bent clamp post!

I need to replace the tool post (or "tool clamp post" ) and see that there are 3 grub screws around it in the compound slide. Their points bear on the top of the tool post foot but don't screw into it. What are they for?

Dave

Edited By Dave Sawdon 1 on 16/11/2022 17:33:09

In case it's of use to anyone else ...

I was trying to insert both the leadscrew and the drive shaft at the same time to save time and avoid disconnecting them from the bearing block. Once I removed the drive shaft circlip it became apparent that it was the drive shaft that wasn't fully entering its clutch so a bit of jiggling and a gentle tap soon fixed that and all is now well. The only thing I'd add is how important it is to slip something through the leadscrew cover to hold it compressed - an absolute bu&&er if you don't.

I'm now moving-on to replacing the tool post (or "tool clamp post" and see that there are 3 grub screws around it in the compound slide, but I don't understand their purpose. I'll start another thread for that question.

The problem seems to be the leadscrew - despite the woodruff key being in the slot something is stopping full penetration (oo, err missus!) When I next get some free time I'll try removing the dog clutch sleeve - it looks like it's only held with 2 screws. The drawing shows a spring and it's not clear what that's for, but no doubt I'll find out as it pings past my ear

(Thanks for the PM, I'll reply in a while)

I've been repairing the apron on my 254S and thought re-assembly would be straightforward, but am having difficulty getting the leadscrew to fully engage with its clutch. I naively assumed that it would just slide in, but it won't. I ran out of time today so haven't investigated in depth yet, but would appreciate any pointers for when I can get back to it.

Dave

Yes, that's fair. The previous attempts were longer and narrower parallel pins, so not a reasonable comparison. Inexperience and doing small work on a big machine didn't help, either.

Rather than buying a suitable roll pin to make a tapered pin it seemed simpler to just buy the tapered pin and miss-out a step . Thanks to "daggers" sorting-out my google-fu it (and 4 friends) should arrive in the next day or two.

Previous attempts at turning small pins on my (recently sold) Holbrook were not always successful, and certainly not without a steady. AFAICT the tool height and sharpness were OK, but the material was an unknown (salvaged) steel so that may have been the problem.

Because I don't have a working lathe until I have one and also because I'm a relative newbie and also do not yet have a steady ... I know, "make one", which I may well do if I can't find a Myford 254 steady at a sensible price

Many thanks! Once I searched for "3x60" several hits appeared. Interestingly, buying 5 from the Zoro website would have cost £1.60+£4.99 delivery, but buying from Zoro on eBay was £2.60 with postage included ... unusual to be that way around.

A need to replace a metric tapered pin but can't find a source - any suggestions?
The original pin had diameters of 3.5 and 4.0 mm and length of about 25mm.

Thanks! It would be very interesting to hear about the "mods and improvements".

Yup! 'twas much easier than I expected: Slide carriage to left, undo 2 bolts to release leadscrew bracket and slide it to the right (with lead and feed shafts) to remove shafts from couplings and out of the apron, undo 2 screws at front top of saddle.

Dave

Thanks Michael, but unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a way to contact the chap (Lionel Tichenor). A few days ago I put a question at the end of that thread in the hope that one of the participants would see it, but no response (yet).

Dave

I think the job should be straightforward but it would be useful to hear from someone who has done it before.

I presume I remove the cross and top slides, unbolt the "leadscrew bracket assembly" and (somehow?) remove the lead screw and feed shaft, and then undo the bolts that attach the apron to the saddle. Please can someone reduce my unknown unknowns and explain what I've missed

Dave

Thanks for the reply, Robert. I'd found that but baulked at the cost. I've now found a very useful site (https://archive.org/download/lathe-manuals) from which I've just downloaded the 254 Plus manual and I think that's going to be near enough unless something more specific appears.

I need to remove and dismantle the apron on my 254S and, although this is a rather old thread, it seems that there are a couple of people here who have ploughed the same course before me ... any advice on how to tackle the job would be gratefully received.

Dave