Member postings for GarryC

Thanks everyone, I've taken a copy of the link (EdH). I'll wait a while I think and see if the Gearbox Oil at least starts to look dirty - its looks like new at the moment. I was half expecting to hear I should have changed it by now but sounds like theres maybe no rush just yet..

Cheers

Garry

Thanks Simon - wow 8 years!

I'll have a think but maybe I'll just leave well alone then, for the time being anyway. A lot depends on whether I can use the Lathe for my next project or if I'll be upgrading sooner rather than later as well.. At the rate I'm going it'l take me another year to finish what I'm doing now first though...

Cheers

Garry

I've had my Ltahe now about 5-6 months and the manual says to change the gearbox oil and recommends Mobilgear 627 - I just wondered what others were using. But also I don't like the look of the drain plug for the gearbox, almost looks like there is some weld around the plug. The oil in the sight glass still looks like new and I'm wondering if I should leave well alone - by the time it gets dirty I will likely looking to upgrade the Lathe anyway?

The manual makes no mention of there even being any oil in the Apron but it clearly has a sight glass and there seems to be a 'plug' of some sort under the Sight Glass on the bottom of the apron? The oil in this sight glass is dirty as you can't even see through the glass so I guess I should at least change this. Does anyone know if there is a seal I should get for the plug before doing - the manual shows the 'plug' as a screw on the parts diagram - but I don't think the manual is completly up to dat maybe..

Sorry I've done this very quickly and the photos are terrible..

Maybe this model lathe is a bit new for there to be many looking at oil changes yet..

Just wondering really how often others change their oil in these type lathes, what oil they use and if I should leave that gearbox plug well alone, for the time being anyway..

Thanks

Garry

Thanks Bert, finishing still seems a long ways off yet...

Jason, I still haven't been to have a look around first hand yet but I've just spent some time looking at some old photos on the net and yes I see what you mean, and so many different types.... I've bookmarked some good links now which I can see will be good to refer to sometimes for comparisons while building... should have thought to do it before as it's bound to be very useful...

Cheers

Garry

There was a bit more to this to get it look ok than I first thought - I really should learn to quit while I'm ahead..

This was me finished earlier, until drilling tomorrow - the shoulder onto the large flat was not quite true I'hadn't taken it back enough after reversing in the chuck - it was nothing really hardly noticeable and I wouldn't have thought a problem for this 'fixed' part....

but no I couldn't leave alone and had to sort it out - ended up with this....!

I'll see what it looks like after drilling and spot facing with the nuts in place - if it looks too odd with the nuts 'in' the step I'll redo (before drilling the cylinder).. It may yet look ok though I hope...

I don't have a radius attachment and so had to do the 'dome' just by eye - used the HSS round nose tool I made earlier..

Cheers

Garry

I've made a bit of a start today, just the chucking spigot to remove and turn the other side before drilling. I used my knife tool thinking it would make a 'sharper' job of the corners compared to my carbide inserts and I think it has and all the sizes are good - but the finish is pretty bad. I think maybe my knife tool needs more of a radius on the point...Unless perhaps there was a bit of chatter going on and I should have used a centre for support.

also thought I would do as Jason suggested and secure the Piston with a nut and so do away with the screwdriver slot on top of the Piston when I come to make it - hence the hole bored in the cover to allow for it.

Cheers

Garry

I'll be having a go at the Cylinder Top Cover next....

The Steam Cylinder Top Cover Drawing.

The Steam Cylinder Top Cover casting 1.

The Steam Cylinder Top Cover casting 2.

Ready to start machining on the Lathe after a bit of cleaning up with a file.. Starting with the chucking spigot..

Cheers

Garry

Edited By Garry_C on 11/08/2015 17:25:27

Edited By Garry_C on 11/08/2015 17:25:53

The bottom Cylinder Cover studs are in now..

All six holes spotted through - one of the Studs below will be a 2BA screw....

Quite a deep counterbore in the Cover 'arm' and I needed to make sure I had room to tighten the nut..

The bottom Cylinder cover in place on the Steam Cylinder..

(I had to open out the hole in the arm to 4.9mm but all the others stayed at 2BA Clearance Size...)

Cheers

Garry

Ian, I wonder how the training today compares with yours, not as good I'll bet..

Just a few quick photos of making a start getting the cylinder studs in - the bottom ones anyway..

(don't worry I'll not post each one going in - just another one at the end though when there're done..!)

Checking how deep to drill - the Cylinder cover is 6.5mm and I need to drill 5mm for the Stud threads, so plenty of room this time. Although again I can't use a taper tap to start the threads and have had to grind the end off my 2BA Plug Tap..

Not really enough room for the point on a standard drill so I'm using a 4mm Slot Mill for the tapping holes..

and I'll counterbore the cover at the same time - the holes near the Standard mounting had to have it done just to fit..

I don't think it will notice and looks ok though..

2BA Stud - 5 more to go..

I'm just handholding to open the cover out to clearance size, on top of the vice was the most stable way I found to do it - so its not resting on the spigot and trying to move..

I'll post a another photo when they are all in - although one will be a screw countersunk into the bottom cylinder cover over the Standard mounting..

Cheers

Garry

Edited By Garry_C on 07/08/2015 11:31:54

Things must be looking up for me to get a nice comment about my filing, thanks Michael, thats the first one ever..! I used to leave a terrible trail of destruction behind my file when I first started and would do anything to avoid using it - its definitely one of those things that gets more enjoyable the better you become I think, I do quite enjoy it now..

