# making the MLA faceplate for my SBL 9A



## mrtechnologist2u (Dec 26, 2012)

Well the new year is almost here and I am ready to begin my first Big Project on my 1941 SBL 9A

I chose the MLA S-5879 faceplate project.  I recieved the casting and drawings for Christmas. (Thanks to my wonderful wife who doesnt understand all this but supports me anyway)

I spent yesterday figuring out how to mount this on my lathe so I can work on it and also how to make a guage to ensure the internal thread I cut will mount ok on my spindle BEFORE I dismount it from my lathe to do the front side.

I was quite happy with this casting and the drawing and instructions are pretty good.

Mr. Wells:  are my attachments ok or should they be sized smaller?


----------



## Hawkeye (Dec 26, 2012)

I'm going to assume you don't have a mill or another, bigger lathe. Most of the time, the front face of your chuck is pretty square to the ways.

What if you removed the jaws and drilled four holes through the faceplate blank just far enough out to take four bolts around the perimeter of the chuck, in the middle of each of the four 'pie' sections. Were it I, I'd centre them 3/16" out from the outside of the chuck and drill them 5/16" diameter. I'd then tap them for 3/8" NC bolts, just because that's what I use for hold-downs on my smaller machines.

Two bars of steel, 1/4" thick by whatever is on hand, are then drilled to take the four bolts, which are long enough to run from behind the chuck (assuming there is enough clearance between the chuck and the headstock), through the bars, to the front of the chuck, through the threaded holes in the faceplate and long enough to add a locknut on each bolt.

A bit of careful dialing in, tightening the bolts evenly, should allow you to true up the hub and bore and thread it to mount on the spindle.

The threaded holes may come in handy later on for fastening projects to your faceplate.


----------



## Tony Wells (Dec 26, 2012)

Your picture size is just fine. As long as they aren't larger than 800 X 600 I think you'll be OK. The system resizes larger than that anyway, but allows clickable pictures that can be larger. 

Thanks for inquiring.


----------

