Removing lathe cross slide handle

I would like to remove the cross slide handle from the leadscrew which I assumed would be a simple task. I assumed it might be held with a pin or grub screw but on closer inspection I can see neither. However, the light and my eyes aren't great.

I'm hoping there may be another Denford owner who can explain the process.

There is a "through hole" of some sort as demonstrated when I squirted WD40 straight through. The end looks like it may have been tapped with a hammer at some point, so maybe that is what is keeping it in place.

Does anyone have useful ideas for how I might go about improving the appearance and usability of the graduated dial when I can get it off?

In a closely related question, I would be interested in experiences of machining a new plain / slotted cross slide for the purposes of attaching a vertical milling slide. I have access to a Bridgeport-sized milling machine at work but no surface grinder.

I'm wondering if there is a taper pin there but as I can't actually see it I would have no idea which way the taper ran.

Ajax

The hole in the pin doesn't look very round.

Suggests a roll pin has been fitted in place of a taper pin originally used to retain the handle. As I recall it the couple of instances I've seen were very similar in appearance. If that has been done you need to figure out the small end and drive the roll pin back out the correct way. It will leave a mess and will need re-reaming.

I've found a soft wire brush is a good place to start on dials like yours. The small brass ones for Dremel and similar machines have worked well for me. Patience and a light touch.

Clive

Thanks for that, Clive. I agree with your suggestion that it could be a roll pin. I had a light tap previously believing the same but it did not budge. Perhaps it was in a tapered hole as you suggested and I was going the wrong way. Tricky to tell. I will take another look later today.

Regards, Brian

I have found a working drawing for the top slide leadscrew. I have yet to check, but it looks like it may be the correct drawing. If it is, the leadscrew is drilled and reamed for 5/32" dia taper pins. I may be back later...

Taper pins don't usually have holes in them, but roll pins always do. I would make a drift that was close to the hole diameter, and hold a heavy metal block with a 1/4" hole against it while tapping at the pin. Use a small hammer and gradually increase the power. A roll pin won't take much moving.

I wouldn't hit it with a hammer, if you have a cheap G clamp you could sacrifice, drill a hole in the fixed foot enough to let the roll pin enter it, put a pin punch in to the hole, put the G clamp on and squeeze the punch in to the hole, see if you can work out which side of the hole is bigger first.

You might be able to see if the roll pin moves before drilling the G clamp, if it has a couple of mil before it reaches the outer edge.

Thanks Old Mart and Pete. I will take a look later this evening. I'm working now and then the kids have to go to bed first...

Just thought, put a small piece of tube on the fixed foot instead of drilling the clamp.

Progress made. Two pins found and both tapped out with some encouragement. Neither were willing to press out with the (mostly unsuitable) tools I had available.

The one closest to the end was drilled slightly off centre and the other one, well I can only speculate was drilled by a YTS trainee on his first day at work. Even though it's hidden, I will most likely be remaking that part!

I was actually surprised to find the needle roller bearings in place as I had planned to shim and/or add such bearings myself.

The next job will probably be a complete strip down of the apron. I know the worm is very badly worn (I had it apart once before) and would like to get this replaced somehow.

Overkill. It looks like you have plenty of other work to go on with. Preserve that finest British craftsmanship as it is. It has worked just fine since the day it left the factory. (Maybe on a late Friday afternoon?)

Are you sure the pin and collar, adjacent to the thrust bearing are correct? I might envisage a parallel pin located in the collar such that the collar would turn and alter the thrust adjustment as the thing wad assembled. Meaning that perhaps the collar should have slots at a slight angle, not a couple of apparently mis-drilled holes?

That would make sense as it would allow for some adjustment.

However, the collar is definitely mis-drilled on one side and exits as a single hole on the other.

I would like to come up with a better solution to take up any slack when it is re-assembled.

That needle roller thrust bearing has the air of being a later addition rather than factory fit.

Once you have the hole sorted its probably easiest to simply add shims behind the inner thrust washer to take up clearance. What it did with a similar sort of modification, albeit using dry bearing thrust washers rather than a needle roller to save space. Recess made a little too deep so the gap could be measured with a feeler gauge.

Frankly if you have the makings and just decide to go for it its quicker to shim or make a second, longer, collar after measuring the gap with your first effort than it is to futz about arranging adjustment and setting up just so.

I suspect the hole error occured when re-making the collar.

Ultimate bodge on the mal-aligned hole is metal loaded filler. If worked in well a good brand is well up to that sort of job.

Clive

Maybe you are right - it could be a later addition - who knows?

Making a collar would be simple enough but it would be nice to add some form of adjustment or loading (spring?) or at least consider doing so instead of to shim. Some of the decision making may depend on how well I can clean that dial. If I can't make it readable then I'll have to buy or make a new one.