Lathe Team Progress on the New Lathe

Machine Shop
#41

Nice! Too bad the forums only allow you to click like once!

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#42

Gentlemen,

Great pictures and descriptions of how the Lathe Team and Machine Shop Members showed initiative and ingenuity in advancing the replacement lathe toward operational status. Wished I had been there for the startup and witnessing of the lubrication system in action. I hadn’t imaged that so much would be accomplished in so little time! Tomorrow I plan on coming out with my camera so that I can start revising the slides for the lathe training. Got classes on schedule for Friday, Sunday and Monday (a week out). Looks like I need to cover the new lathe as well as the old lathe. Or should I cover only the new, or cancel and re-schedule the classes for a couple of weeks later for only the new lathe?

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#43

Go for the new lathe. The parts @TBJK Tim had me order are supposed to be here Tuesday, so it’ll be operational by then. No point in teaching on the old lathe at this point as they’d have to immediately retake.

Once we get the new class, I’ll take it, then starting teaching “refresher” courses for the new settings vs the old lathe.

#44

With the hope that you will be covering the new lathe, I have registered but I admit to being a little confused. What is your current plan for the content of those classes?

#45

There are some advanced features and better features on the new lathe. The saddle for instance has a sump with a hand pump to oil the saddle & cross slide.

We did take pictures/video of the gearing internally.

#46

So we need to do some research on the tool posts. The size is a Dickson No 2. The spindle is a 4" D.1 camlock. We did get lucky on the tailstock as it’s still a 3MT.
I’ve looked around a little bit for some of the tooling. We may be able to remake the base for our current BXA holder.

#47

Here is my suggestion for a replacement for the 5C collet chuck on the old lathe

http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-C-Collet-Chuck-D1-4/T10413?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_source=grizzly.com

This is Polish made and decent quality and a great price $600. A replacement Hardinge (like the one we currently have) for a D-1.4 is about $1700…

IMO, The 5C collet chuck is the most useful accessory we can purchase for the lathe.

#48

Walter,

I am glad that you mentioned the 5C collet chuck. After the 3 jaw, the collet chuck is of the most utility and for some work where one needs a firm hold or a hold that will not mar the finish terribly, the collet is the only way to go. Also, gives great centering. Just checked your link; great price/quality point. I feel less urgency about a four jaw, though it too will need to be resolved. Looks like fixing the cracked speed dial plate just paid for a new collet chuck; thanks, David.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Do we want to procure a foot operated emergency off for the new lathe? We have a lot of folks accustomed to that and the feet of a lathe operator are usually unoccupied. The big red off button isn’t as badly placed as on the old lathe, but it is well off to the side and when there are observers around the machine, one of them is bound to be in the way at times.

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#49

Also one thing to note on the gear lever, forward, reverse & brake is on the carriage. The slight bump will knock it into the braking position.

#50

Also the plug that we ordered came in today but it was the wrong one. We ordered the right one but for some reason somebody put the wrong one in the right box. Even funnier is that it had a tag in the box that someone had returned previously for the same reason. The spring chuck key also did come in.

#51

It’s just a matter of ordering the relevant backing plate and mounting the small 4 jaw. Although a note to whoever does it: The mounting holes on the chuck are at least +/-.005" off the bolt circle so I would recommend measuring and drilling the holes separately instead of as a bolt circle since otherwise bolting it up becomes difficult. Precision beyond “close enough” is not an issue either since that is obtained by the operator during use.

#52

@Photomancer seemed to think there was a 4 jaw on the pallet. We will need to look.

#53

Yes, we have a brand new Bison D1-4 8" four jaw chuck. It was one of Bryan’s last purchases. David is also aware we only need a new backing plate for the D1-4 to use the smaller 5" four jaw that @ChrisPattison donated. So the only real ‘chuck’ we still need to replace is the 5C collet chuck.

I do not recommend that we diy a press brake for this machine. It is already designed with two safety stops, and it does not seem like a good idea to jury rig one.

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#54

I’ve wondered if there is a provision for a knee-style E-stop bar. Imagine, if you will, a rather horrific picture of some bit of your clothing getting caught in the work and dragging you toward the machine. It would be far easier to raise your knee and activate an E-stop than try to push down with your foot when you’re already off balance.

#55

This lever I circled takes it from the braking to forward or reverse. It stops quickly. This is not our lathe.

IMG_9416.JPG816×674 123 KB

#56

Indeed! This thing spins at up to 2500 RPM! What we really need is a pressure pad in front of the machine that stops it if someone is yanked off their feet into the machine. As a side benefit it also stops if you walk away from it :wink:

P.S. @Photomancer and @zmetzing; after seeing this thing spin at 2500 RPM I went home and cut my key fob neck thing in half so it’s impossible for me to wear it around my neck … will add velcro at some point or get a new breakaway one.

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#57

Glad that isn’t our lathe. Wouldn’t want to have to reprimand the member who set a chuck on the bare ways.

#58

Bob,

There are two ways to engage the magnetic brake: E-stop on the left and the engement lever on the right. Not sure a foot brake adds much with as fast as this lathe stops.

It’s a nice to have feature but not sure this machine has it. It has a lot of interlocks as we discovered.

Not against one being added. But not sure it adds much.

#59

I’m ordering 100 breakaway lanyards that will be free to anyone that is sane enough to replace their non breakaway.

Price will be free, so no excuses.

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#60

So question is, Do we go ahead & make the required T nuts for the quick change tool post out of mild steel? Until we can make one out of tool steel & have it heat treated & hardened?

I took measurements yesterday, although not very precise, with dial calipers. The thread to match the existing BXA toolpost appears to be 5/8 18tpi. I say appears because I did not extract the T nut from the threaded stud to check that thread but I did check the upper portion.