# Pm1236 Tailstock Cam Broke



## JayBob (Apr 11, 2015)

Hey guys, I've got a PM1236 that I bought a little less than a year ago.  I was doing a lot of drilling in some aluminum last night and noticed at one point, that the locking lever seemed a little "soft" (for lack of a better word).  The lever that locks the tail stock in place.

I kept using it, and shortly afterward, it completely gave up.  The locking lever went all the way over, and the lock itself that hangs down underneath of it, dropped down into the chip pan.

I turned the tailstock  over and looked inside and saw that the threaded rod that hangs down had detached from the cam assembly inside.  The rod looked like it had only been tack welded in 4 spots, and they welded over top of the paint.....

I took everything apart and cleaned it up.  I wish I had taken more pictures, but you should be able to get the gist of it, by the few pictures that I do have.  I turned down the welds on the rod to good, bare metal, and put the round piece in my new mill and milled off the weld remnants and made it flat for a good mate-up with the rod.  Then, I TIG welded the 2 pieces together and reassembled everything.

I hope all of that made sense.  lol.  I figured it was worth making a post about it, for you guys to look out for it.  It may even be worth taking it apart preemptively and checking it out, if you have some spare time.  This (of course) happened to me in the middle of a fairly important job that I could have used the extra time for...

Anyway, here's the pictures:


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## MBfrontier (Apr 11, 2015)

FWIW, after looking at your pictures I was wondering why not drill a hole through the collar, maybe even tap it and thread the rod end, and TIG weld it in place. Just a thought if it happens again.


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## coolidge (Apr 11, 2015)

Fixing the knucklehead's sloppy work is half the fun with these Asian machines, the glass half full viewpoint.


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## JayBob (Apr 11, 2015)

MBfrontier said:


> FWIW, after looking at your pictures I was wondering why not drill a hole through the collar, maybe even tap it and thread the rod end, and TIG weld it in place. Just a thought if it happens again.



That's an excellent idea.  I likely would have done that if I had the time, but unfortunately, I was quite pressed for time, and I just did what was easiest at the time.  I hope it doesn't come apart again, but if it does, that's how I'll fix it next time.  



coolidge said:


> Fixing the knucklehead's sloppy work is half the fun with these Asian machines, the glass half full viewpoint.



That's true.  I enjoyed the opportunity to fix something for once, but it stinks when it's holding up a "hot" job.  99% of my work lately has been "making" instead of "fixing", and I've missed it.  I do enjoy making something useful from raw materials, but it was the fixing/upgrading aspect that's what got me into machining in the first place, while working in a Repair dept for a set of nuclear submarines when I was in the Navy.  

Anyway, I certainly recommend a little preventive work on it if you have the time.


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## Stonebriar (Apr 11, 2015)

Thanks for the heads up on the tailstock. Good job.


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## tmarks11 (Apr 12, 2015)

nice job.  I suspect you will never have to redo it; looks like a permanent fix.


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## Morgan RedHawk (Apr 12, 2015)

Good to know...thanks for posting that up.  If mine goes, I will be coming over with my hat in my hands, begging for a TIG weld.  I'll bring beer.


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## JayBob (Apr 13, 2015)

Stonebriar said:


> Thanks for the heads up on the tailstock. Good job.



Thanks!  I hope it helps some people!



tmarks11 said:


> nice job.  I suspect you will never have to redo it; looks like a permanent fix.



I think so too, but time will tell.  



Morgan RedHawk said:


> Good to know...thanks for posting that up.  If mine goes, I will be coming over with my hat in my hands, begging for a TIG weld.  I'll bring beer.



Bring it over Morgan!  I'll even let you try the TIG yourself, if you want.

I'm not a beer drinker, so you'll just have twice as much for yourself if you bring some.  Lol!


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## Morgan RedHawk (Apr 13, 2015)

Man, I would love to try the TIG.  I have been wanting to for a while.  I am not a beer drinker either, actually.  I only offer because it is the social convention.


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## jmh8743 (Apr 14, 2015)

that weld failed before it was welded, 50% had not bonded. We Asian machine owners quickly become unfinished tooling specialists.


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## JayBob (Apr 15, 2015)

Morgan RedHawk said:


> Man, I would love to try the TIG.  I have been wanting to for a while.  I am not a beer drinker either, actually.  I only offer because it is the social convention.



Lol, that's funny.  Glad we talked about this before you brought some over.  

I don't have any problem letting you practice on the TIG.  You might want to bring some scrap with you though.  I don't have much to practice on.  Speaking of which, we need to make a trip to the scrapyard you keep telling me about...



jmh8743 said:


> that weld failed before it was welded, 50% had not bonded. We Asian machine owners quickly become unfinished tooling specialists.



I agree.  It's very easy to see why it failed.  I'm just really glad I have a welder.  I really could not have afforded the down-time...


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## Morgan RedHawk (Apr 15, 2015)

JayBob said:


> I don't have any problem letting you practice on the TIG. You might want to bring some scrap with you though. I don't have much to practice on. Speaking of which, we need to make a trip to the scrapyard you keep telling me about...



I will have some time soon.  A guy at school was telling me about another one over on Fairfield Rd.  We should check it out.  I'll text you and we can figure out a time for a field trip.


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## JayBob (Apr 15, 2015)

Sounds good.  I'm off of work til next Tuesday night.


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