Mini Lathe Gib strip question

Hi, having recently retired I have decided to take up model engineering again after a gap of 20+ years. I have recently taken delivery of a new Warco Super Mini Lathe with which I am very pleased. However, during a strip down and clean to prepare it for use, I have noticed that both the cross slide and compound slide gib strips have only one indent drilled, not the three I was expecting (see attached photo). Can someone advise me please is this a problem? Everything appears to be smooth and I cannot detect any movement in either slide but I am concerned that this may be a problem once the lathe is regular use. Arceurotrade sell a gib strip upgrade to brass strips for these machines so would it be advisable to upgrade to the brass strips?

Thanks in advance, Keith.

Hello,

It is easy enough to drill and tap some more holes and use appropriate grub screws to do as you suggest. I am not a great fan of brass gib strips. I have always used ground flat stock for this application. Having said that a lot of folk do use brass. You pay your money and takes your choice!

Andrew.

The indent is only to stop the gib slipping sideways out of place, it is common practice with lathes, even Myford.

Whilst you have it apart you might want to consider fixing the gib with a dowel. Such an arrangement reduces the wedging action caused by the gib sliding up any point on the screw and thus increasing the friction. There's one design in The Model Engineere Workshop Manual by Geo. H Thomas.

As Andrew says i would put a couple more dimples in the gib to mate up with the other two adjustment screws. I find that these gibs tend to be of questionable quality at the best of times from the manufacturers. Chinese QC is one step above a chocolate fire guard to my mind . I had a similar problem with my WM 250V-F, bought back in 2012, I ended up making a new gib strip, from brass as I had no suitable ground flat stock, it's been in since then without any problems..

OEM gib strip as supplied.. nothing but a strip of scrap steel!

New brass gib fitted... as can be seen the top slide corner undercut is way to wide..

Another mod added.. top slide gib lock..

George.

Hi Keith

The method I used is to clean up the indent with a egg beater hand drill one at a time with the other adjusters tightened up.

Useing a 4 mm bearing ball to locate the end of a 5mm Cup Point Grubscrew < o > explains the layout

Eric

I would suggest replacing the gib with a better one also adding 2 more adjusting screws fitted between the 3 giving 5 in total. You could make up a thumbscrew or similar for a lock fitted in the centre position whilst your at it. I was forever having to adjust the gibs on my mini lathe, you should find a decent gib with more screws won't need adjusting as often.

Ron

Edited By Ron Laden on 17/07/2020 09:19:27