New To Me Craftsman 618 - Everything In Order?

[TLW]

Thanks West, I'll bookmark this for later. I actually ordered two belts (motor and spindle) for about $9 total off eBay. Should be here middle of next week. I'm doing the traditional belt first because I did want to do a little disassembly and cleaning before any machining. If it proves to be a bear then I'll get this link belt. I rebuild old Honda motorcycles and am familiar and comfortable with pressing out steering head bearings so I'm not too concerned.

Not sure if I should make a new thread for this next question but it's along the same line regarding things I'm missing... So I realized that I don't have a chuck key. This is a Bison 3200 series 4" chuck and the key hole is 9mm or .354"...23/64ths would do it too. I'm seeing a few keys on eBay for fairly cheap but these Bison ones are like $45! Can I make one with some square stock and weld a handle on it? Or are there better resources for chuck keys than eBay? How snug does a key need to fit? Can I get one smaller like 5/16"? I'm asking because I see one on eBay for $13.

Thanks everyone!

Dave,
A chuck key can be easily made right in your shop. As a matter of fact I need to make two of them this week for my 4 jaw. I found some key stock in the hardware store and plan to just drill a hole into the end of a suitable piece of rnd. stock slide the key stock in and tighten it with a set screw that if flush or recessed so your hand does not rub on it. Then drill a hole at the top, add a piece or smaller round stock for a handle and squash the ends so it stays captured. How fancy or pretty you make it up to you.

Tim

 

[DaveBarbier]

Dave,
A chuck key can be easily made right in your shop. As a matter of fact I need to make two of them this week for my 4 jaw. I found some key stock in the hardware store and plan to just drill a hole into the end of a suitable piece of rnd. stock slide the key stock in and tighten it with a set screw that if flush or recessed so your hand does not rub on it. Then drill a hole at the top, add a piece or smaller round stock for a handle and squash the ends so it stays captured. How fancy or pretty you make it up to you.

Tim

Thanks Tim, I'll give that a go.

 

[wa5cab]

Dave,

I wouldn't risk using an undersized key. I'm not familiar with Bison chucks but if they are actually built to metric dimensions, have you looked for a generic 9mm one? Looking at McMaster, they only list inch sizes. And their prices for a standard are around $20. $45 for the self ejecting, which I never use, anyway. You could buy a 3/8" and grind it down to 9mm. Or check with Enco. They may have metric sizes.

 

[westsailpat]

Of course you can make your own , just as you stated , as for snugness IMO it shouldn't have to much backlash , but you shouldn't have to push it in either .

 

[DaveBarbier]

Dave,

I wouldn't risk using an undersized key. I'm not familiar with Bison chucks but if they are actually built to metric dimensions, have you looked for a generic 9mm one? Looking at McMaster, they only list inch sizes. And their prices for a standard are around $20. $45 for the self ejecting, which I never use, anyway. You could buy a 3/8" and grind it down to 9mm. Or check with Enco. They may have metric sizes.

I think they're in standard measurements because it says it's a 4" chuck. But the chuck key hole is very close to 9mm exactly and the closets imperial size is something like 23/64" and I couldn't find anything with that measurement aside from a Bison supplier. I looked for 9mm too and there's very little out there. I do like the idea of either making one or grinding down a 3/8". I see those for about $17. Maybe cheaper if I spend a few more minutes searching.

I'm learning a lot! My next question will be lubrication but I'm doing research first. Looks like I'll need three things, way oil, gear oil and spindle oil. I'll come back with products just for you guys to sign off on before I pull the trigger

Thanks!

 

[DaveBarbier]

Ok guys, looks like the lubrication triple threat is going to be:

Lubriplate Gear Shield Extra Heavy Aerosol (for the gears in the spindle and gear box only)

Mobile Vactra #2 Way Oil (for the ways and cross feed ways only)

Mobile Velocite 10 spindle oil (everything else which includes all bearing cups and little various oiling holes in lathe and motor)

Anything wrong with those three? I've seen people talk about the Mobile products a lot and for a gallon they're under $20 each from Enco. The Lubriplate product I saw a few passionate people talking about it and it was an easy find and doesn't seem too expensive.

