South Bend Live Center Disassembly?

P

pntr

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Hello all,
I have an SB Model-A that is has been sitting for some 50ish years but is in virtually pristine condition. It's remarkable. Anyhow, I'm in the process of getting it all spiffed up. Everything is original, chuck, tail stock live center etc. The grease in the tail stock is kind of gritting feeling from sitting around so long so I'm trying to disassemble it. It's a MLC-100NR. I removed the back set screw and the threaded plug that essentially increases or decreases the amount of "live" to the center itself. I have no clue how to get that center out of there though and I don't want to risk pressing it out. Does anyone know how this thing comes apart? I'm stumped. Maybe I should just soak it in some solvent to remove all the old grease and then try to repack it through the grease nipple? Suggestions?
 
That's a good question. About all I could find was this bit from a 1966 catalog. It would appear that SB intended it to come apart for bearing replacement. There probably was an instruction sheet in the original shipping box. After that it becomes a secret family recipe.
The only image I found was the drawing in the catalog. Please post some pictures.

1695566216973.png
 
Thank you. There are two holes in the back face of the thing as though for a spanner but the body of the thing is completely solid. I can't deduce how to extract the inner workings from either end. How they built this thing and got the inner workings inside a sold block is some serious voodoo.
 
How big are those holes? Look closely, are they threaded?
If they are threaded, I'm thinking you are supposed to put screws in them to jack the bearing out of the body. Then you just press the center out of the bearing from the back side.
If they are not threaded, perhaps you could use some small pins and push the bearing out.
Can you see the edge of the bearing race where it is pressed into the body when you look at it from the "pointy end"?
 
Does this look like your center?
1695572369148.png
If so, I would think that the ball oiler is for oiling the ball bearing, not grease. I also think that if you are feeling any "grittiness" that the bearing is bad.
Have a look at the pictures of this Ebay listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/134477459071?hash=item1f4f7b2e7f:g:HbkAAOSw8vZkBdNS
The set screw and slotted item at the small end of the taper is for adjusting the over all length so that your tailstock will eject the tool when retracted all the way. I bet the set screw is just there to lock the length adjuster after it is set properly. The two holes on the back definitely look like they are for pushing the bearing out. I can't tell if they are threaded but if not you just put pins in and use those.
 
Actually I just went back and zoomed in on those pics. I am pretty sure that I can see the edge of the outer bearing race through one of the holes in the back. Those holes are not threaded.
Looking at the face of the working end up close you can see there is a flat cover over the bearing that goes from the body to the center. This is a chip guard. It is likely to be a fairly tight fit to the body but has clearance at the center so that it can spin without making contact.
To get it apart you support the outer edge of the body with something that is large enough for the bearing to pass through. Then press or use a punch and hammer to tap the bearing out the front. Once that is out, you can do the same thing to remove the center from the bearing.
 
Innnnnteresting. I'll put in the old Opti-visor and take a closer look. Thank you.
 
piper184 said:
Does this look like your center?
View attachment 460708
If so, I would think that the ball oiler is for oiling the ball bearing, not grease. I also think that if you are feeling any "grittiness" that the bearing is bad.
Have a look at the pictures of this Ebay listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/134477459071?hash=item1f4f7b2e7f:g:HbkAAOSw8vZkBdNS
The set screw and slotted item at the small end of the taper is for adjusting the over all length so that your tailstock will eject the tool when retracted all the way. I bet the set screw is just there to lock the length adjuster after it is set properly. The two holes on the back definitely look like they are for pushing the bearing out. I can't tell if they are threaded but if not you just put pins in and use those.
Click to expand...
Yes. It sure does. Sorry for the slow reply. Works gets in the way of tinkering with my baby lathe.
 
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