Alexander master toolmaker

Just received your taper pins in this morning's post, Brian and rushed out to try them. Sadly they are too small. If you would like to message me your address I would be happy to return them.

The actual measurements I have taken this morning from the hole through the bevel gear show the smaller hole to be 0.152" diam. and the bigger to be 0.166" diam. The pin is just over an inch long. I will have a go at making one today.

Currently busy with washing parts in paraffin - although still resisting the temptation to get a tin of paint out!

Sorry they didn't work David. No need to return them, just add them to your spare fasteners box. Please let us know how a bespoke one works out.

Brian

If the gib had only one screw it was common practice to have a slot in the head of the gib that surrounded the head of the screw. That prevented the gib from moving inward and locking the slide. It id possible the head of the gib was broken, losing the slot.

Further to Johns comment about single screw adjusters for taper gibs its important that the screw head is a nice fit in the slot and that the head is exactly perpendicular to the slot. The head is usually quite large in relation to the thread so they can be bent by careless and hamfisted folk.

Moving OT for a moment.

Had the jackpot on a Chinee import mill pushing 20 years ago. Slot too wide, screw shank bent and threaded hole in the slide out of line. An object lesson in how an insecure taper gib can turn into an evil minded self adjusting wedge. I imagine the minimum wage guy on the assembly bench did what he had to to to get it all together despite the misaligned thread. Once I'd identified the problem and re-made the necessary parts it worked very well indeed. A good machine spoilt by a seemingly trivial error.

Clive

The gib strips on the Alexander are exactly as you describe with a single screw at one end to tighten the job. I have actually discovered that one had sheared off - no doubt due to over enthusiastic tightening at some point. Somebody had introduced a metal plate, held to the machine by drilling and tapping for a couple of small bolts. This plate engaged the slot in the gib strip and presumably worked by removing packers from under the plate! I have since managed to extricate the snapped screw and am currently in the process of making a new one for the reassembly. Luckily I have one to copy off.

Dave

It has taken longer than I expected, but today I am very pleased to announce that my Alexander milling machine is back up and running with everything functioning perfectly! Thanks again to all who helped in providing invaluable advice.

OK so it's up and running but I do have a couple of parts left over! Before I get mercilesslty trolled for this remark can I point out I know where these bits go - just don't know what they do. As you may gather from the pics they fit in the vertical slot you might expect limit stops to fit, but with the channel machined into them - the wheel on the power feed limit crank just passes through/over them. Can anybody tell me how these things are intended to be used - I have three of them!

Thanks again,

Dave

Dave, they are movable limit trips ,but im also confused how they work. There should be two on each axis in between the fixed ones at the ends.

Heres  mine on the z axis. I also have this bit which im unsure what its for?

Edited By mark smith 20 on 14/01/2020 19:09:25

Edited By mark smith 20 on 14/01/2020 19:16:23

When the power feed is already in neutral the trip lever will pass through the slot to prevent you manually crashing into it with the hand wheel feed.

When the power feed is engaged the trip lever will not pass through the slot until it has been pushed into neutral again.

Phil

Excellent news, David!

Your perseverance has paid off, and now the machine is better than it has been for a very long time!

Good Luck, and Enjoy!

Howard

I an so grateful for the information and help in this thread. I am currently stripping and overhauling my 'Master Toolmaker,.... Can anyone help, with where to obtain the felt seals in the housing around the long drive gear ? Regards to all