Note: I'm not sure what this thread has turned into. Let me know if I should have made new posts for each or if I should change the title.

 

[wa5cab]

I didn't look it up to see what the viscosity of Velocite 10 is but the oil for everything else should be SAE 20/ISO 68 equivalent. I use Mobile Heavy Medium Circulating Oil, also available from Enco. I've been using a Lubriplate white grease for the gears for so long that I can no longer read the number on the can. I'll have to look into the aerosol. Would certainly be less trouble to apply.

As far as the thread title goes, and breaking it up into several different threads, you started the thread. And most comments have been at least pertinent to the original subject. So I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[dmakseyn]

Hi Dave,
I have the exact same lathe! I bought it out of a shop that burned to the ground in 1981. The owner rarely used the machine so it was covered with a tarp and escaped any real damage from the fire. I paid $75! It did not, however, escape the water which caused the little guy to be covered with rust. I spent the next few months on and off rebuilding the lathe but the motor was beyond repair. I replaced it with a DC motor from a treadmill and using a PWM controller I now have a very nice variable speed lathe. During the rebuild I bought various parts and tooling for the lathe and I now have quite a wonderful model making machine. The cross slide leadscrew was badly worn so a friend helped me make a new unit with a 2" dial and a 20 TPI screw so now it's a direct read cross slide. Very handy and much more accurate than the micro dial from the original. If you need a tool post with tool holders or other small bits and pieces feel free to ask and I'll see what I can help you with. I also found someone on ebay selling the operating manuals and info on the gearing to do thread cutting. I probably use the lathe at least once a week and it still puts out very nice work and it's a lot of fun to use.
Good luck with your machine. Do I smell fresh paint?
Regards,
Dave

 

[DaveBarbier]

I didn't look it up to see what the viscosity of Velocite 10 is but the oil for everything else should be SAE 20/ISO 68 equivalent. I use Mobile Heavy Medium Circulating Oil, also available from Enco.

SAE 20? Interesting, my Operating Instructions says SAE 10 Motor Oil which equates to 22-32 ISO. The Velocite is ISO 22. Yes, it's on the low end of the scale but it seems to be just what Mr. Craftsman would want. Oil threads with machining are just as confusing and polarizing as the 70's motorcycle oil threads!

I've attached a picture of the Lubrication Chart for the 101.21400. Hope it can be read.


Now, one thing I've learned from my old motorcycle forums is that old oil used to contain zinc. Car and motorcycle oils now-a-days don't have that any more for emissions purposes so we add zinc to the oil or use specific oils with a high zinc content. Any talk of adding zinc to match more closely what they had back when these lathes were made?

I've been using a Lubriplate white grease for the gears for so long that I can no longer read the number on the can. I'll have to look into the aerosol. Would certainly be less trouble to apply.

I hear this stuff (or any heavy open gear grease for that matter) is super tacky and messy, haha. I can't wait!l

 

[DaveBarbier]

Hi Dave,
I have the exact same lathe! I bought it out of a shop that burned to the ground in 1981. The owner rarely used the machine so it was covered with a tarp and escaped any real damage from the fire. I paid $75! It did not, however, escape the water which caused the little guy to be covered with rust. I spent the next few months on and off rebuilding the lathe but the motor was beyond repair. I replaced it with a DC motor from a treadmill and using a PWM controller I now have a very nice variable speed lathe. During the rebuild I bought various parts and tooling for the lathe and I now have quite a wonderful model making machine. The cross slide leadscrew was badly worn so a friend helped me make a new unit with a 2" dial and a 20 TPI screw so now it's a direct read cross slide. Very handy and much more accurate than the micro dial from the original. If you need a tool post with tool holders or other small bits and pieces feel free to ask and I'll see what I can help you with. I also found someone on ebay selling the operating manuals and info on the gearing to do thread cutting. I probably use the lathe at least once a week and it still puts out very nice work and it's a lot of fun to use.
Good luck with your machine. Do I smell fresh paint?
Regards,
Dave

Thanks Dmakseyn, interesting stuff. And NO, you don't smell fresh paint, haha. I like it the way it is, the patina is beautiful!