# The Stars Have Been In Alignment For Me This Week. Just Got My First Lathe, A D/r 11x36, 25-100



## thenrie (Nov 2, 2013)

Early yesterday morning I outlasted another bidder and won a Delta 25-100 11X36 lathe. The lathe is missing a couple important parts, so I started shopping around to test the availability of things before I actually laid down my bid. Thanks to the RockwellLathe Yahoo Group, in a matter of days I scored a tailstock, a handwheel for the compound, and a taper attachment. All combined and including my travel expense to pick the lathe up, the price will approach what I have been seeing people paying for complete DR 11 lathes in similar condition, who have considered themselves to have made a good purchase. Still, it's a bit higher than I intended.

Here's what I paid, just for reference for the next guy who's looking:

Lathe, lacking the tailstock and the handwheel for the compound rest, including hardened bed, one 6" 3-jaw and one 8-9" 4-jaw, a turret type tool post, a couple of Jacobs chucks, and several bits and pieces    $720 (ebay, "Buy it now" price was $750)
Tailstock      $250
Handwheel     $25
Taper Attachment $190
Shipping charges for parts $79
Fuel estimate to pick up $300
Total cost     $1564

Not especially a rip-roaring deal, but it is what I was looking for. To tell the truth, I didn't expect to find all those parts all at once and expected to be able to spread the expense over several months (less noticeable to the mrs.), but I didn't want to risk passing on them and not being able to find them when I wanted them. The lathe appears, from the photographs the PO has provided, to be in decent condition, however I won't know for sure until I pick it up next week. It appears to have all the gears in place and none appears to have missing teeth or damage. From the history provided by the PO, it was in a municipal shop and was pulled from service a few years ago and just sat until it fell in the PO's hands. After a couple years he lost interest decided to sell it. Never even tried to get it working.

I'll provide pictures once I get the lathe home and into my shop. I've always wanted a machine lathe. After being a woodworker for many years and making lots of shavings and sawdust, I'm excited to finally be able to start making metal chips.


----------



## dennis (Nov 2, 2013)

I hope that it will be a good machine for you. You will enjoy using it for many years.


----------



## RandyM (Nov 4, 2013)

Looks like Christmas came early this year. :thumbsup: Let the chips fly.


----------



## xalky (Nov 4, 2013)

No pictures?...it didn't happen. )


----------



## thenrie (Nov 5, 2013)

Oh boy. That stars alignment thing just goes to show how one can get dreamy-eyed and not see things as clearly as he ought.

I made all the classic errors in buying this lathe and I'm going to pay for it.

I made the drive yesterday and picked up the lathe. When I got there and took my first look at it, I could see it was not what I was hoping for. Right off, I could see the carriage had significant wear in it and that the lathe was well-used and very worn. The compound screw was jammed, the crossfeed slide screw had nearly 1/2 turn of play, and the lead screw showed significant wear, although I've seen worse. There was surface rust over parts of the ways and all other exposed metal surfaces, including the L00 spindle nose, the carriage drive handwheel shaft is loose in its bushing, and I mean LOOSE. There were dings on top of the saddle casting, where somebody used it as an anvil. As I looked, I thought, well this is going to be an expensive lesson to learn.

On the good side: The end gears, the spindle, bull gear, back gears, QC gears, all appear to be in good condition. The bed (hardened) appears to be in good shape, only one small ding that I have found, but not a problem. The Reeves drive is complete and appears to be in good shape. All the belts are there and appear to be in good condition. The covers are all there and in good shape. The rust in the pictures appears worse than it is (flash does that).

On the bad side: First, no tailstock and the compound rest handwheel is missing. This I knew beforehand. I have already found replacements and bought them. The compound screw was jammed in place. It was apparent somebody had twisted on the handwheel, trying to unjam the screw, that they overran the woodruff key and spun the handwheel on the shaft...which let do its being removed and lost. The lead screw shows significant wear and  I haven't removed the apron yet to see what's behind it, but I'm already pretty sure what I'm going to find. I already mentioned the lead screw drive crank. Somebody used the top of the saddle casting as an anvil.

With the lathe came the following: A 6" 3-jaw, with both inside and outside jaws, a 9" 4-jaw with independent jaws, two Jacobs chucks, several reams, several HSS bits and one carbide, an enco-type turret tool post, a left and right and cutoff tool holders for a lantern tool post (which I don't have), a carriage stop, and a 1hp 115/230 motor.

The PO gave me what he knew about the history of the lathe. He said it was in a shop for a small manufacturing company who used it as a toolroom lathe to make prototypes of parts for their manufacturing business. When they took it out of service several years ago, one of the employees took it home. He kept it in his garage for a few years until he decided he wasn't going to do anything with it and gave it to the PO, just to get it out of his shop. He told the PO the lathe was working when it was removed from service. The PO didn't know enough to know better. The PO finally decided he didn't know enough about lathes to make it work, so he figured he'd rather have the money. He never mislead me in anything. I don't think he knows enough about lathes to be able to mislead me. I just didn't get all the questions answered before I bid. Once I made the bid, the mistake was mine, not his. Fact is, he still thinks I got a great price on a good lathe.

Well, I counted it a good lesson, loaded up and took it home. Had I been able to inspect it beforehand, I would not have bought it. Like I said, I got dreamy and jumped the gun, so to speak.

Having said all that, I am still pretty excited about having my first lathe. While I would probably be wiser to part this thing out and recover as much of my investment as I can, that's not what I intend to do. It just isn't in my nature. I plan to take it all apart, clean it up, replace everything that needs it, paint it, and put it back together. By the time I get it done I figure I'll know a thing or two about lathes. I already know I'm going to be upside down, cost-wise, on it. So that decision is already made. At this point, I'm about $1500 into it. 

Next time I buy a lathe, I'll do it with a bit more experience under my belt, and maybe do a little better. This one is going to be like paying for a shop course.

I console myself by looking at an Osborne leather splitter I've been wanting. It probably weighs in at about 15 lbs and is as simple a machine as you can imagine, and they get $6-800 for them. Heck, a single 5/16 zinc flat washer costs 22 cents at Lowe's! My wife recently paid $2 apiece for apples! I reckon I didn't do so bad, when you put it all in an overall context.)


----------



## xalky (Nov 5, 2013)

I really hate to see things like this happen. Hopefully you can make some lemonade out of it.


----------



## 4GSR (Nov 5, 2013)

That old lathe has some "beefy" gears in the headstock and gear train.

I look at this as a challenge! 

Since you found most of the missing parts, half the battle is won!

The leadscrew is replaceable, but for the time being, it looks useable.  You say the compound screw or is was it the cross slide screw that is jammed up, either way, they can be remade.  Salvage the existing one to make another one by then replace it.  

Overall I don't feel like you have that much to do the get the lathe running.

Now, that Reeves drive might be of question.  I've never tore into one, see many in use years ago.  Now replaced with VFD run motors in todays world.

We'll help you out getting the old lady running again!


----------



## 4GSR (Nov 5, 2013)

On that Reeves drive, you can still buy belts for them.  As for the variable pitch sheaves, if you can find them they are expensive.  I would just overhaul them, most have bushings that can be remade/replaced.  (Memory started coming back.)


----------



## richl (Nov 5, 2013)

As others before me mentioned , as long as you are willing to do the work you will get thru this and in the end the lathe will be precise and strong. The only way this could turn I to a mistake is if you don't get it in working condition. I bet after you get it All together you will never question your purchase.

I did not pay much for mine , but after I purchase he missing and broken parts it will cost as much as you will have into your own.

Don't give up!
Rich


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 6, 2013)

Rich, use the lathe as a learning tool, besides we can work on rebuilding our lathes together.  I need belts and a lead screw for starters.  The carriage is fixable with Rulan, and I have a friend locally who is good at scraping so what he teaches me I will gladly pass along to you.  Just think of this as a series of small projects that we can explore our machines together.  Oh yeah, try to wire it for 220 if you have it in your shop.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 6, 2013)

While I was driving around doing errands yesterday, it occurred to me that since I am planning on "restoring" the lathe, the amount of wear in certain parts is sort of irrelevant. If there is any significant wear at all, you need to change/repair the part whether it's a little or a lot, to bring it up to spec. Period. If you have to replace a bushing or screw or nut, it is no more trouble to replace one that's a little worn than one that's really hogged out. Same with any part. In fact, I'm more likely to replace things that are really shot than things that are just slightly worn, so in the end, I'll end up with a better restoration, that meets or exceeds spec, than if it were only slightly worn. So, I'm feeling much better about the lathe now. As for the initial cost, in a few years I won't even remember that extra couple hundred bucks.

I am lucky enough to have a dedicated workshop these days (used to be 1/2 the garage), so I wired it with 220V throughout. I'm watching for a decent 3ph motor to convert to an RPC. I want to run the lathe on 3-phase to take advantage of the on-off-reverse switch that came on the lathe. I may look at a VFD, but have some concerns about the low-speed hp and torque and damage to the 3ph motor. However, it seems to me that if I'm using the Reeve's drive in conjunction with a static or VFD converter, that may overcome those worries, since the motor will stay pretty much at a constant speed. Suggestions and comments in this area are welcome.

