Member postings for Ajohnw

One way to take out the gearbox is to set it to 8 tpi and add change wheels to achieve what is needed. The gearbox is then 1:1. Or 4 or 16 tpi etc if that helps with the change wheels you have.

What may be an easier way of looking at it is that 0.64 is 16/25 so tooth counts that are based on that are needed.

There is a program on lathes co uk where you enter the gearbox ratios and what gears you have and then tell it what you want. It will sort it out for you.

John

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There is more chance of an older application running under wine than many "new" ones. It is probably worth trying that. Also install Q4Wine. It eases wine configuration problems and also WineTricks which provides a lot of dll's. It's infuriating when things nearly run. What it lacks is something to track dll calls.

There is also another wine add on called Swine but unlike Q4Wine it's not possible to easily specify what directory a program needs to run in.

Failing that VirtualBox is easy to use. I would have thought XP would be the thing to install on it but I don't think I would allow any of them to update unless there was no choice as all it will do is slow it down. From memory XP will emulate earlier versions of windows but has to be set for the program that needs it.

John

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Librecad seems to have a number of linux users. Not sure if they have a windows or mac version. Sometimes those 2 are beta if available.

I prefer sketches myself so pass on usability

John

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There are data sheets on a number of bronze types here including 2 gun metals

**LINK**

I might build a steam plant at some point and from looking at these and others intend to use SAE660 bronze. It should be readily available and well priced - I hope.

I've resisted making a steam engine for a long long time but I'm getting tempted but one or two more tools first.

John

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Probably because honing can produce both rounder and more parallel holes. With the some types of hones holes can be finished to a few microns, finish and everything else.

John

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Who ever bought it would have the pleasure of making the various things that can be attached to the table. Not exactly a small task. I'm fairly sure that the only thing that will need doing to the machine itself is a bit of machining on the table dovetails. He generally found a toolmaker who would finish fit things like that with a file. There is also a bit of rust on the table. Sounds like a spare or repair on ebay might be best.

All comes about because I am finding it impossible to tidy up as things have reached bursting point. I can't even get at it yet. Even that is a few days away.

John

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Thanks Rod, Looks like Blackgate haven't done much business with people on here for some time.

It's not my work I bought it of some one who was giving up well before 2011. It's been stuck in the corner since and I don't really have the space for it. I need to check carefully but I don't think it needs much doing to it at all and was wondering about a fair price for on here or ebay.

John

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Has anyone any idea what a set of casting for the main body parts of these costs.

I have one that needs a little attention to part of the machining that has been done and am unlikely to ever get round to doing it myself. No space to site it either.

John

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I came across some shotgun honing stones once which I suspect might go smaller but I couldn't find a holder. I did wonder if the holders were adjustable too. They might be in order to obtain precise sizes.

John

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There is a yahoo Southbend and also a Boxford group. All very helpful and can be a good source for parts that need replacing. The Boxford one is quieter than it used to be but plenty chime in when some one asks a question. There is also plenty of info in the files section of the Boxford one. Southbend is likely to be the same.

I sort of get tempted to change at time and then think of previous experiences trying to sort them out and one trip into a new chinese lathe. Ok can be done but will it be a good lathe with things as they should be. No in many cases without going larger so pointless really. Mind you I like tinkering and would like another small lathe to go with it. Not much luck finding a particular model so far though.

John

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prefer Nut or T link to any of the twists. I did price up the Fenner one diretc but they only sell it in rather long lengths. That's the price problem as far as the retailer are concerned - they tend to finish up with odd lengths and for some reason wont join them up - at least that's the excuse for the price.

There is probably nothing wrong with the £11 per metre nut link stuff on ebay. That type has been around for a very long time. I decided to fit a new belt as i wanted to get the spindle out anyway - then I found out just how tight the bearing fit was.

John

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Maybe they should have used that in the bearings as well.

Hope the welder that was mentioned was certified, maybe some might feel I shouldn't use the word certified as it might be taken as a freudian slip,

John

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Edited By John W1 on 27/08/2015 16:39:49

Some use super glue and heat to break the joint later. I prefer an expanding mandrel. Hacksaw or junior hacksaw slots will do. At the sort of size it appears to be a junior hacksaw would be best as 2 at right angles after the hole has been part tapped tends to grip better than one. It needs to be a step mandrel made from material that is near the size of the boss on the flywheel or bigger.

Personally I would do most of the machining on the mandrel just facing the boss and machining the hole while holding the wheel some other way. Just press the machined face back against the shoulder on the mandrel tighten and machine the surfaces of the wheel. The large diameter part of the mandrel need to project enough to allow the rear rim to be machined. Depending on the size of the chuck and wheel that can be done when the boss is machined if sufficient sticks out of the chuck. Also spokes if these have to be done. When doing the chuck work it's best to press the wheel hard back against the chuck as this will square it up. Sometimes no rim will be left sticking out to machine. When you face the other side of the boss the tool will have to cut into the mandrel a bit. Not a problem really as it wont run concentrically once it is removed from the chuck and replaced again.

The expanding action can sometimes be improved by filing a bit of a taper on the socket headed screw that will be used to expand it. Easy to do on a lathe but use the lowest speed. Just hold the head in the chuck without fully tightening it and tap it to run true if needed then fully tighten the chuck - but see later.

