# Bonehead move and being lazy question



## tfleming (Jan 17, 2018)

Ok, I have started to put the old 1961 J-head Bridgeport back together.  I did the split nut conversion.  Cleaned everything up.  re-installed the cross slide and table.  Adjusted backlash (got it down to 0.003 on the table and 0.004 on the cross slide).  I got the rebuilt 8F powerfeed installed and working great.  Had to slice a wee bit of the back of the dials to appropriately clear the housings.  Working like a champ.

Bozo, bonehead move:  I forgot to install the wiper plate and felt on the rear of the cross slide, and it will not go back on without removing the cross slide .  My laziness is making me cringe to take that all back apart.  so here is what I am considering doing.

Cut the felt retainer plate in half at the middle mounting hole.  Machine a small spanner plate out of 1/8" steel.  Then drill,  countersink  and use 1/8" dowel pins to stabilize it to the 2 retainer plate pieces.  The center mounting screw will hold it on.  The pins should hold both sections from moving, and the middle screw should secure the spanner block in place.  If I used 1/8" steel stock, there will still be plenty of clearance when the table is all the way in.  While this will not be original, it seems to me to be a quick and easy way to solve my bonehead move..............otherwise, I will throw away the 5 hours of re-assembly and adjustment  (and do it all over again).

Thoughts?  suggestions?  and yes, feel free to slap me around over the bozo move........................

PS:  this could also be a "fix" if someone breaks their retainer plate during a cleanup/rebuild.......


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## RandyM (Jan 17, 2018)

Crank your knee all the way up. You may need to remove the upper limit stop bolt. You should be able to install the wipers without all the disassembly.


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## tfleming (Jan 17, 2018)

Thanks Randy, I'll give that a try today.  I switched from coffee to beer after I saw what I did!


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## 682bear (Jan 17, 2018)

I just something similar... last week I reinstalled and adjusted the saddle on a Taft-Peirce surface grinder that I am attempting to refurbish. This week, I went to install the rear horizontal way cover... and realized it had to go under the back of the saddle...

I went ahead and removed the saddle again and installed the cover. 

My dad always said 'anything worth doing is worth doing right'... I think I would kick myself a few times, then remove the cross slide again... but thats just my opinion.

-Bear


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## tfleming (Jan 17, 2018)

Bear,  yes, the "if something is worth doing, it is worth doing right" statement came from my father's father, my father, and from me to my kids.  I couldn't agree more.......................I am going to kick the tires on Randy's suggestion and hopefully that will be "Bob's your uncle" or Cockford Dolly as a couple of the YouTube God's say!  LOL.  I can also get some things moved around, and wheel the forklift in.  Then I will just pull the complete table/cross slide assembly off.  That way, I only have to redo the cross slide backlash.   Film at 11!  LOL.


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## projectnut (Jan 17, 2018)

I did the same thing to my Series I machine nearly 20 years ago.  I purchased a second set of wipers and a new retainer at the time so I could change them out later.  Of course I put them in "a Special Place" so I wouldn't loose them, but somehow between then and now the memory  as to where I put them is long gone.  I need to start the search because it's finally time to replace the X lead screw nut.  Like you I split the original one, but being nearly 50 years old it's time for a new one.  While I'm at it I'll also straighten out the one shot oiler system.


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## Cheeseking (Jan 17, 2018)

I think your plan sounds reasonable. It's not butching the machine so you can do it that way for now and if you ever need to remove the saddle in the future just buy a replacement felt retainer. In the meantime it sure will make replacing felts easier


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## tfleming (Jan 17, 2018)

Well boys and girls, Randy WINS THE PONY!  And, Bob's my uncle.   Removed the knee top travel stop screw.   ran the knee up until the cross-slide ways were above the knee ways.  ShaZAAM!  Felt retainer plate installed.  You have to love it when a plan comes together!


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## RandyM (Jan 17, 2018)

Glad I could help. Now you have more time for the important things.


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## tfleming (Jan 17, 2018)

Yes, thank you!   I spent about 45 mins tramming in the head in both axis, checking quill runout, checking some collet runout this morning after the felt was installed.  Total quill run out is around 0.0007+ (call it 0.001 if you wish), which I can certainly live with.   collets were running about 0.0015+ runout, again, I can live with that (for the type of work that I do).  Now, I just need to install the power feed travel limit bar, and the old girl is about ready to make some chips.


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## Bob Korves (Jan 17, 2018)

tfleming said:


> Yes, thank you!   I spent about 45 mins tramming in the head in both axis, checking quill runout, checking some collet runout this morning after the felt was installed.  Total quill run out is around 0.0007+ (call it 0.001 if you wish), which I can certainly live with.   collets were running about 0.0015+ runout, again, I can live with that (for the type of work that I do).  Now, I just need to install the power feed travel limit bar, and the old girl is about ready to make some chips.


Try putting a very thin coat of high spot blue on a R8 arbor and mark up the spindle nose with it.  It will bring out any burrs or other damage to the spindle nose.  Then dress just the issues.  Do not touch any part of the surface that does not need it.  Also check the fit of the collets to the anti rotation screw.  If it is too tight of a fit in the collet slots it will cause runout.  Also, while you have an indicator on it, check for movement in the bearings by pushing the spindle lightly side to side.


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## tfleming (Jan 17, 2018)

Thanks Bob.  I'll fine tune things if I can, but honestly, 95% of what I machine is for Hit-n-Miss engines, and older (1950 or older) engines and machinery.  Most of the tolerances I am working with are in the +/- 0.002-0.003 range, so this old girl should be plenty good.  However, if there are some things I can do to dial it in a wee bit better, I am all for it.  I cannot tell you the number of things I have built up with weld or braze, and then machined it back to original specs.  And, as I have posted elsewhere, silver solder in my best friend when working with broken cast iron!

Interesting enough, I am mentoring a young man who is going to school to become a machinist/industrial type engineer.  I have 2 challenges with him.  #1 is getting him to match the effort to the required tolerances.  He wants to keep a 0.0001 tolerance on something that will be very good with 0.001  Now, there is something to be said about being able to hold a tolerance that close, but the "return on labor" investment ratio doesn't always add up.  Bragging rights are one thing, parts delivered per hour of effort is another.  The other challenge I have is helping him "think outside the box" when setting up a piece of work.  He has already surpassed my capabilities machining things.  However, he has a way to go with setup and work holding, and most importantly, order of operation.  He is progressing well though, and while I am not a journeyman, I have done fairly well making parts for old engines that are "unobtainium".  So far, nothing has been returned to me because it failed or did not work.  I hope I can continue that streak...............

Bottom line, if I can nurse this thing to be a wee bit better, I will certainly invest the time.  At this juncture, she will deliver 95% of what I usually do.


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