Degreasing

Hi All

Not exactly a newbie but more of a returner, approaching retirement after a career in Consulting Engineering I am equipping a workshop to revert to more hands on work. I recently purchased a Chester VB11 lathe and overall am pleased with it. When delivered it was coated with some protective “grease”.

I purchased a degreasing aerosol made by WD40, it degreased quite well but I should have checked on an inconspicuous area first, if left a few minutes to pool it also strips the paint so take care if using !

On a different note the chuck mounting is on a small register and then by bolts through the spindle plate. A bit fiddly, has anyone fitted a “quicker/easier” mount. I was thinking along the lines of the Cone type fitted on the Harrison lathes in the college workshop for the “practical” work back in 1970.

Hi Barry, welcome to the forum! I use a Lidl product which is simply called "degreaser", and it works very well, and at 89p for a 500ml grip spray, also very economical. Also, it doesn't harm the paint, and can be used with wire wool or scotchbrite to flat old paint before repainting.

Phil

Barry

If there is room, a bolt to spindle plate type chuck mount can be converted to bayonet ring style. I think the official designation for this type of fitting is DIN 5027 / 55022. Unfortunately my Google Fu this morning isn't up to fiding a drawing.

That style of mount has a ring with keyhole shaped slots aligned with the bolt pattern in spindle plate and chuck between spindle plate and headstock. The bolt holes are enlarged so a plain stud with reduced diameter threaded end can be passed through the spindle plate and the large end of the keyhole slots with the nut still attached. Obviously the other ends of the studs screw into the chuck itself.

When mounting the chuck it is settled onto the register with the studs and nuts passing though the large ends of the key hole slots. The bayonet ring is then turned so the threaded ends now pass through the narrow part of the keyhole slots allowing the nuts to be done up securing the chuck in place.

Obviously the nuts only have to be undone a turn or so, just enough so the plate can be rotated to align the appropriate part of the keyhole slot. Everything stays permanently mounted so no fiddling about with loose nuts, washers and words of power to coax them out of the swarf tray when dropped.

Official DIN versions use a short cone register like camloc and A series chuck mounts but a plain register works well enough.

Major issue with a conversion job is fitting the bayonet ring. The spindle needs to come out to get a one piece ring on. Some years ago in another thread on this site the late, and sorely missed, John Stevenson suggested method(s) of ferreting a two piece ring on and joining the parts in situ.

Maybe making the ring in three sections with the ends joggled to give a significant overlap and gluing together with one of the slightly flexible adhesives might work. If there is room continuous ring could be made bored to go over the spindle plate but slightly thinner than the plate and the sections containing the key hole slots fixed to that.

Clive

I've used white spirit on similar items, just doused them in a plastic bowl, left to soak then aggressively attacked with an old paintbrush. Paraffin would probably do it as well and smell more pleasant.

Neil

I would have used white spirit, myself. When I chose Plastikote paint for the Tom Senior, it was a gamble whether it was oil proof. Fortunately, a test on a bit of scrap metal was ok, but I would be wary of spray degreasers. The local hardware shop has two types, brake spray, and carburettor cleaner, the latter is much more aggressive towards paint.

I expect you are thinking of the old LOO type of spindle fitting, which is a taper, woodruff key and a threaded locking ring. 

 There are various improvements that can be made to your new lathe spindle. it certainly has the advantage over threaded spindles if you want to run in reverse.

Edited By old mart on 10/09/2019 16:33:26

Thanks guys

much food for thought, I think I will practice centring up on the four jaw, probably quicker than changing chucks and good practice for someone whose last serious workshop experience was nearly 40 years ago!

i have been using Decathlon’s derailleur degreaser (smells nice) and car body shop panel wipe, both of which work well but are a tad more expensive than 89p for 500ml.

Thanks again

If you only have one chuck, make sure it is a four jaw independent. More versatile and capable of holding the work more securely and running more accurately. Practice is all you need, the professionals running manual lathes are much more likely to use them, and make it look easy.

These days i use spray on automotive degreaser because it is cheap and can be hosed off , i used to use shellite all the time but now reserve this for small components - doubles up as a paint thinner on some paints if i get desperate !

I got away from kero as it stinks and irritates my skin if i happen to splash some on me which i usually manage to do .

The only time i use a three jaw these days is when i know i will be doing a lot of turning of hex bar otherwise i use a four jaw .