It's best to make the mandrel after the 1st machining operation on the wheel as the fit needs to be good and it's not easy to accurately measure the diameter of small holes. It's best to make that part too long so that you can try the fit before running the cut all along it. There are several techniques for obtaining a certain level of fit but the easiest one is to take cuts equal to the fit you want once it's close to the right size. In this case - imperial I'm afraid, 1 thou would be ideal, 2 thou off the diameter. A drilled hole should come out well under 0.010in over sized so measure with a mic to get to that size and then take the fine cuts. Even finer if you want. If it nearly goes on a bit of emery paper or a file will fix that quickly rather than taking an even finer cut.

You are already using the best way to chuck the wheel with what you have but when you close the chuck onto it feel for when the jaws touch the rim, slow down the tightening and rotate the wheel with your hand, only a fraction of a turn is needed. With a bit of practice this will always get what ever you are putting in the chuck running as true as it can. With bars it's best to have one jaw central at the top. That way you can feel when the bar is resting flat on the other 2. Later you wont need to do that but might if the length within the spindle is heavier than what is sticking out of the chuck. That can be tricky on large lathes.

John

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It easy to get back and arm injuries getting heavy items in and out of a car etc because the roof is lower than a suitable van and people have to reach out and bend hence the plank. It also helps prevent any damage to the car. In fact I have managed to get several lathes out all on my own via a plank and then move it all in one piece with a sack truck. I mentioned an avoidable problem I had with one getting it onto a bench in another thread. I really should have removed the head stock but lacked a spanner bent to suit a Boxford's head stock fixings. I should have bent one there and then.

Myfords heads are probably best left on because of alignment problems but I believe that the screws that come in from the side are used to tweak that. I have heard claims that Myford use some sort of magic material under the head but having dismantled and removed 2 head stocks I've not seen any signs of it.

True there is a need to watch a lathe doesn't fall off a plank. Some are wider than others. Some lathes are also more lopsided than others. Steadying something is a lot easier than actually lifting it though.

John

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If you need to move it some distance a small sack truck helps - lathe head down. I've used one I bought from Wicks or B&Q several times. It doesn't matter if it's shorter than the lathe within reason.

If you are going to transport it in an estate car ect a plank helps a lot. Rest the plank on the back of the car, place lathe on it and slide the lot in. Helps getting them out too.

John

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The way to check lead screw play is to compare it with an entire turn of it. Even a new lathe will have some. Say it's 1/2 a turn play this more or less means 1/2 the thread pitch is worn away mostly in the nut. Would 1/2 a turn be a problem - not really just not nice. Past that I would feel that it's time to replace the nut.

I would be more concerned about play that can't be taken out of the headstock bearings. Some of them are a plain steel spindle running directly in cast iron and have pinch bolts - tightened too much the castings crack. If they have been well maintained = oil they can last a long time.

My Boxford is more or less a copy of a Southbend but uses taper roller headstock. One good thing is how long the saddle is. That goes a long way towards minimising bed wear but again regular oiling helps.

John

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There isn't any need to pay a lot for T or Nut link belting. eg

**LINK**

But avoid that black stuff from RDG. The Fenner one is better but not so easy to find in short lengths. These don't use separate links. The link is shaped into the parts that make up the belt. Nut link is a little easier to fit than the metal T types.

Another source that will be cheaper than certain Model Engineer favourites is a local bearing supplier. They often stock belts and may stock link belt. The heat weld round and etc doesn't have much grip unless it's fitted very tightly and even then is only really suitable for rather light work. 6mm or larger might be worth trying on a small lathe but some form of V belt will be better.

John

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Not if it is made of aluminium . It's not a very good idea to use any pressure at all on the flanges of the pulley - they will crack. Gears too unless pressure is applied right down on the boss.

You might be able to repair that pulley by setting it up carefully in a 4 jaw and machining it to take a ring and then countersunk screw through the cast iron into the ring. The 4 jaw might allow the bits to be aligned correctly and keep them there while the machining is done.

My view is that if it takes a plumber torch to free it up after it hasn't moved for who knows how many years then there are 2 choices - forget it or do it. I wouldn't have got it off any other way and no harm done. It was a very dull red and might not even have been noticed if I hadn't been in some ones rather dark garage. Oxy Acet would probably have done it in seconds but would need more care as anyone who dismantles old cars with rusty nuts and bolts might know - it's way way better than penetrating oil and very effective. Just make the nut or bolt head glow.

John

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Edited By John W1 on 26/08/2015 20:52:37

I've always thought that lathe manufacturers should not fit the single sticking out thingies on handles as it would encourage people to use them properly when taking cuts but they are really there for fast traverses of what ever part needs moving. If these are used for taking a cut the slides have to be so loose that there are likely to be other problems as well.

I was serious about locking the compound slide when it's not being used. I have 2 baby lathe cross slides I bought for something else expecting to be able to use them - useless was the word that springs to mind. Even the lead screw location they use is very poor due to the use of rolled threads and minimising machining elsewhere.

John

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I've taken a couple of similar lathes apart in the past but gave up on these super precision machines eventually. The taper they turned was far too precise for me. The trick was always how the back gear was fastened to the spindle which is likely to vary. One I bought from Bargain Pages had a very carefully hidden cracked casting opposite a pinch bolt.

The manual might not have enough detail in it and probably price wise doesn't reflect the actual value of the lathe. Even lathes tend to be more expensive on lathes co uk so they may be based on that. Ebay seems to be catching up fast.

I had some fun getting a super 7 pulley off for a belt. I had to get some of it glowing red hot before it would even move.

John

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