As for the Reeves, my initial inspection indicated the belts, both on the Reeves and the smaller ones on the spindle, as well as the sheaves, appear to be in good shape. I didn't detect any cracking or dried-out appearance. The large belts are slightly curled on the edges, but not to the degree I'd be concerned. I'll know more in the near future, as I tear things down for cleaning.

Astjp2, I'm still in VA right now, but it looks like I'll be moving to your neck of the woods next summer, so you can bet I'll be watching your thread. Keep it going. By the way, I'm sure glad you posted that picture of your lathe on the trailer with the engine crane hoist. I acquired one just like yours last week, through some horse trading, and it made moving the lathe a one-man snap of a job, with no worries about hurt backs, dropped lathes, or tipping over.


----------



## toag (Nov 6, 2013)

hi all,
don't own a logan or sheldon (or delta) but if the reeves drive is anything like the clausing varispeed (looks a bit like it), then there are some real slick rebuilds that replace the sleaves with molgice.  here is a real nice job of one (hope they don't mind the link) http://wess.freeshell.org/clausing/Clausing.html
neat how he used a drill to power the lathe while fixing it.

edit:

also i think that in the end you'll be happy with your purchase. once you get it running, think of the stories you can tell the kids, or buddies while leaning up against it having a cold one!


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 6, 2013)

You don't need the varidrive and VFD, its redundant and just an added expense.  a 220 single phase can also reverse, you just change the wiring around on the switch to get both directions. Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 6, 2013)

Hmm. I didn't know that. The PO threw in a 1hp 115/230v 1725 rpm motor with the lathe. I expect I'll just go ahead and see about sticking that motor in there. I'll take a look at that tomorrow and see how things match up.

I pulled the carriage this evening. I'm going to need a new cross slide screw and nut, a lead screw, and the half nut, and possibly the carriage drive gear. I guess I need to start looking and pricing.

I also need to buy a set of punches. My smallest is too large for the roll pins in the lead screw and cross slide screw.


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 7, 2013)

You might fix the half nut if you shave some off the middle and re tap it.  Look for a 2 stage tap that is 3/4-8.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 7, 2013)

Those taps are pretty high in price. Anybody got a good used one they might sell?


----------



## frank r (Nov 7, 2013)

Clean the gunk and as much rust off of it as possible (a fine wire wheel on a grinder is nice for smaller stuff). Spray it down with oil to prevent further rusting. Put it together and get it running. Then sell it and buy another lathe. Do not repaint if you are going to do this.

It will be easier to sell a running lathe that has been oiled up and runs smooth. Be sure to not hide anything from the potential buyer, but you do not have to trumpet its faults either.

Consider the difference between your buying price and your selling price the cost of tuition in getting schooled.


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 7, 2013)

If he is a tool junkie like me, I will replace almost every bushing, leadscrew and brass nut the machine has just because I can.  Its a horrible addiction that has no cure except more tools.  I pity my wife if she has to sell my shop off when I die.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 7, 2013)

frank r said:


> Clean the gunk and as much rust off of it as possible (a fine wire wheel on a grinder is nice for smaller stuff). Spray it down with oil to prevent further rusting. Put it together and get it running. Then sell it and buy another lathe. Do not repaint if you are going to do this.
> 
> It will be easier to sell a running lathe that has been oiled up and runs smooth. Be sure to not hide anything from the potential buyer, but you do not have to trumpet its faults either.
> 
> Consider the difference between your buying price and your selling price the cost of tuition in getting schooled.



Ah, we're already way past that, Frank. Tim there knows what I'm talking about. This is now *my *lathe. It will likely go to my kids one day. By then it will be in very nice shape. It will just take me a while. Then they'll probably sell it like one of those great "garage finds" you read about.)


----------



## RandyM (Nov 8, 2013)

astjp2 said:


> If he is a tool junkie like me, I will replace almost every bushing, leadscrew and brass nut the machine has just because I can.  Its a horrible addiction that has no cure except more tools.  I pity my wife if she has to sell my shop off when I die.  Tim



OH MY GOSH! Thank you for my diagnosis, Tim. I will start buying right away. :rofl:


----------



## thenrie (Nov 8, 2013)

Just saw a taper attachment listed on ebay for $650. Makes me feel a lot better about the cost of my lathe).  The same guy has a follow rest at $275 and a steady rest at $350. Pretty high when you can buy a complete lathe for under $1500. Has anybody thought about making castings for the steady and follow rests? Seems like it wouldn't be too tough a thing. I happen to be acquainted with a guy who has a professional foundry, if I could just come up with a rest to make a mold from.

Also, I saw a thread recently where somebody on the forum was making spanners for the DR L00 spindle out of plate steel, cut out with a plasma cutter. He was asking a pretty reasonable price, something like $22. I can't seem to find the thread now. I'd like to pick one up if anybody knows who it was.

Tony


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 9, 2013)

thenrie said:


> Just saw a taper attachment listed on ebay for $650. Makes me feel a lot better about the cost of my lathe).  The same guy has a follow rest at $275 and a steady rest at $350. Pretty high when you can buy a complete lathe for under $1500. Has anybody thought about making castings for the steady and follow rests? Seems like it wouldn't be too tough a thing. I happen to be acquainted with a guy who has a professional foundry, if I could just come up with a rest to make a mold from.
> 
> Also, I saw a thread recently where somebody on the forum was making spanners for the DR L00 spindle out of plate steel, cut out with a plasma cutter. He was asking a pretty reasonable price, something like $22. I can't seem to find the thread now. I'd like to pick one up if anybody knows who it was.
> 
> Tony



I have several spanner wrenches, I can send you a pattern if you want.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 9, 2013)

Please do. I'll have to cut it out with a torch and grind to shape, since my home shop doesn't _yet _include a plasma cutter...hmmm...:thinking:

Thanks. Email is tthenrie@yahoo.com.

Tony


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 10, 2013)

Do you have access to a waterjet?  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 10, 2013)

Not that I'm aware of, but that's an idea. I'll look around. For being such a populous area, this place sure doesn't have much in the way of blue-collar stuff.


----------



## xalky (Nov 10, 2013)

thenrie said:


> Just saw a taper attachment listed on ebay for $650. Makes me feel a lot better about the cost of my lathe).  The same guy has a follow rest at $275 and a steady rest at $350. Pretty high when you can buy a complete lathe for under $1500. Has anybody thought about making castings for the steady and follow rests? Seems like it wouldn't be too tough a thing. I happen to be acquainted with a guy who has a professional foundry, if I could just come up with a rest to make a mold from.
> 
> Also, I saw a thread recently where somebody on the forum was making spanners for the DR L00 spindle out of plate steel, cut out with a plasma cutter. He was asking a pretty reasonable price, something like $22. I can't seem to find the thread now. I'd like to pick one up if anybody knows who it was.
> 
> Tony


 Ideally, you'd want an original casting to make your pattern from. But if that doesn't pan out, you can always make a casting pattern from a wooden mock-up. You could even sculpt one out of dense styrofoam, You can make the pattern cheaply. Ask your foundry buddy.


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 10, 2013)

xalky said:


> Ideally, you'd want an original casting to make your pattern from. But if that doesn't pan out, you can always make a casting pattern from a wooden mock-up. You could even sculpt one out of dense styrofoam, You can make the pattern cheaply. Ask your foundry buddy.



I think he wants to make one from Plate steel, cheaper and still functional.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 10, 2013)

No, no. I want to try to make a follow and steady rest pattern or mold and have it cast for me. The spanner I can make from plate!

On the rests, I was thinking that if several of us went in together, we might get a pretty good price on getting a few cast for us and just do the machining and making the screws and follows ourselves. Maybe the same type of thing on getting a company to make up several lead screws for us as well. I think I'm going to make a few calls this week and see whether it's even a viable option. Just an idea. The prices on those items on the used market has now reached the point at which it may be cheaper to have new ones made. We could probably have them made in China for $25 apiece!

Problem is that I would need to obtain a rest to make a pattern from. Anybody going to lend me one? I doubt it, at current prices. So I may have to buy one and make a pattern from it.


----------



## toag (Nov 11, 2013)

Not a crazy idea at all.  I know a fellow who sells follower and steadys for clausings 5400,5900, and 6300 series lathes.  he had castings made and machined them up.  I remember prices being north of 275 for each.  machining must have added alot, or he was looking to retire early.  
Can save alot if you get a bunch to buy in, maybe make a casting of some 10ee followers too!


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 11, 2013)

thenrie said:


> No, no. I want to try to make a follow and steady rest pattern or mold and have it cast for me. The spanner I can make from plate!
> 
> On the rests, I was thinking that if several of us went in together, we might get a pretty good price on getting a few cast for us and just do the machining and making the screws and follows ourselves. Maybe the same type of thing on getting a company to make up several lead screws for us as well. I think I'm going to make a few calls this week and see whether it's even a viable option. Just an idea. The prices on those items on the used market has now reached the point at which it may be cheaper to have new ones made. We could probably have them made in China for $25 apiece!
> 
> Problem is that I would need to obtain a rest to make a pattern from. Anybody going to lend me one? I doubt it, at current prices. So I may have to buy one and make a pattern from it.



