16” South bend lathe back-gear pop-out

[ironwrx]

Hi. I have a 16” South Bend lathe, and I was using the back gear to hog out some 1-1/4” stock to make a bushing. This was going ok until I got to 15/16” and above (end goal was 1” bore). While doing the heavier drilling with larger bits, the back gear engagement lever kept working itself backwards to skip, and eventually pop out. Ultimately, I had to tie a rope to the back-gear lever and the front top gear selector lever to keep it engaged.
Is there any adjustment for this, or a recommended fix so this doesn’t happen?

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[OTmachine]

I believe there is a screw that applies tension to the backgear pivot shaft that you can tighten. My SB9 has one.

 

[woodchucker]

yep, my 9 has a stop as well, your's may not be set to fully engage. It keeps the proper amount of backlash between the gears so that they are not too tight. If the 16 is the same that might work.

 

[benmychree]

Yes, there should be a setscrew under the backgear spit bearings in the headstock that can be adjusted to put more drag on the backgear eccentric engagement shaft, just tighten it up a bit and the problem should disappear.

 

[ironwrx]

Yes, there should be a setscrew under the backgear spit bearings in the headstock that can be adjusted to put more drag on the backgear eccentric engagement shaft, just tighten it up a bit and the problem should disappear.

Exactly what is a “spit” bearing?


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[G-ManBart]

Exactly what is a “spit” bearing?

It's the kind you use on a lathe which wasn't properly secured to a trailer. For those who like to be picky

 

[ironwrx]

It's the kind you use on a lathe which wasn't properly secured to a trailer. For those who like to be picky

I don’t understand.


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[ironwrx]

It's the kind you use on a lathe which wasn't properly secured to a trailer. For those who like to be picky

…and if you’re criticizing the way my lathe was secured to the trailer I hauled it on… #1: the lathe was secured with other straps as well, (I had already removed some of the straps by the time I took the picture). #2 if you assume that the strap that was tied to the lathe handwheel was a way to secure the lathe to the trailer, then I’m sorry you’re making that assumption. It was, in fact a way to keep the loose strap end from flapping around in the wind, getting tangled around the trailer wheels, winding itself around the axles, snapping the strapping, jackknifing the trailer, wrecking the lathe, and causing damage to the truck and trailer, and personal injury to the driver and passenger. #3 this lathe traveled on highways and back country roads over 100 miles from Gloucester, Massachusetts to Westminster, Vermont with no issues, and no damage whatsoever. FYI


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[benmychree]

Exactly what is a “spit” bearing?


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It would be a bushing made od iron that has a slit on one side and partiall on the other side so it can be adjusted with a setscrew to pinch down on the shaft that goes through it to keep it in position.

 

[woodchucker]

…and if you’re criticizing the way my lathe was secured to the trailer I hauled it on… #1: the lathe was secured with other straps as well, (I had already removed some of the straps by the time I took the picture). #2 if you assume that the strap that was tied to the lathe handwheel was a way to secure the lathe to the trailer, then I’m sorry you’re making that assumption. It was, in fact a way to keep the loose strap end from flapping around in the wind, getting tangled around the trailer wheels, winding itself around the axles, snapping the strapping, jackknifing the trailer, wrecking the lathe, and causing damage to the truck and trailer, and personal injury to the driver and passenger. #3 this lathe traveled on highways and back country roads over 100 miles from Gloucester, Massachusetts to Westminster, Vermont with no issues, and no damage whatsoever. FYI


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I knew that. sometimes us old guys like to be crabby, and sometimes nitpicking... I didn't assume that it travelled that way, if it did we would have been talking about something else totally.