- Joined
- Feb 28, 2019
- Messages
- 502
Got the kit and the book from ILION dove into the cleaning of my lathe this weekend - I got a lot of abrasive grit into it a week or two back.
Cross slid, compound, tail stock and saddle are off and broken down to a point with an initial cleaning. I decided to order the pin wrench so I can disassemble the lead screws on both the cross slide and compound. Wasn't sure if I was going to tear apart the apron but considering I'm now waiting on wrenches I decided to go for it today:
Apron exploded!
There are a lot of parts packed in this thing. Managed to get it all apart with out destroying anything. Although the very first step of removing the pin for the hand wheel almost stopped me before getting going. The small end was mushroomed over and I had to carefully file it down the hand wheel hub before I was able to knock it out.
The left hand screw that holds the star wheel was also challenge - do they actually make a screwdriver that fits such a thin wide slot? I finally found a large scrap allen wrench and ground a super thin blade in the end of it. Actually worked really well.
The only casualty was the 1/8 dowel pin for the worm drive collar and key - I got it most of the way out using a C clamp and the key as per the instructions but it just wouldn't let loose. So I ended up trashing the exposed end with vice grips to finally twist and pull it out.
Not a problem, I've got a length of precision ground 1/8 stock and will just cut another one.
All in all a pretty good day, I'm glad I went for it - lots of the the oil passages were blocked with crud and the apron also had a lot of accumulated chips and crud. Someone had used heavy grease on the lead screw at some point, it got into the apron and was just collecting stuff.
-Dave
Cross slid, compound, tail stock and saddle are off and broken down to a point with an initial cleaning. I decided to order the pin wrench so I can disassemble the lead screws on both the cross slide and compound. Wasn't sure if I was going to tear apart the apron but considering I'm now waiting on wrenches I decided to go for it today:
Apron exploded!
There are a lot of parts packed in this thing. Managed to get it all apart with out destroying anything. Although the very first step of removing the pin for the hand wheel almost stopped me before getting going. The small end was mushroomed over and I had to carefully file it down the hand wheel hub before I was able to knock it out.
The left hand screw that holds the star wheel was also challenge - do they actually make a screwdriver that fits such a thin wide slot? I finally found a large scrap allen wrench and ground a super thin blade in the end of it. Actually worked really well.
The only casualty was the 1/8 dowel pin for the worm drive collar and key - I got it most of the way out using a C clamp and the key as per the instructions but it just wouldn't let loose. So I ended up trashing the exposed end with vice grips to finally twist and pull it out.
Not a problem, I've got a length of precision ground 1/8 stock and will just cut another one.
All in all a pretty good day, I'm glad I went for it - lots of the the oil passages were blocked with crud and the apron also had a lot of accumulated chips and crud. Someone had used heavy grease on the lead screw at some point, it got into the apron and was just collecting stuff.
-Dave