The one thing you need to consider when casting is the shrinkage.  There is a known amount that the patterns are larger than the product.  I am no expert but I know of the process.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 11, 2013)

Yes, I am aware of that. I don't think the shrinkage would be significant or critical in a follow or steady rest, as long as there was sufficient material left in the base to machine it to the proper height. Every thing else should shrink equally, leaving everything centered. It would really be nice if I could get the price of the raw castings down under about $75 apiece. With the additional machining and work I would suspect the completed part would come in under $150 easily, if you make the rest of the parts yourself and don't count your labor, even if you have some of the machine work done locally. In my book that's a lot better than paying antique collectible prices upwards of $325 apiece!

Actually, this is starting to sound like a fun project to me. I've got to get some other things squared away first, but I may start seriously considering this route, once I get my decks cleared a little.


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 12, 2013)

When you get to Provo, I will lend you anything in my shop.  I am getting run too thin with school and work and my shop to add something to my plate right now.  I want to rebuild my machines, and we will be having a scraping class sometime soon in Utah with Bebop (Don), he is friends with Forrest and I think learned from him.  Once I get my shop cleared out and some benches in place, it should work for a weekend class.  I want to learn so I can use my skills to go through several other of my machines.  Get the Connley book.  It will explain a lot, from lessons learned.  Tim

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9996967085/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## thenrie (Nov 12, 2013)

Thanks for that, Tim. I'll surely take you up on it. In fact, once I get out that way, you may wish you hadn't mentioned it.:LOL:

It was a little cold and windy out here today. Went out to the workshop, built my first fire of the year in the old cast iron stove and piddled around with the lathe. I cleaned all the end gears and levers. Looks a lot better now. Forgot to snap a picture. I'll post one tomorrow. I think I'll tear the carriage down tomorrow and take a good look at it.

I've got my eye out right now for a 3hp 3-phase motor to make myself an RPC. Decided to go that route, so I won't have to buy another VFD when I get my mill...whenever that is. No luck so far finding anyone to build me a lead screw. I have a couple more places to check down in Richmond.

Ordered a couple books as primers for me. Ordered Metal Lathe for Home Machinists, by Harold Hall, and Shop Reference for Students and Apprentices, by Christopher McCauley. They had good reviews from the perspective of a rank beginner. I'll get some of the other recommended books as I get a little more familiar with terminology and processes.

How difficult is it to machine a keyway the full length of a long lead screw by cutting the keyway in sections on a mill with a short bed? Can a long keyway be cut on a lathe?


----------



## Pacer (Nov 13, 2013)

I can offer a few comments on casting and doing a lead screw...

I have been casting in aluminum for many years (Dave Gingerys books) and have poured a follow and a steady for a SB with marginal success, mainly/mostly because we didnt have an original to copy from. Getting an original and either using it directly for a pattern or copying it in wood (likely need to do a split pattern). Casting is a lot more than getting some metal hot and pouring it into some sand, making up a complicated pattern can take hours - or days, then you need a furnace that will get to the proper temperature, and the sand is much more than a couple bags of play sand from H depot, etc. But, aside from all the gloomy talk, casting is another area of metalworking that can be a real hoot.

Lead screw - I have made a couple of them up ant the split nut also. There are several sources for the bare Acme rod - I got mine from 
http://roton.com/Screw.aspx?line=Acme  (Note they have a min order - $60)
They also have the nuts . 
Mcmaster Carr also has Acme...
Hopefully you dont have an odd thread count and they have what you need - some of the thread counts they dont have. 

On cutting the key way youll almost have to have a means to loosen the acme and reposition it further down the table to continue the key way cut while maintaining the line of cut, devise a system of "keys" to key it to the table to do this (Unless youve got one of those loooong tables) I laid the rod in the 5/8" T slot on the mill table, devising a "key" system in order to be able to loosen it to move further down and continue the cut. With some creative thinking you can get a lead screw made.


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 13, 2013)

I will just send the screw to a shop that has a 6+' table and let them do it.  I cant do it as cheap as I can get it done for.  Tim



Pacer said:


> I can offer a few comments on casting and doing a lead screw...
> 
> I have been casting in aluminum for many years (Dave Gingerys books) and have poured a follow and a steady for a SB with marginal success, mainly/mostly because we didnt have an original to copy from. Getting an original and either using it directly for a pattern or copying it in wood (likely need to do a split pattern). Casting is a lot more than getting some metal hot and pouring it into some sand, making up a complicated pattern can take hours - or days, then you need a furnace that will get to the proper temperature, and the sand is much more than a couple bags of play sand from H depot, etc. But, aside from all the gloomy talk, casting is another area of metalworking that can be a real hoot.
> 
> ...


----------



## thenrie (Nov 13, 2013)

Where are you going to have yours done, Tim? I asked a shop here that has the capability and he told me it would be in the "thousands" (of dollars) to have a lead screw made, even after I mentioned just milling a keyway in a stock threaded rod. Then he simply said he really didn't want to get into the leadscrew making business and told me to get a used one on eBay. Of course, after an answer like that, I wouldn't have this shop sweep my floor. I'm still looking around.


----------



## thenrie (Nov 13, 2013)

Before and after pics of my end gears. Looks better. 





I'm working on the carriage now. Not unexpected, but disappointing, I'm finding a lot of wear in certain gears and shafts and it looks like I'll be replacing a few parts. Incidentally, it looks like re-tapping the half-nuts won't be that much of a problem. At least from a rank amateur, eternal optimist point of view. I'll be looking around for a used tap and see what I come up with. Maybe after I get mine done, I can pass the tap around on a "you-break-it-you-bought-it" basis. 

Also found my cross-slide screw pretty worn, as well as the feed nut. I a'm considering chasing the threads to make them all even, then making the nut out of Acetal to remove all the backlash. I figure if it doesn't work out, I haven't lost anything but time. I can simply replace the screw and make a new brass nut. 

I'll try to post more pics tomorrow of the carriage parts.


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 13, 2013)

Acetal will wear too fast, just use the bronze and tap it. It will last for years with some good oil and some TLC. We have several local shops that will cut the slot, set up time is what is most of the money, if we take several raw screws in, it should be simple for us to then turn down the ends to fit each lathe's specific needs.

Was this the tap you were looking at?  http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-4-X-8-NA2...ultDomain_0&hash=item19d71ccc1a#ht_404wt_1133   Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 14, 2013)

That's one of them. There are several listed in the same price range. However, I looked at the screw last night and if I'm not mistaken, it's a right-hand thread, rather than left. Correct me if I'm wrong.

There are several articles I have read about making the feed nuts from Acetal that indicate it does not wear faster than the bronze and that with it you can reduce backlash to literally zero. They also indicate the strength is sufficient. The threads are formed on the plastic by controlled heating of the screw and compressing the plastic around the screw to form perfect threads. The nut is then removed and the threads cleaned up with a home-made tap (a flat ground on the end of a piece of screw), and voila! A nut with no backlash. This method has been used on several lathes in the size range of our 11s with very satisfactory results. Thought I'd give it a shot and see how it works, since my cross slide feed screw is pretty worn, just making a new bronze nut would still leave plenty of backlash. However, if I chucked the screw in a lathe and turned the threads all even, I could make a plastic nut by the method above and have a custom nut for the "custom" threads in the screw. That should not affect the accuracy of the dial on the handwheel, since threads would be the same, just thinner. If it doesn't work out satisfactorily, well, no loss, I would have had to replace the screw and nut anyway. Worth a try. It might be a good solution while I'm waiting for the right feed screw to come along, at the least.

See this thread: http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/13041-Acetal-Delrin-cross-slide-lead-screw-nut

and this one: http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/th...-leadscrew-nuts-the-easy-way?highlight=acetal


----------



## thenrie (Nov 14, 2013)

Woops! I see I already posted those links and had that discussion on your thread.

Here are a couple shots of the some of the apron parts off my lathe:






I don't know the proper names of the gears, but I'm sure you'll know what they are. The carriage drive gear is very worn and needs replacement. It is a pressed-in fit in the larger diameter gear, which is in good shape. The half-nuts are worn out. I believe I should be able to repair those, though, but clamping them tight in the bracket, and running a tap through to re-cut the threads. The clutch gear (brass one) is also very worn and needs to be replaced. Seems like I saw a post somewhere where somebody had made some of these and was offering them for sale. Anybody know who it was?

There are several bushings that need replacement as well. Looks like the bushings can be bought off the shelf for less than what I could make them for. There are also a couple 1/2" shafts that show some wear that it wouldn't hurt to replace.

I was looking at my cross slide screw. It looks pretty straight forward, as far as replacing it with an off-the-shelf section of screw, until you look at the end toward the handwheel. It is drilled out for about 6" and has two keys broached into the inside diameter for the first 1-1/4". That looks like it would be a challenge, especially for a novice like myself.


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 14, 2013)

They were on EBAY, use a shim between the half nuts befor you tap, that way you have some room to compress tighter if you need to.  Tim



thenrie said:


> Woops! I see I already posted those links and had that discussion on your thread.
> 
> Here are a couple shots of the some of the apron parts off my lathe:
> 
> ...


