Cracked endplate for Unitech SD300 replacement

I recently became the owner, via an inheritence, of a Unitech SD-300 which seem to be a clone of the Hobbymat MD65.

After getting it home I inspected it a bit more. The table is fully seized on the bed and the endplate is cracked. The table probably need some more lubrication before I can loosen it but the endplate is a bit more serious.

Its made of some sort of composit material and I'm looking for a replacement, either a new composit one and mayde something steel.

I'm hoping the MD65 version would fit.

Does anybody know where I might be able to source such a replacement part?

To get you going for now, the material could be glued and a right angle reinforcing strap fixed to the corner with screws. The part would be easy to make in aluminium with a bush for the shaft, so a drawing should be made while it is off the lathe.

I'm indeed asking around for someone to make a new aluminum one having this as an example.

I have seen others with the same issue and was just wondering if there was someone already making them

Maybe there are still spares:-

The bit you want, I think, is is the "Spindelplatte 2450-0203".

The machine is similar to a MD-65 and Proxxon took over making/marketing them from Unitech after 1991.

The manual and exploded diagram is here Link to Spares for SD-300,

Proxxon themselves might also have the bit Proxxon Spares. I´ve dealt with them in the past and they were quick and efficient and the bits didn´t cost an arm and a leg. Not sure if they ship to the UK.

Regards,

Dick

TECO still manufacture a version of this lathe:

TECO Znojmo

They may be able to help. Pro Machine Tools used to be the uk agent but they don't appear to be active any more:

Pro Machine Tools website | Model Engineer (model-engineer.co.uk)

Thanks all for this information. I'll see if I can get in contact and will let you know what the result are. I'm actually based in the netherlands.

I also contacted someone who can machine it from cratch but he is quit busy and that will take some months.

I have now also contacted TECO and will see if and when they get back.

I also found a Google IO Prazi-Machining forum which contains CAD drawing for a lot of the parts. I still need to verify if the measurements are the same on mine but are no experts in those programs and need to see if I can get some help with this.

Do you understand how the carriage locking mechanism works; at the back of the saddle, as well as the clamp screws, there is probably a forcing screw that must be screwed in to expand the slot and allow the saddle to slide along the carriage freely - it's usually a shorter screw, and it's head may be proud of the casting...

It's an arrangement that causes much confusion, there are previous discussions if you search "MD65" in the box above..

It was probably the leadscrew being forced whilst the saddle was locked that had caused the plate to fail.

Heritage Lathes has a bracket in his Ebay store;

Ebay Heritage Lathes - MD65 Leadscrew Spindle Plate

I've dealt with him before, he seems a decent human being and will probably respond to a polite message if you want to check dimensions first..

It's a difficult part to measure - the critical dimension is from the centre of the leadscrew to the centre of the bolt that holds the plate to the end of the round bar 'bed' that the saddle slides on..

..the other holes only really need to be 'close enough'..

Let us know how you get on.. ..I can measure a Hobbymat one if that helps..