Boxford Cross slide

The cross slide on my Boxford Cud is very sloppy and in need of attention.

The gib strip adjusting screws are full of gunge. I intend to replace the grub screws with cap screws which are easier to adjust and better to lock the slide when necessary. i propose to run a tap through the screw holes to clea them out.

Can any one tell me the thread size of these holes, they are very small and it would easy to run the wrong size tap through and ruin the slide.

the lathe serial no is 17370 which I think makes it about 1965. I collected it from a school about 1979

As far as I know, they are 2BA - they are on mine, but check with a 2BA bolt to be certain.

Rob

Edit - before chucking the existing ones away, have a close look to see if they are the self-locking type - you may be able to see a round dot on the side where some nylon (or similar material) is inserted. If you still want to throw them out, send them to me

Edited By Grindstone Cowboy on 23/02/2021 18:58:53

Edited By Frances IoM on 23/02/2021 19:13:16

They should have a little cylindrical plug with an angled end to bear on the gib. And yes, 2BA grub screws - particularly in longer lengths - seem to be vastly overpriced.

Rob

Yes the screws are 2BA or they have been on the 4 Boxford lathes I have owned. I have broken and parted out somewhere around 10 Boxford lathes that were in varying states of disrepair and have never seen any ball bearings/cylindrical plugs or retaining devices on any of the cross slides. Not saying they never existed but I have never seen them. Usually the grub screws had the ends rounded off to provide the location in the gib divots.

I have found that if the female thread is damaged retapping to 5mm is a good fix. Then use 5mm Allen screws with the ends rounded to fit the gib.

regards

The reference to the cylindrical plug with angled end will arise from the plugs that clamp the swivelling top-slide into the cross-slide. The clamp screws themselves are 3/8" whitworth grub-screws on my lathe.

Sorry Clive, that's not what I meant. My Boxford has what are essentially much smaller versions of the plugs you mention under all of the gib adjusting screws, both on the cross-slide and compound slide. May not be original, but I have no reason to think they are not.

Rob

Thanks all for the suggestions and info

I have cleaned the slide up and find the screws are standard 2ba cup point grub screws about 10mm long. There are no ball bearings or plugs and the ends have not been rounded. 2 of the screws were missing which helps to explain the sloppyness.

I intend to retain the 5 existing grub screws and replace the missing 2 with cap screws which I am now awaiting, I may have to run a die down these to make the threaded part long enough to reach the gib strip.

Its worth mentioning that the gib strip is located axially with a small pin 1.5mm dia driven through from the outside of the slide engaging with a slot in the outer face of the gib.