Garry

It comes down to a time choice thing for me Roy, and I'm still terribly slow in getting things done at the moment which doesn't help of course..

and cheers Nick - its very slow progress but I'll get there in the end...!

I've got the lugs tidied away now, it was not such a bad job by hand and quite enjoyable once I got going... A few wayward marks but not too bad..

Cheers

Garry

Thanks Michael, they do look very useful for the rotary table - they are now on my list and I'll be ordering some next time I buy from RDG..

Cheers

Garry

Hi Jason

I hadn't thought to use packing like that instead of the 'stepped' wedges, that's very useful to see, I think your clamps look a bit shorter than mine as well but not an issue without the wedges though...

I've took just about 25 - 30 mins to do this one so I may persevere, but its great to have that option now in future..

[edit: I did try the clamps in the centre, I didn't spend much time on that but it was awkward as I was using my Co Axial Indicator to centre on the bore, it was tricky to get the stud into the t piece and washer after centering - I had though last night to try a short stud down in the bore and then extended with a joiner after centring but went straight at it with the file this morning.. ] 

Thanks very much

Garry

Edited By Garry_C on 05/08/2015 09:30:40

This is where I'm at today. I failed to get a decent setup with the rotary table to do this so I'm having to file. Despite upgrading my rotary table to a 6 inch I think its still too small - next time I mess up and am having to wait for some reordered parts I'm going to have a go at making an adaptor or mounting plate for the RT, I think a 9 inch will be ok and fit on the Mill, have to source some kind of 'blank' to do it from. At least then I will have more room to clamp the workpiece..

6 Lugs to do, the first one has taken about 45 mins but I should be much quicker with the rest I hope.. I've caught the rim a bit have to be more careful - although this will all eventually be hidden by the cylinder lagging..

One down 5 to go..

Cheers

Garry

Hi Peter

Stuarts spec says 60psi working pressure but I guess it should run on less than that - I'll get myself a boiler though when I have it running on air first I think.....

Cheers

Garry

Hi Peter

Thanks, its a 2 inch Bore and 2 inch Stroke..

While i think of it, you remember the CAD software we were talking about - I convinced myself a few days ago that I'd stumbled on something really useful in Sketchup but now i'm not so sure. Remembering its free - you can import jpegs / photos and dimension in seconds but also it will scale the photo - so for example say you take a photo of a steam engine then just by knowing one accurate dimension (flywheel maybe) you can import the photo, tell sketch up the flywheel is x feet / inches and it will dimension everything else accurately..! I'm sure that kind of thing must have its uses somewhere - and it takes seconds to do...

Ever so slightly miffed today - one of the lines in my Spindle Speed readout on the mill went...no big deal I guess..

Anyways I have to go..

Looking forward to seeing that boiler..!

Cheers

Garry

Just Milled down the port face square and to the 1/3/4" distance to the bore centre today.. Its spot on 90 degrees to the flanges..

I'd been thinking i would just pop it in the vice and mill to do this but no it was too big - was bit wary of this setup but it turned out to be fine and no hint of any problems, light cuts again..

Milling down the Steam cylinder Port Face - not yet down to size in this photo.. But it is done now..

I don't yet know if there is any significance of the 'raised' rectangular section which is off centre - its shown off centre in the drawing as well. I have taken equal amours off both flanges and the ports are spot on in the middle of the face so I think its ok.. The flanges are the same width..

Cheers

Garry

The boring all went very well and interesting to do - apart from ending up about 6 thou oversize in the overall cylinder length everything else is good, but I can always sort that later if need be...

Setting up to machine the Steam Cylinder.

Checking the Steam Cylinder bore. Managed to get the final size to within 1 thou of the 2 inch bore.

Test fitting the bottom Cylinder Cover - the spigot was almost a push fit, no movement at all, it couldn't have fitted any better I think.. The Cover is slightly larger in diameter than the Cylinder end to accommodate the Cylinder lagging..

The Steam Cylinder so far and ready to be removed from the Lathe for Milling the Port face.. The 'lugs' I'll do with the Rotary Table on the mill as well..

The Steam Cylinder bored to size.

About 6.5 thou I think oversize for the overall length..

A few seconds video - starting to bore the steam Cylinder. You can see and hear that the bore was slightly out in setting the flange to run true.. But its all come out spot on.. 15 thou cut.

Cheers

Garry

Edited By Garry_C on 31/07/2015 18:47:13

Hi Jason

I don't believe it..! I've been looking for some kind of carriage stop since day one, I even bought one from ARC that didn't fit (entirely my fault that) - just gone and had a look at what you suggest and yes of course that can be set with the compound slide or just nuts adjusted etc (I've got some long 'joiners'. In the past I've just put a bit of tape on the bar as an early warning - to save watching the hand wheel all the way..

The bar I thought to use has a flat end so hardly needs come through at all sand there is 1/4" gap to the chuck, so no prob.. Much safer with something solid in place though of course. Great tip again.. I was surprised that I couldn't find one [carriage stop] at Warco as it seems such a useful thing to have..

Thanks - no idea where the smiley came from....

Garry

Edited By Garry_C on 30/07/2015 15:19:38

Edited By Garry_C on 30/07/2015 15:20:44

Hi David

I thought to try with the jaws reversed first of all but found I could get more of the jaws in contact with them the right way round - surprisingly. First sign of trouble I will get the faceplate out..! I'll try and take a few short video's...

Thanks and cheers

Garry