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 16, 2013)

I got the DTM BXA QCTP apart, there is 2 screws on the bottom and 2 precision ground keys which I removed.  I turned the handle backwards and the wedges came loose and the top just came out.  There are 2 O-rings in it.  I pulled the O-rings and soaked the parts in the solvent tank.  I cleaned it up and removed the crud with a wire tooth brush and a red scotch brite pad.  I lubed it with some EP2 grease, reassembled and it is butter smooth.  Now I need to make the nut fit my compound slide and get some tool holders.  

I think that a QCTP is one of the best items we can add to our lathe's.  Tim


----------



## itsme_Bernie (Nov 17, 2013)

I absolutely love my DTM.  I have AXA.  Shame they are out of business.  There is a guy from PA on Ebay selling the last of their stock.  I believe yours is the "75" series.  Do a search if you are interested.  

I have a few Aloris, and a few china holders too and they are all fine.

Two of the guys who started DTM started at Aloris.

Bernie


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 17, 2013)

itsme_Bernie said:


> I absolutely love my DTM.  I have AXA.  Shame they are out of business.  There is a guy from PA on Ebay selling the last of their stock.  I believe yours is the "75" series.  Do a search if you are interested.
> 
> I have a few Aloris, and a few china holders too and they are all fine.
> 
> ...



Do you have any vibration issues with the AXA vs a BXA?  Just curious if it is worth the extra size.  Tim


----------



## itsme_Bernie (Nov 17, 2013)

Absolutely NONE.  Solid as a rock.  I have a SB 10L, and perform pretty heavy cuts for it's size, cut-off, you name it.  SOLID.


Bernie


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 17, 2013)

The phase II AXA at work on the Hardinge has issues of turning when using the parting tool.  I cranked down the nut pretty hard and it still pivoted.  I am hoping the larger holder will prevent this on my lathe.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 18, 2013)

My toolpost is a Royal Products turret-style. Looks like a pretty solid piece. Came on the lathe. From what I have seen listed, they're selling for about a third of what I paid for my whole lathe. It still needs to go into the rust-remover bucket, get polished up a bit, and I need to replace three of the tool holder screws. That will be a good first try at threading for me...or I could just replace all of them with Allen screws.


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 18, 2013)

thenrie said:


> My toolpost is a Royal Products turret-style. Looks like a pretty solid piece. Came on the lathe. From what I have seen listed, they're selling for about a third of what I paid for my whole lathe. It still needs to go into the rust-remover bucket, get polished up a bit, and I need to replace three of the tool holder screws. That will be a good first try at threading for me...or I could just replace all of them with Allen screws.
> 
> View attachment 64652




After using a QCTP and getting away from shimming like royal, you will never look back.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 19, 2013)

I'll get this one cleaned up and work with it a bit, if I find I like a QC better, I'll sell this one and buy the other. Still, being inexperienced, I expect that once I start using this one, I'll likely just stick with it. I won't know what I'm missing. I have been told a BXA doesn't fit the compound without some milling involved. Comparing my Royal to an AXA, it appears this Royal is much more substantial.


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 19, 2013)

The only thing I had to trim was the T nut that slides in the compound rest.  That is common, I had to thin the edges .070 and make it .200 narrower.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 19, 2013)

Found a clutch gear from Dick Triemstra. Ordered it this evening.

Now looking for the gear that drives the carriage by the handwheel. It's the small diameter 13-tooth gear on MCL-137-S. 

Decided not to worry about my lead screw at this point. It looks as good as a couple I've seen offered for sale. Rather than buying a screw that might only be marginally better than the one I have, if better at all, I decided to just wait and see whether I can live with it like it is. It's not nearly as bad as some others I've seen. I expect I'll replace it at some point down the road. 

Hopefully, I'll get started cleaning and inspecting the Quick Change gearbox later this week. Next week I'll start on the headstock.


----------



## thenrie (Nov 21, 2013)

I now have Joe Bergamo at Plaza Machinery looking for the compound gear for the carriage drive. He thinks he has one for me.

I pulled the QCGB this evening and started cleaning. Both tumbler gears could be changed out, teeth are worn to points, but everything else looks good so far. Guess I'll start looking around for a pair of tumblers.




I'll post another pic after I get everything cleaned up and reassembled.

Speaking of cleaned-up, I think, while I have everything apart, I may take all my major castings and run them down to an automotive machine shop and have them steam cleaned. Anybody see a problem with that? When they come back, before I get oil all over them again, I may go ahead and shoot some primer on them and wait for a nice warm day and paint them before I start putting everything back together. It's never going to look brand new, but It would sure keep the rust down, and I'll never have a better opportunity. The paint is not original, at least on some parts, and it is starting to chip off in flakes. Any recommendations for paint? Something durable, easy to apply, and close to original?

Another interesting thing I discovered this evening. Some old DR sales brochures were uploaded today to the Yahoo group files page. It shows that the model number 25-100 was for an 11X25 lathe with a threaded spindle. My lathe is definitely an 11X36 with a L00 spindle, but it has 25-100 stamped right on the plate on the bed. Go figger.  My serial number is 1292146 if anyone knows how to decipher or date it. It's the older model with the handwheel speed control.


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 22, 2013)

Cast iron = hot tank, not steam clean.  You will like it the results much better.  Also, get some good epoxy primer, gray and I would bake it at 140* F.  Look at Dupont variprime, it is a self etching primer that is 2 part and uses an acid etch to adhere.  I would then find a good paint to cover it.  I prefer PPG but Dupont is also a good brand.  If you don't have a paint gun, there is a 4 oz gun that has a .8 mm tip for about $27.00 including shipping.  I used 60 cc syringes to pull just enough paint to mix to spray my parts.  All of the paints I am talking about have polyisocynates, the good ones are always toxic.  1 quart of paint and primer is all you need for the majority of your Lathe.  Expect to pay over a hundred per quart with activator for the primer.  I paid almost $300 for a quart of paint and primer with the original lead pigments.  Old formulas are getting hard to get because of the EPA.  The Aquapon is about 100 per 2 gallon kit, they can tint it to taste.  Tim


http://www.grizzly.com/products/H8224

http://dpcecatalog.dupont.com/dcat/us/en/dr/product/615S.html

http://www.specialtycoatingsinc.com/pdf/aquapon-35-gloss.pdf


----------



## thenrie (Nov 23, 2013)

Had a nice revelation today. Found out my lathe is a later model than expected. Turns out I have a 54 thread Quick-Change Gear Box, rather than the earlier 48 thread. Not that it will make a huge difference to me or anybody, but mo is betta! We were on the Yahoo group comparing notes about the tumbler gears and I noticed I had the tumbler gears for the later box. Checked things out, and sure enough, my box has an extra hole (9) on the right side and an extra column for 6-3/4 thread screws. The left tumbler lever has the number MCL-207 cast into it, but the right lever has no part number on it anywhere.






Not only that, but I've already located the right tumbler gear. Just need to replace the other one now. There is a fellow on the group who is thinking about making a batch. Things are looking up and falling into place.

I have also located a friend with a SB 9A in need of some TLC. It belonged to her late husband. I am going to volunteer to clean and tune it up for her in exchange for the use of it for a few weeks to make a few parts for my DR.)


----------



## thenrie (Nov 25, 2013)

I disassembled my headstock today and started the cleaning process. I'm sure glad I decided to do it. I discovered a broken pawl in the backgear shift mechanism, my brake pad has no pad, and my locking cam is cracked. Not only that, but the clutch that locks the bull gear was just about to come apart. Each side is held in place with four screws, one side on the pulley gear and the other on the bull gear. When the shift mechanism locks the spindle in gear, the two halves of the clutch come together to lock up. The side on the pulley gear had one screw broken off, to more were about 1/3 screwed out and one was badly bent. The screws on the bull gear half were not tight either. The manual shows the screws are supposed to have "shake-proof lock washers" under them, but there were none. I'll have to pick up some replacement allen screws. I think I'll set them with locktite this time.

With the exception of the things listed above, everything looks good. Very little wear. Everything is tight. Gears are all good. I have the casting soaking in mineral spirits tonight.

I'll see if I can get some pics up tomorrow.

I also pulled the motor this evening and started disassembling the Reeves drive for cleaning. The motor is the original DR motor, 1hp, 3ph, 9-wire. I'll keep it set up for 220 3-ph. I'm looking around for a suitable 3-5hp 3-ph motor for a RPC.

I bought the short tumbler gear this evening. It should arrive by Thursday. Looks like I'll have to wait about a month for the other tumbler gear. A fellow on the Yahoo group is going to make a batch. So far I've not had a problem finding parts. The problem is that they are terribly expensive. Seems like everything costs $100, no matter how small or insignificant the part is. So far, the four gears I need are going to cost me $400: Clutch gear $100, compound gear $107.70, tumbler gears, $97.17 and  estimated $75+sh (not sure yet on that one). I still have to replace the half-nuts, the crossfeed screw and nut, and the compound nut. I'll probably take care of those down the road a bit.

