Making a hole in my headstock. Good, bad or unnecessary?

I recently acquired a 1962 Mk1 boxford AUD lathe with which I intend to replace my Warco WM180. While familiarising myself with it and oiling anywhere that needs oil I realised that access to the two back gear button oilers for inside the headstock would not be easy from the front of the machine.

I notice the Mk2 has much easier access and even has a hole in the top front of the headstock to facilitate this I'm contemplating making such a hole in my headstock to make the job (oiling) easier and therefore much more likely to happen regularly.

Am i mad to consider this and is it even necessary? Obviously Boxford added such a hole to the Mk2 so someone thought it necessary.

Has anyone on here ever attempted this and could offer some advice. Maybe It's a stupid idea and there would be trouble ahead if I did it.

Many thanks, Simon

If it makes oiling easier I would do it. Boxford obviously thought it was necessary. At the end of the day it’s your machine and you can do what you want with it.

If you can make the hole without any swarf getting into the mechanism, and sure that when oil is used that it does actually lubricate the intended parts, then go ahead. I believe that anything you can do to improve the design and function of something is worth doing, better than the polish and paint makes pretty brigade.

"Paint and polish makes pretty brigade".

I went to the warehouse some years ago, of one tool dealer who had left his cleaning equipment in a lathe drip tray- pieces of energy cloth and wire wool! No wonder all his machines had bright shiny ways. Only serves to make me even more wary of cleaned up machinery.

Like a car modification methinks

If they did it in later models then it was done for a good reason

(I always looked at the appendix section in a Haynes manual to see what they did with later models)

I drilled three holes in a Boxford A and it did not die of shame.

It is at a friend now and is worlds best Boxfords I think.

Silent Box

Edited By Niels Abildgaard on 03/03/2023 04:32:52

Thanks for all the replies.

I definitely see it as an improvement and I'm confident I can make the hole without getting swarf in the headstock workings. The lathe is off it's cabinet right now and I have easy access to the back but when it's all assembled again it will be up against a wall hence needing easy access to the oilers to ensure it gets done regularly. I'm not sure of the exact location for the hole as I haven't decided yet but I would really like to avoid the nameplates and keep the look it has now.

Glad to see there are like minded souls who like to improve and alter things if necessary. Thanks again.

Simon

How about moving the name/data plates onto a piece of flat sheet and hinge it at the top, thus covering the hole and preserving the look of things?

Rob

The date plate was superfluous as I ran a 1.5kW 3ph 6 pole VFD.

Main reason for hole was I needed support for belt tensioning.

It was a nice side effect that lubrication of that disc/backgear thing became much easier

I definitely like that idea and it's not something that has occurred to me. Preserving the look while still having access would be perfect. Initially I was thinking the hole could be in the 45 degree angled bit of the headstock between the grease cups but there is a Boxford badge there. Your solution would mean the hole can still go there and hide under the badge.

Thanks Rob

Simon