Lathe hook up and operation

[SuperBuickGuy]

As I get a moment here or there, I work on this


and this wiring is wrong - don't even need to hook it up to realize this.... ah well, moving a couple wires around is pretty easy


then onto figuring out how to wire the pump and figure out why the tailstock seems stuck then do a bunch of cleaning.
wish I could have used it today - ah well, a bit at a time

[SuperBuickGuy]

while I wait for my friend to finish his wiring project, I did get some cleaning done. This is fun, rebuild a foreign-made lathe without any experience or a handbook - what could go wrong?

it's stuck. I'm 90% certain that there's merely something that needs loosening to make it move - but I have no frick'in clue of what that is... can't wait to find out the find out who's going to pipe in "well, yeah, I knew that"..."thanks for the help future jerk"





I did knock the locking clamp out - so at least the 'easy' is done... I also drained some penetrant into it in case it's simply gummy inside
I also took the toolpost off and cleaned it - I don't remember who said it - but they were right, this thing needs a thorough clean


I still like it, though, I'm sure it needs a bunch of fixes and work but the challenge is cool too

[anotheridiot]

nothing a 5 gallon bucket of WD 40 would not fix. just drop it in for a few days.

[cstmwgn]

nothing a 5 gallon bucket of WD 40 would not fix. just drop it in for a few days.

I knew that

[SuperBuickGuy]

nothing a 5 gallon bucket of WD 40 would not fix. just drop it in for a few days.

place your bets, but I suspect that this machine was, in its last life, for just one operation (much like my press brake was used for stamping door frames). As some might suspect, factory workers can have bad apples among them and since most factories don't do apples; one can imagine that the shop foreman set this machine for its one operation in a manner that would limit its adjustability. My guess is I'm going to find it pinned in a hidden spot. On lathe operations, you could send the part in the back to the holder so it couldn't be moved or reset without knowledge of how it was set.

I say this because I've found, now, a couple things which suggest that is true - not the least of which was the clean spot under the holder... it also doesn't look like the taper attachment was used and the engage-lever for it is 'frozen' .... rarely does one thing freeze while everything else remains functional. Just a bet, but I'm betting that is the case here..... so no, gallons of WD40 won't, likely, dissolve whatever is locking it in place.

I'll take a picture later but there's a hole that doesn't seem to belong to anything (even Italians don't drill random holes) .... I'm suspecting that is the anti-tamper device.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I actually used it
I used my lathe to open up the rotors for my Corvette

it feetz


and I messed a bit with the holder
both these places are holes that do not seem to have a purpose. the top one seems to be a cast hole but the hole underneath seems to have some kind of pin in it. If it did, I can't imagine the pushing up on the keyway would stop the center



I dunno, I also tried the fine adjustment (behind the wheel) and it doesn't seem to work either.

[anotheridiot]

The newer lathe I should have bought had alot of those long handles, which are supposed to do production moves that are repeated alot. The back is more of a micrometer movement if you have a chuck. That center is held in place with a taper, so you should be able to tap it out and get some access to the hollow shaft it is on. You are supposed to turn the handle counterclockwise to pop the taper out. It could just be at that spot.

That hole could either be a place to break a slight vacuum or a place to allow oil to leave. You cant get new oil in an area if there is no place for the old oil to leave. If you cannot see someone actually drive a pin into the shaft. If you can tap that center out you should have plenty of access to put something stronger in there.

Pretty sure the worst thing people can do is use the made for metal lathes to turn alot of wood so all that dust gets in the movable parts.

[SuperBuickGuy]

that sounds quite helpful, I'll try tonight to do that - I wonder how it comes apart? there are two pins drifted into the housing on the adjustment end. I wonder that if I tap those out, I'll get it apart?

[SuperBuickGuy]

Looks like fun. That's a good sized lathe....although probably not big enough to play with wheels, or driveshafts

snicker, I could go to minis then be golden on that issue.

[Deaf Bob]

Years ago I had wide dune buggy rims a cousin made at home, torch, flat bar and stick welder.. No lathe didn't wobble.

Since this post hits onto 2 threads, plasma table and rims.. (Squirrel's post)
The kid tacks a hub on the table, then clamps his hand held plasma cutter where he wants to cut his rims.. He narrows his rims to use space saver tires
Of course he sets up to cut one part off, swap rims, till done then cuts again.. All stays repeatable..
The hub on table is also used to tack the lips on and welded.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Years ago I had wide dune buggy rims a cousin made at home, torch, flat bar and stick welder.. No lathe didn't wobble.

Since this post hits onto 2 threads, plasma table and rims.. (Squirrel's post)
The kid tacks a hub on the table, then clamps his hand held plasma cutter where he wants to cut his rims.. He narrows his rims to use space saver tires
Of course he sets up to cut one part off, swap rims, till done then cuts again.. All stays repeatable..
The hub on table is also used to tack the lips on and welded.

sure but as long as the hub stays perpendicular to flanges; it's not going to wobble - the difficult bit is usually getting the hub face perpendicular to the rim (and centered in the rim)

[Deaf Bob]

sure but as long as the hub stays perpendicular to flanges; it's not going to wobble - the difficult bit is usually getting the hub face perpendicular to the rim (and centered in the rim)

Clamp/tack 3 rods to keep it square..
He also buys centers that are full size or just little bigger than the hub. Dual or triple bolt patterns. 3/8" thick..
Sometimes he just adds the centers and cuts holes to get the other patterns but usually cuts the centers out and welds them in.. Yes. Lots of time making sure..
Thing with stock rims being wide is the bead gets compromised and a flat happens. Then the centers bend into calipers or brake rotors
Strangely we can leave GM rotors and caliper mounts on, Fords need the rotor broken off and the caliper mounts cut off... Otherwise they stop the wheel from turning.
True, you can get away with sloppy stuff in derby. But why?

[SuperBuickGuy]

people talk about building wheels like it's hard.... it's not, you simply have to think and pay attention...

so I knocked the spindle out - it's sitting with penetrating fluid in it.... hopefully it works its way down. There is a bit of rust here - so who knows, maybe it's a rust lock

[anotheridiot]

I can see a keyway slot at the bottom too. See if you can get a can of PB nutblaster or liquid wrench and pour it in a pan. whatever leaks thru gets caught in the pan and just goes back in the can to use again. So there are two workings on that tailstock, the micrometer type handle and your production slide so based on the rust on the parts that came out, I think you are on the right track. Just remember, that handle will turn in I dont know 3-4 inches, but when its all the way retracted, there is a little tight spot, you should be able to turn it past a stiff point and that taper will pop out without hitting it. Some of them just freewheel after that point, not sure about yours. Its really good to have that working so you can put a drill bit in there and drill centers and big holes.

[SuperBuickGuy]

the fluid drains right back out the clamp hole (that handle on the bench above the live center came from that hole). I'm really leaning towards the drop the whole thing in a bucket of penetrant advice.... let it sit for a week in it.....