So, I'll be over the $2,000 mark here pretty quick, and I haven't yet started collecting tooling.  Still, I don't regret it. Once I get this back together it will be in excellent condition, and I'll know it inside and out. I have always preferred to buy old tools to rebuild, rather than buying new ones. It's never cheaper, but I really enjoy it. Once I get this one up and running, I'll lay out all my costs, so anyone looking to go the buy/rebuild route like I did can see what they are getting into.


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 26, 2013)

Tom, I would use a VFD over a RFC because they are smaller, less heat,  and you can control them to start at 50% HZ and then spool it up to 100% over a few seconds to eliminate the inrush.  Food for thought.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 26, 2013)

I've gone back and forth on this several times and finally decided to just build my own RPC. The only benefit of the VFD, really, is the variable speed control, which I already have in the DR11. On the downside, I'd have to install a tach to determine the correct spindle speeds, and I've read that a VFD is hard on the motor, particularly at rpms lower than that for which the motor was made to run. Generates too much heat that the motor can't dissipate at low rpm, requires an auxiliary fan, etc. 

The RPC has the benefits of being cheaper (building my own), being easier on the original DR motor, the speeds shown on the speed control crank panel will be correct, and I can run other equipment on the rpc as well as the lathe. Over the years I have passed on some incredible deals on heavy woodworking equipment because it was 3-ph. Not so much on metalworking stuff, but with woodworking and welding equipment people nearly give away 3ph stuff. So, in the future I won't pass up those deals when I find them. Besides, I plan on acquiring a mill eventually, and in all likelihood, it will be 3-ph as well. So, the RPC makes sense in my case.

Tony


----------



## thenrie (Nov 28, 2013)

Finished cleaning the headstock parts today. Found another broken part. The half of the spindle engagement clutch that attaches to the pulley gear is broken. One more thing to have to buy. Also found that the bearing surface on the spindle for the pulley gear isn't as smooth as I wish it were. Trying to decide whether to just live with it for the time being or take it to a machine shop to have it cleaned up and polished. It's not "shot" and would be fine for quite a while, but the lathe would probably run quieter if I had it polished and replaced the bushing.

I pressed out all the bushings in the QCGB. I'll order replacements on Friday.

As you can see, I have parts in small containers all over the cabinet. Next up is cleaning the Reeves drive and motor, then the bed and cabinet top. 

I bought primer and paint this week, but realized today that I'm not going to have any more days this year that will be warm enough to paint. My shop is heated only by a wood-burning stove, and I don't want to be painting with enamel in an enclosed shop with a fire going! I guess I'll take the paints back (they were stock items at Tractor Supply) and use the money on parts, like the broken clutch ring. I'll worry about paint after I get moved next year and get set up in my new digs. So, for now, once I finish cleaning and get all the parts I need, I'll start reassembly. Looking forward to it.

I also have three shafts to replace. Like I mentioned before, I found a lathe I can use, a SB 9A, that belonged to the late husband of a friend. However, when I went to look at it, I could see it needs some serious cleaning, maintenance, and tune-up. I offered to buy it for a reasonable price, but she isn't ready to sell. I made her a proposition, that if she would let me take the lathe and tooling to my shop, I would clean it and tune it up for her, which would make the resale value higher for whenever she was ready to sell it (I wouldn't be buying it). The benefit to me would be the use of it for a few weeks to do repair work on my lathe. Not sure she's going to go for it. Sometimes widows are funny about their husband's things. I may just have to re-install the shafts as they are and get my lathe operational, then make the shafts and replace them as I go.

So far, items in need of repair/replacement are:

Clutch gear*
Compound gear*
Half-nuts
Tumbler gear (MCL-404)**
Tumbler gear (MCL-271)*
All bushings in the QCGB*
Handwheel shaft bushings in the apron*
Compound gear shaft
Handwheel shaft
Worm gear bushing*
Tumbler shifter shaft
Cross feed screw and nut
Compound feed nut
spindle clutch ring

Optional things (for now) are:

Cleaning up and polishing the worm gear bearing surface
Cleaning up and polishing the pulley gear bearing surface on the spindle

* indicates located and/or ordered
** indicates located, ordered, and paid for


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 28, 2013)

When you get out here, I know several people that maybe able to help you on getting shafts built, maybe my lathe will be operational by then.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Nov 28, 2013)

I'm hoping to have it running by then, but thanks for the offer. All these parts I'm buying are going to be my Christmas and Birthday.

I ordered replacement bushings and some shaft steel for the replacement shafts. If I can use that SB 9 I mentioned, I should have no problem cutting and machining the shafts. If not, I'll just do them after I get my lathe back together.

Found the parts I need for the headstock. Next week I'll talk to a machine shop here locally and see what it would take to repair and polish that bearing surface on the spindle shaft. If all goes well, I'll have the headstock back together within a week. Shortly thereafter I should have all the parts to put the carriage back together. I'll still be waiting on a tumbler gear for the QCGB, but I'll likely go ahead and reassemble it with what I have and be using the lathe until it comes.

Came across a worrisome thing. The precision spindle bearing in the left side of the headstock has a little catch in it after cleaning. Feels like maybe a tiny piece of swarf got in there somehow. I'm hoping it's just old lubricant that got hard. I'm going to soak it in kerosene and hope that little "catch" goes away. I will then try to blow the kerosene out with air and introduce some modern bearing grease by injecting it into the tiny air holes in the shield. Hope it works. If anybody knows a better way to service this bearing, I'd love to hear it.

Man, I wish I had a mill!


----------



## astjp2 (Nov 28, 2013)

Tony, can you post the part numbers or dimension of the bushing you ordered?  Also is there numbers on the bearings for the headstock?  This way others can order up our before we take our machines apart.  This could be a good reference.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Dec 1, 2013)

Yes, I can do that. I ordered all my bushings from McMaster-Carr and for some of the bushings I just took the closest thing and will have to trim or turn it to fit. One such case is the worm bushing. It needs a 1-1/8 ID by 1-1/4 OD X 1" long bushing, but the closest they had was 1-1/8 ID X 1-3/8 OD, so I'll have to turn it down to fit.  Not a big deal, but another supplier might have had the right one. I just didn't want to have to make a bunch of orders from different suppliers. Some of the other bushings I'll have to face off a bit to get down to the proper length, so as not to interfere with adjacent components.

As for bearings, I wouldn't order until you check yours. I haven't yet found current versions of the old bearings, but when I do, I don't expect them to be cheap.

I'll get my McMaster-Carr order list together and post it and try to indicate where each bushing goes. May take me a few days.


----------



## astjp2 (Dec 2, 2013)

http://www.motionindustries.com/motion3/jsp/mii/taxonomy/browse/en

Tony, call them for a cross reference with your bearing numbers.  You will need to know exact dimensions and seal types also before u call.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Dec 3, 2013)

I found the bearing I need from Alpine Bearing. They are out of Boston, MA. I Gave them the numbers off the bearing and they found one. They said their supplier has 14 available. It cost more than I hoped, but less than it could have been. Mine is on the way.

6209-2RSP53TN ORS    1 each 72.50

Alpine Bearing Company, Inc.
298 Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02134-0003
Phone: 617-254-1420
Fax: 617-783-5263
www.alpinebearing.com
sales@alpinebearing.com

The original bearing numbers are the following:

New Departure
Inner - 3209
Outer - 99509
Sealed 
Special code X3 (indicates precision bearing)

The old bearing has "Sealed" stamped on it, but by modern standards it is a "shielded" bearing, rather than "sealed". It also has "X3" engraved in the outer diameter race, as well as "3" on the inner race. I believe those markings indicate it is a precision bearing, specifying less than -.003 tolerance. Make sure you tell your supplier it is a precision bearing.


----------



## thenrie (Dec 3, 2013)

Had a long talk with my financial manager (wife) yesterday. She gave me the go-ahead to continue with the rebuild of my lathe and allowed me an advance on Christmas, birthday, and my allowance for the next year. That allowed me to go ahead and place a sizable order for parts. I will be replacing the following items:

Complete compound
worm
cross feed screw
half nuts
precision bearing mentioned in previous post
clutch gear
compound gear (for carriage handwheel)
bushings
steel for several shafts
tumbler gears

Most of the items I ordered from Plaza Machinery. After looking around a bit, I discovered that Joe's prices are not as over-priced as some would have us believe. I have done a bit of comparing and shopping and found that if I take my time and shop around a while, I may come across some of the items at a lower price from individuals, but the quality is hit-and-miss. However, I have also found that many of the items listed on his inventory sheet are priced lower than similar items currently being marketed on other sites, including eBay. Once I get the items, if they are in "excellent" condition, as described in his list, I'll be happy with the prices I'm paying for them.

Additionally, I got the go-ahead to purchase the South Bend 9A that I mentioned in a previous post. It was a deal I could not pass up. So now I have a lathe I can use to make the shafting I need to replace, as well as to trim some of the bushings to fit. I am looking at purchasing a Palmgren 250 milling attachment for it, so I can cut the keyways in the shafts myself. Once I'm done with the SB, it will go to my dad's workshop, where it will remain until it eventually comes back to me. Hopefully, that will be a while yet.

