# Is my lathe scrap, Emco compact 8



## liteace (Dec 21, 2021)

Is my lathe scrap or can the saddle / carriage (B4A-000-110) adjusted, I was turning the tool-post round today and noticed I have a slight bit of play in the saddle / carriage?


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## benmychree (Dec 21, 2021)

Where is the play evident?


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## liteace (Dec 21, 2021)

The quick release tool post has allen bolt holding it down, I wanted to make a taper today, when I put the allen wrench in I can feel play in the  loosening or tightening movement


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## rabler (Dec 21, 2021)

Can you feel the same play if you grab the compound and push/twist on it?  It's not clear where the play you're feeling is coming from, this could just be the t-nut underneath the QCTP is not a tight fit (no big deal).   (I'm not sure if this lathe uses a t-nut or just a threaded hole). Try completely removing the QCTP and seeing if you can identify the location of the play.  There may be a simple fix.


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## liteace (Dec 21, 2021)

The play is in / on the saddle / carriage where it slides on the bed, the compound, that's been off, cleaned, refitted and adjusted


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## rabler (Dec 21, 2021)

It may then be a major repair, but worth investigating further.   It could be something as simple as a chip caught between the carriage and the bed lifting the carriage up and out of place.  Does the play change depending on the where the carriage is on the bed, near headstock vs near the tailstock?  Are the ways showing signs of wear?  Probably worth taking the carriage apart and cleaning under it.  Then checking the fit without the apron and cross slide on it.

Of course, even a with a worn saddle and bed the lathe may still work fine for a lot of work.


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## Technical Ted (Dec 21, 2021)

Check that 4 and 9 are adjusted properly. It's hard to tell from the diagram, but it looks like they might be adjustments for the slides on the ways. Maybe not, but if you have a manual I would suggest checking to see if there is some adjustment that can be made. 

Ted


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## liteace (Dec 21, 2021)

Thanks,,,,,,, Ive always thought there was a problem with it due to the way it cuts, I'll pull it apart and have a look, Ive look in the book and no mention of adjustment of that part
Im surprised there is no adjustment on that part as they've made everything else adjustable


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## rabler (Dec 21, 2021)

I think 9 is the carriage lock.


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## liteace (Dec 21, 2021)

rabler said:


> I think 9 is the carriage lock.


Yes it is


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## Technical Ted (Dec 21, 2021)

rabler said:


> I think 9 is the carriage lock.


Yep, I missed that. Check #4 and/or anything else that looks like a way slide adjustment if present.

Ted


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## jwmay (Dec 22, 2021)

I don't think I can help you find the issue through the internet. But I do not think your lathe is scrap. I think just about anything on a lathe can be repaired. Although time and money are the limiting factors.


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## liteace (Dec 23, 2021)

I'll get back on it next week and see if I can find the problem 

Thanks for all your help up till now and enjoy Xmas


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## savarin (Dec 23, 2021)

#4 is a clamp style gibb, the bolts clamp the gibb strip to the underneath of the bed, if you can clamp up the gibb tight enough to prevent the saddle from moving it  can be loosened off and adjusted via shims till there is no movement but still give a smooth travel.
However, the section under the bed needs to be smoothed off and probably scraped to get it flat with no high spots.
The drawing doesnt show it but there is another gibb strip at the front of the saddle in line with the saddle clamp.
The same process can be applied to that one.
You may find it better to make new thicker strip with a raised edge which will clamp the underneath of the bed then the shims can raise the clearance


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## matthewsx (Dec 23, 2021)

Yes, definitely scrap. I’ll send my address and you can ship it to me for proper disposal 

John


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## sdelivery (Dec 23, 2021)

That saddle has no Gibs and no adjustment.
The caps are there only to keep it from lifting .
Check the clearance between the way and the cap with a feeler gauge.
A well built machine will have aprox. .001-.0015 clearance. If you can get more than that then you can assume that is aprox how much is worn off the back of the saddle.
Point being the slide is worn out and only further investigation will tell you how bad the situation is....a great learning experience. Take lots of pictures 
.


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## mikey (Dec 23, 2021)

Sorry to be so late to the party but I'm just getting back to the forum. 

The Compact 8 saddle is held to the ways/bed by the bolts up front and a nylon shim (part 4) at the rear. That nylon shim fits tight to the underside of the rear way with zero clearance. It is there to eliminate any lift of the saddle under load.

If you have movement when you manually lift the saddle from up front, check that all the bolts that hold the saddle/apron assembly together. Each should be snug, not overly torqued down super-tight. Then check to see if that shim at the rear is intact and not worn. That is all there is under there.

If the movement is coming from the cross slide on top of the saddle then you need to adjust the cross slide gib. Loosen the gib screws, pull the cross slide tight to opposing dovetail and bring the center gib screw into gentle contact with the gib. Do the same to the other gib screws, making sure each is tightened about the same, and then lock them down with their nuts. Check for zero play in the assembly and you're done. 

Emco lathes do not require excessive torque on anything. They rely on superb machining instead of force.


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## plunger (Dec 28, 2021)

That lathe doesnt look beat up. I think its highly unlikely its worn.. Its also hardened and very well made.


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## mikey (Dec 28, 2021)

@liteace, have you sorted out what was causing the movement you described?


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## savarin (Dec 28, 2021)

on my 9x20 I used thicker clamp plates that were machined down to give a raised section along its length that pulled up to the bottom of the bed that I had scraped to produce an even thickness along the section where that raised length ran.
Now the clamp could be pulled tight and actually lock the saddle.
By adding shims to the machined section the pressure against the bottom of the bed can be adjusted to leave a smooth travel with zero lift.
I did the same for the front clamp.
The saddle now moves very smoothly the full length with zero lift either from the front or rear.
I also had to scrape the saddle to improve its action and get full contact


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## liteace (Dec 31, 2021)

Sorry for the delay in answering.
Im 90% sure its the bed, I tightened these,(red)  it's a little better BUT now when the carriage / saddle is wound all the way up to the chuck it gets tight and the same when its would all the way down to the tail stock, so I think the bed has worn a little in the middle, the working aria, there's no play on the back runner its just the front, also if it tighten the carriage lock that improves it


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## mikey (Dec 31, 2021)

Yup, sounds like the ways are worn. Easiest fix is to replace the bed. Not sure how often they turn up in your area but they come up on eBay in the US fairly often.


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## liteace (Dec 31, 2021)

This could also be a problem, this is No9 in the drawing, as you can see its worn on the edge, I'll order another as see if it improves the problem


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## T Bredehoft (Dec 31, 2021)

Got a belt sander?  Sand the side flat again.


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## savarin (Dec 31, 2021)

liteace said:


> This could also be a problem, this is No9 in the drawing, as you can see its worn on the edge, I'll order another as see if it improves the problem



thats not a problem, thats just the saddle lock, the wear is caused by moving the saddle whilst its still locked.
Before replacing the bed run a mic along the section the clamp slides upon and the top of the ways.
It may not be worn ways but uneven thickness between the two. (which worn ways would also produce) and may be possible to scrape the underneath  back to an even thickness.
This was a problem on the back way on my machine, only a couple of thou but enough to measure and remove.


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## sdelivery (Dec 31, 2021)

Even a Southbend doesn't require the caps to hold down the saddle.
Or to make it accurate.......‍


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## Steve-F (Jan 1, 2022)

How about just turning over and see if it helps.


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## liteace (Jan 21, 2022)

Steve-F said:


> How about just turning over and see if it helps.


 I though the same but you turn it as the holes are offset


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