Making progress. Having fun.


----------



## thenrie (Dec 5, 2013)

A little more progress today. I would post some pictures, but it really doesn't look like I've got anything done. I'll wait until a few more parts trickle in.

I found a machine shop to re-grind the journal on my headstock spindle for the pulley gear. I had considered buying one that's listed on eBay, but in the end decided to go ahead and have mine repaired. It will be turned down about .010 or so and I will fit new bushings to it. It's going to cost me $100, but I made a friend of the shop owner. He has volunteered to help me with my lathe rebuild during his down time. Even lent me some videos and the South Bend book, "How to Run a Lathe".

I also bought a Palmgren 250 milling attachment, so I can do some limited milling operations, such as keyway cutting. I opted for the Palmgren because I will be able to use it on both the South Bend and the Rockwell. Eventually I hope to get a decent mill and the Palmgren will then go with the South Bend to my dad.

I'm still looking for a cross slide feed screw and feed nut, and I'm waiting for a fellow to make a tumbler gear for me. Other than those, I have bought all my parts and am just waiting for a few of them to arrive. By the end of next week I should be starting to put things back together. 

By the way, Tim, I started that parts list you mentioned. Give me a couple more days and I'll get it up.

It was warm today, so I stripped the old grimy green paint off my taper attachment and tried to apply red primer to the paintable areas. I say "tried" because I decided to see how it went on with a brush. It's a no-go. The primer flashes so quickly that the brush marks will not flow out. I'll have to re-strip the parts and apply the primer with my gun.  Looks like that's probably the only part I'll paint this go-around I doubt I'll have any more warm weather this year.  Although, come to think of it, I didn't smell much in the way of fumes and don't remember seeing any "flammable" warnings on the cans. I'll have to take a look. I may be able to spray in my shop even with the wood stove going! Wouldn't that be great!

Well, with any luck, I'll be putting the lathe back together before Christmas.


----------



## astjp2 (Dec 6, 2013)

I used to spray gallons of solvent based paints with a jet heater running, just had to open a door to push the fumes out and use the jet heater to bring in fresh air.  It was stinky but worked in recovering my airplane.  I have found any paint in a rattle can is not sufficient enough to adequately hold up on a machine, I will probably use a 2 part self etching primer like vari-prime and an epoxy/poly paint.  I am anal that way though.  

Your spindle could have been knurled and the gear pressed on, I am not picturing it, but I think its not a sliding surface right?  Or is there a sliding surface with a bronze bushing in the gear?  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Dec 6, 2013)

I'm painting with the farm implement primer and enamel from Tractor Supply. I bought the reducer and hardener for it as well. I was just testing to see whether the primer would flow out the brush marks if I painted with a brush, but it wouldn't. I'll be spraying the primer and paint through my old paint gun. I just didn't want to blow myself and my workshop to kingdom-come while I was doing it. I was surprised that the paint in the can didn't produce more fumes than it did. I think I'll be ok spraying paint in the workshop with the stove going.

The part that needed to be re-ground on the spindle is the part the pulley gear turns on. Everything else on the spindle is either keyed or runs on a precision bearing. It's the only part on the spindle that runs on a bushing. When the spindle is in "Free" mode, with the motor running, the pulley gear is spinning, but the spindle is not. It is disengaged, so the chuck is not turning.  When you put the shift handle into either direct or back gear, the bull gear locks up with the pulley gear via a clutch, which then drives the spindle (NEVER ATTEMPT TO SHIFT WHILE THE MOTOR IS RUNNING). I got it back from the shop today and it looks like new. It was turned about .0214 under. I bought bushings with an ID of 1.750, so I can bore them out to fit (the stock bushings are 2.00" ID.). I felt like it was the right way to fix things. Now there won't be any question marks about it later.

I also got the new precision ball bearing this morning. Pressed out the old one and in with the new one. Interestingly, both the old one and the new one pressed with not much more than hand pressure, so I set the new one with bearing retainer, just to make sure. 

Hopefully, some pictures tomorrow.


----------



## thenrie (Dec 8, 2013)

Well, I brought the South Bend home yesterday. What a mess! I spent all day getting it cleaned up. I still have the headstock, end gears and QCGB to clean. I expect I'll end up painting this one as well, since the paint is coming off in huge chips. It appears to have been painted at least twice in the past, but little of it remains.

Other than the paint, though, it is in reasonable condition. Wear, but nothing appears to be worn out at this point. The lead screw appears to be in very good condition, as do the gears in the apron and the end gears. In cleaning, I found some surface rust on the ways, but no pitting, and a little on the tailstock ram. The tailstock ways show a little wear, as do the saddle ways. Most of what I thought was rust has turned out to be just gunk and is cleaning up, though.

Several months ago some renters of mine left me a large crock pot for which they had broken the lid. I kept it, thinking some day I'd find a use for it in my shop. I filled it with rust-remover fluid and turned it on low. It enhanced the action of the rust-remover noticeably. Cleaned up a bunch of rusted parts very well.

So, now to finish cleaning it this week and put it to work making parts for the DR! I'll wait until I'm finished reassembling the DR before I take the SB apart for paint and refurb.

When I picked up the SB the owner let me look through her late husband's shop for parts and accessories for the lathe. The shop is a mess and has been stacked with junk by a hired hand on the farm since her husband's passing. I found a small tool box that had all his lathe stuff in it. I found several dead centers and several mics, so now I have a full range of mics, most of which are Mitutoyos, a set of Starrett inside mics, two screw thread gauges, a ton of bits, an a boring tool and post, and a bunch of extra holders. I got 3 and 4-jaw chucks in good shape, a set of Hardinge 3-C collets, a collet closer, and a taper attachment with the lathe. I was happy to find the thread protector and collet insert in the tool box, along with a  set of Rivett collets. I expect I'll be selling some of these parts that are redundant. 

One thing that really fascinates me is the cutest little milling attachment you ever saw. Looks like it attaches to the compound, but lacks a vice. Wonder what he used it for. If anybody knows anything about this thing, I'd appreciate the info. No manufacturer marks on it, but the graduated collar and handle looks like South Bend parts. I'm going to inquire about it on the South Bend forum as well.

In the pics you see the SB next to my DR. Still working on getting the shop cleaned up and organized, but we're progressing.


----------



## richl (Dec 8, 2013)

you guys are really doing some nice work! i have put my lathe on hold till spring or summer next year, i am tapped financially till than. i am working on my south bend knee mill and the chinese lathe i bought.  This thread will be a good resource for the bearings and such i think i will need. I am hoping each of you could please do me a favor and provide as many pics of your compounds as possible, measurements, anything to help me recreate my own, that is part of the reason i am concentrating on my other machines first, I think I will be making my own. I have an old Hardinge cross slide and compound i can use as a model, but i would like to be a little closer to an original design if possible... not 100% but at least sorta )

Keep the pics and info coming guys!

rich


----------



## thenrie (Dec 8, 2013)

There's a fellow on the Yahoo group who has a compound without a handwheel and mic collar, that he sold to me for $25 ($31 with shipping). When I got it I found it was in too poor of condition for what I want, so I returned it. A previous owner had used a grinder on it to clearance it for a BXA tool holder and ended up breaking into the screw cavity, and there were some serious chips on the base. It works, but is very ugly. Would work well as a pattern. I'm sure he's still got it. I can put you in touch with him if you want. Other another note, I'll be selling my compound once I get the one I just ordered from Plaza Machinery. 

If you recall from previous posts it has been broken and repaired. It is functional, and the repair was well done. The screw is in good shape, but the nut is worn. The handwheel is good, but the graduated collar has some rust damage. I'll be using the funds to continue my rebuild, so it will go at market value, probably on eBay, but I'll give you first shot if you are interested.


----------



## richl (Dec 8, 2013)

Thanks tony, I'm looking to make my own because"market value" of Dr parts is just too steep for my poor boy budget. We'll see though, I'm not looking to purchase anything till spring or later.

Thanks
Rich


----------



## astjp2 (Dec 9, 2013)

You are starting to collect projects just like me!  I have one project to be able to work on another!  It gets overwhelming sometimes.  Timanic:


----------



## thenrie (Dec 9, 2013)

One can never have too many tools! I've always wanted a lathe, because with a lathe I can MAKE tools! It's almost like buying the goose that lays golden eggs! 
Now I have TWO lathes!:happyhappy:


----------



## thenrie (Dec 9, 2013)

Finished the cleanup of the SB today. Just sort of gave it a spit-shine. It will have to wait until I get the DR back together for a paint job and full refurb. Luckily, it appears I'm not the first to go through this machine. During the cleanup I have uncovered three coats of paint, but I have yet to come across anything I think needs replacement...unlike my DR. However, I have discovered a couple pretty important parts that are missing: The bed clamp bracket for the taper attachment and the bed clamps for the saddle. I have no doubt they are hidden somewhere in the former home of the lathe, but it's unlikely I'll ever find them.

I am awaiting several deliveries of parts this week. Once my new measuring equipment comes in, I'll be able to get the SB leveled and properly set up to be able to start cutting parts for the DR. I'm just about to the end of my parts acquisition process. 

I have paid for and am awaiting delivery of the following:

For the DR11:

Complete compound in excellent condition
Compound gear for the carriage handwheel
Excellent pair of half-nuts
Excellent worm
Palmgren 250 Milling Attachment
Way and headstock oil
Shars dial indicators and mag base 
Center drill set

Merry Christmas to me!

Still looking for the following parts:

For the DR11:

Tumbler Gear MCL-271 (being made by a Yahoo Group member)
Cross slide feed screw
Cross slide feed nut (found a new one, now looking for a screw)

For the SB9A:

Bed clamp bracket for the taper attachment
Bed clamps for the saddle

If anybody is interested, I'll likely have a set of 3-C collets and a DR11 compound for sale in the near future. PM me.

More pics tomorrow.


----------



## d.brown (Dec 9, 2013)

thenrie said:


> There's a fellow on the Yahoo group who has a compound without a handwheel and mic collar, that he sold to me for $25 ($31 with shipping). When I got it I found it was in too poor of condition for what I want, so I returned it..



Tony I would have expected you to also state that the defect was described to you in detail prior to purchase & I think you'll agree that the compound was priced accordingly. You stated that your nut was damaged & screw was worn. This one would have gotten you by & at the time you were concerned about your budget. I am not in the parts business but do have some Rockwell 11" parts to help people in need. That's what I was trying to do for you. As it turned out, it was hardly a *for profit* venture for me  & has caused me to rethink speaking up the next time someone is looking for a part.

David


----------



## thenrie (Dec 10, 2013)

You are absolutely right, David. You described it to me in detail and the price was right. I tried to do the same for richl. I'm sorry if the post came across as a complaint. It was not. In fact, the screw and nut in it were well worth the purchase price. It just didn't work for what I wanted. It would be fine for what Richl wants, though. I have nothing but praise for you and your dealings with me and would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone. I thought that maybe hooking him up with you would be a favor to you.

I appreciate your help in finding parts I have needed.


----------



## d.brown (Dec 10, 2013)

thenrie said:


> You are absolutely right, David. You described it to me in detail and the price was right. I tried to do the same for richl. I'm sorry if the post came across as a complaint. It was not. In fact, the screw and nut in it were well worth the purchase price. It just didn't work for what I wanted. It would be fine for what Richl wants, though. I have nothing but praise for you and your dealings with me and would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone. I thought that maybe hooking him up with you would be a favor to you.
> 
> I appreciate your help in finding parts I have needed.



No worries Tony, we're good. I'm not actively looking to sell any parts though. If Rich would like to borrow the compound & is willing to pay shipping both ways, I'd have no problem with that. However, the $6 you quoted for shipping was for the dial & scale, the compound would need to go in a medium flat rate box which would be $12.

David


----------



## richl (Dec 10, 2013)

d.brown said:


> No worries Tony, we're good. I'm not actively looking to sell any parts though. If Rich would like to borrow the compound & is willing to pay shipping both ways, I'd have no problem with that. However, the $6 you quoted for shipping was for the dial & scale, the compound would need to go in a medium flat rate box which would be $12.
> 
> David


Hey David
Pm me, I would be I interested in purchasing the compound. I have a hardinge 7"-9" model as well as an enco 13", each is similar to each other with many obvious differences. Having a compound from a Rockwell 11" would help me build something closer to the original. After I am done with it, I could offer to a member of the Rockwell yahoo group or here, helping someone else. Like you guys I am just a  hobbyist having some fun making chips (in my case more rebuilding old machines than making chips right now ;-) I have an enco 13" lathe and a south bend vertical mill to make the necessary parts to complete the Rockwell 11x24 that I have. Other than the compound most of the LA he is there and in good working order (I hope)

Rich


----------



## d.brown (Dec 10, 2013)

richl said:


> Hey David
> Pm me, I would be I interested in purchasing the compound.



Tony took some pics of the compound. Maybe you can pm him & he'll forward them to you. The offer of a loan is genuine & it isn't necessary to buy it unless you really want it. I'm also on the Yahoo group.

David


----------



## thenrie (Dec 10, 2013)

Working again on the SB today. Got it working, though. Made my first test cuts. Since I don't yet have a precision level, I just turned a test piece about 9" long and tweaked until I got it within .0005 on both ends. It will work for now. I hope to be making some shafts and trimming some bushings for the DR by the end of the week.

Received my new Palmgren 250 this evening. I'm pleased with it. I'll be able to use it on both the SB and the DR for cutting keys and limited machining. It will be a nice accessory until I get a mill...eventually.




I started a new workbench on which to mount the Sb. The old wooden bench it's on has got to go. The new one has 2x2x3/16 legs with 1x2x1/8 cross members. It will have drawers, shelves, and a cabinet when it's done, to house all the tooling, and leveling feet. Should add some good weight and stability to the little machine as well.





I hope to be getting back to work on the DR this week. Still waiting for some parts.

TH


----------



## d.brown (Dec 11, 2013)

thenrie said:


> Received my new Palmgren 250 this evening. I'm pleased with it. I'll be able to use it on both the SB and the DR for cutting keys and limited machining. It will be a nice accessory until I get a mill...eventually.



I can't quite see how the Palmgren can be mounted to the Rockwell 11". Is there more to the mount than is shown or will you be making something? To the tip of the handle, the Rockwell is nearly 14" tall. Will yours center on an 11"? BTW, nice clean up job on the SB9.
David


----------



## krazykid (Dec 11, 2013)

Awesome thread and work sofar man!  I found this because I picked up a DR 11" a month back as a first machine myself.   I got crazy lucky on mine, it was a family owned machine shop way back when it was new.  Had very limited use, then sold the biz and it sat in storage for 20+ years.  One nick on the compound and that’s literally all the damage I could find, other then being oiled and put away for 20+ years so its covered in thick nasty crap, but no rust!

the only stuff that came with it that was rusty was the collets, the MT shanks on the pile of drills, and some other msc loose stuff.  What are you using to remove the rust and grime from your rebuild?  I see a crock pot there with a part in it.    I can permanently borrow my wifes if need be.  

Or does anyone have a good recommendation to remove the surface rust from small parts?  



Keep up the good work and I will have to book mark your thread!


----------



## astjp2 (Dec 12, 2013)

My cast parts will be going to the automotive machine shop and be hot tanked.  They look like new when done. Tim


----------



## thenrie (Dec 12, 2013)

Dave,
Some people mount the Palmgren on the compound like a tool post. Not the most solid method, but will work for cutting woodruff keyways. Eventually I will make a base that will mount in place of the compound, like the DR unit does. I might even be able to clamp it to the cross slide using the T-bolts that normally hold the compound in place. I haven't tried it yet. I haven't compared the two, but I believe the DR unit is larger than the Palmgren 250. I paid $200 for the Palmgren. Couldn't afford the DR unit. Once I get a mill, I'll give the Palmgren to my dad for use on the SB.

Just a thought, MLA offers a cross slide casting (A-11) that measures 11-1/2x4x1-1/4". It has T-slots all along the top. Seems like that could be machined to fit in place of the DR cross slide. If a couple T-slots were eliminated, one might even be able to machine it to fit the DR compound on top of it as well. Maybe a bit "over the top", so to speak, but might be a fun project. It would be great for operations like line-boring, or to mount a milling attachment like the Palmgren or a rear tool post.

Krazykid,
The crock pot has rust remover in it. I found warming the solution increases its effectiveness in removing rust. Leaves unhardened steel with a gray coating that resists rust. Leaves hardened steel with a blued finish, almost like a firearm, but not quite as durable. If you don't like the coating, it comes off easily with a wire wheel, steel wool, or scrub pad. If you de-rust using electrolysis, though, you'd better get oil on it as soon as you get it out of the tank, because it will flash rust almost immediately. The rust solution I use is Evap-O-Rust, which is carried by Harbor Freight. It's not cheap at around $22/gal, but it's very effective, especially in the crock pot.

Hot tanking the cast parts is the best way to go, as Tim said, if you intend to paint, however they must be completely disassembled and you can't hot tank small parts (the hot tanks I've seen are like big dishwashers). I cleaned all my parts with Mineral Spirits, until I got tired of the smell. Found kerosene is cheaper and gives off a lot less odor, just as effective. I let heavily gunked parts soak in it overnight, then clean with a stiff brush. After that, I hit things like gears with the wire wheel on a small drill press to get the last of the staining that the old lubricants left and clean out the teeth. You want to be careful with surfaces that are tolerance critical, though, and only use a wire brush on steel parts.

For surfaces that are tolerance critical, such as bed ways, I cleaned with a razor blade glass scraper lubricated with oil or WD-40. You can get those at any box store or hardware. The razor is harder than the bed and will dig in and leave a mark if you are not careful. Buy a full box of blades and change them often. I didn't worry too much about the staining left after the rust was removed, because any use of an abrasive will further erode the bedways, although probably only minimally.

Wish my DR had been in as nice of condition as yours. I already know I'm eventually going to have to learn to scrape, so I can get the saddle and tailstock ways back into shape, but at least the bed appears to be in decent shape. Haven't measured it yet.


----------



## krazykid (Dec 12, 2013)

Great I will have to get a gal of the rust remover.  thanks for the tip.

Speaking of hot tank, you reminded me I have a block i need to get back from the machine shop thats been there for over a month i totally forgot about.


----------



## thenrie (Dec 15, 2013)

Got my parts order from Plaza Machinery. Thanks Joe!

Received a complete compound, a worm, the compound gear for the carriage drive, and a set of half-nuts.

Only waiting on a tumbler gear now.

I have the South Bend 9A operational now, so I can get started making the shafts I need to replace. "To do" list for this week looks like this:

- Finish the new workbench for the South Bend
- Finish cleaning the DR bed and cabinet
- Paint some parts for both the DR and the SB
- Install all the new bushings in the DR QCGB and apron
- Make three new shafts - one for the QCGB and two for the apron

If I can get all that done this week, I'll start reassembly next week.


----------



## thenrie (Dec 18, 2013)

As my first efforts at becoming a hobby machinist, I have made two of the three shafts I need to replace on the DR11. One was just a matter of cutting to length, facing, and chamfering a piece of 1/2" TGP 1045. The other was a little more involved. I had a piece of 3/4" 1045 shafting that I turned down to about 9/16, then domed one end and machined an oil groove and set screw shoulder in it. I still have to drill the oil hole, machine a 1/16 oil groove lengthwise, and install the ball oiler in the end. It's been a fun learning project. I attached a couple pics of the latter shaft. You can see my little bugaboo in the end, where I turned the cross slide handle the wrong way and cut a small groove in the end. It won't show and won't affect performance, so it stays. The compound gear in the apron runs on this shaft to drive the carriage from the handwheel. There is no bushing, since it's a low speed application. Just steel on steel. The compound gear has a little wear and grooving inside (not too bad) and I don't have a reamer, so I left that end of the shaft a couple thou oversized (compared to the original) and I will use valve grinding compound to lap the shaft into the gear. 

Tomorrow I'll finish this shaft up and make the shaft that holds the tumbler gears.

I'm having fun with my little South Bend 9A. Can't wait to be using the DR!


----------



## astjp2 (Dec 19, 2013)

Tony, you might consider using a ball hone instead of lapping compound.  Its a little more money but makes a beautiful fit.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Dec 20, 2013)

Lapping compound did the trick. You just have to watch that you don't get the parts stuck together while doing the lapping. I had the fit just a little too tight for lapping at first and got them stuck. Had to drive the rod out of the gear. Used a different rod to do the lapping until my shaft would fit enough to lap with. Came out beautifully, with about a thou or so of clearance for oil. Nice fit, no wiggle, and both the shaft and inside of the gear are smooth now. 

Didn't get much time in the shop yesterday. Got the above done and turned a mandrel for the worm bushing, so I could turn it down to size. I'll finish that up today, I hope, then on to the last shaft and the last two bushings. Pics later.


----------



## thenrie (Dec 21, 2013)

Well, I have made all the shafts I will replace. I still need to cut keyways in two of them and an oil groove in another. I went ahead and replaced the shaft that holds the clutch gear. That gave me my first experience of threading. It has a 3/8X24 threaded end that threads into the handle that engages the clutch. Turned out well. Forgot to get a picture of it.






So far, in doing this lathe rebuild, I have had to do the following tasks on the South Bend lathe:

- Turning outside diameter
- Parting-off
- Chamfering
- Mandrel making and use
- screw threading
- Making bushings
- tool bit grinding
- Use of Palmgren milling attachment for drilling an angled oil hole in a shaft

On Monday I'll learn how to use a boring bar to turn down the inside diameter of the pulley gear bushings that go on the spindle. CouldnT find the right size bushings, so I ordered bushings with the right outside diameter and extra meat on the inside, so I can turn it down to fit the newly ground journal on the spindle. Turned out the bushings were about .007 too large on the outside diameter, so I had to turn a mandrel out of a piece of scrap aluminum I had (the only thing I had that was a large enough diameter). I slipped the bushings onto the mandrel and fixed them there with red loctite, then turned the outside diameter down .005, to make a press fit into the pulley gear. Learned a little idiosyncrasy of my South Bend lathe. The cross slide nut has enough wear that it is somewhat inconsistent in movement, and I can't rely on the mic collar for increments. One bushing came out to be a tight slip fit, instead of a press fit, so I'll have to set that one with bearing set. Here you see me turning off the last .002 off the outside diameter of one of the bushings.




Now, I have a question. 

After fitting and installing the bushing for the worm, I cannot figure how this bushing get lubricated. There is no oil hole and nothing to drip oil onto it. I am considering drilling an oil hole where I can at least oil it manually occasionally. If any of you happen to have your apron off, would you please take a look at the worm and tell me how its bushing gets lubricated? It's possible there is supposed to be an oil hole or something that never got drilled at the factory. 









I still need to by a small burr for my Dremel, so I can make oiling grooves in some of the longer bushings and also inside the apron compound gear.

Just waiting for one MCL-271 tumbler gear to be able to get things back together. I'm also watching for a cross slide screw in either NOS or excellent condition. I've already located a good nut.

Had a nice warm couple days, in which I was hoping to be able to paint some parts. Just ran out of day and energy.

It's all coming along, slowly, but surely. I'm sure enjoying it.


----------



## thenrie (Dec 23, 2013)

Well, here's me trying my hand at using a boring bar to turn down the inside diameter of a pulley gear bushing for my DR11. I chucked the pulley gear in the 4-jaw and dialed it down to under .0005 runout on both the large end (pulley side) and inside the gear end. I pressed in the bushings and cut them installed, because it seemed to me the best way to hold them for turning. I was actually able to freeze the bushing and it became a tight slip fit, so I slipped it in place for turning. I'm turning them down to about .015 under-sized, then I'll take them to a local machine shop (the one that turned the spindle journal) to have them hone the bushings to fit the spindle. That should make sure everything is concentric and smooth. So far, so good.




Just heard from the guy who is making the tumbler gears. I should be getting one within a couple weeks. Still shopping for a cross slide screw and nut.


----------



## mattthemuppet2 (Dec 24, 2013)

looks like you're making great progress and learning a lot in the process! Best way to do it IMO. Have a great Christmas!


----------



## thenrie (Dec 27, 2013)

The spindle and pulley gear are at the machine shop for final fitting and my tumbler gear is on the way. I got the headstock casting sanded and just about ready for a fresh coat of paint.

I won't get much done this week, because I have family visiting for the holidays. Family time takes precedence.)


----------



## astjp2 (Dec 29, 2013)

Tony, did you ever get that list you ordered from McMaster Carr?  I tore into my apron and am finding that every bushing needs replaced, I am assuming that the QCGB will require the same.  I talked with Dick Triemstra today, we were talking about the wear my machine has, it sounds like mine did a lot of rough or heavy turning during its life.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Dec 30, 2013)

I've been a little disconnected this week and last, because I have family visiting. I'll see if I can post a list here in the next day or two.

It seems like I ended up replacing 17 bushings, most of which came from the gear box. I have them all ready, but haven't installed them yet.


----------



## thenrie (Dec 31, 2013)

Received my MCL-271 tumbler gear from a member of the Yahoo group yesterday. It is very nice. All critical dimensions are exact to the .001 in comparison to my original. Fit and finish is excellent. Worth the $80 (inc shipping) I paid for it. In the third pic you see the tumbler levers assembled with the new MCL-271 and MCL-404 tumbler gears. That was the last of the replacement parts I was waiting for in the apron, headstock, and QCGB. I am still planning on replacing the cross feed screw and nut, but I can wait on that a while. Still looking for NOS or almost new condition.

I should be able to start reassembly next week. Looking forward to it.


----------



## thenrie (Dec 31, 2013)

Tim,

These are the part numbers and descriptions of the bushings I bought for the headstock, QCGB, and apron. They were ordered from McMaster-Carr. Several of them had to be trimmed shorter, a couple were cut to make two bushings from one part, and some had to be turned to size. I will indicate details on the list.

2 - 6381k452  3/8" shaft diameter, 1/2" OD, 5/8" length
1 - 6381K528 9/16'' shaft diameter, 3/4 OD, 1" length
3 - 6381K467 1/2" shaft diameter, 5/8" OD, 1/2" length
7 - 6381K468     "                           "     , 5/8" length
3 - 6381K182 3/4" shaft diameter, 15/16" OD, 2" length (cut into 4 bushings 3/4" in length and one 1")
1 - 6381K171 3/4" shaft diameter, 7/8" OD, 1" length
1 - 6381K567 1-1/8" shaft diameter, 1-3/8" OD, 1" length (for worm, OD must be turned down to about 1-1/4")
1 - 6381K47   1/2" shaft diameter, 5/8" OD, 3/4" length
1 - 6381K111  1/2" shaft diameter, 5/8" OD, 1" length
2 - 6381K341 1-3/4 shaft diameter, 2-1/4" OD, 1-3/4" length (for pulley gear on the spindle, OD cut for press fit, ID cut to fit journal on spindle - about 2", trimmed to about 1-1/2" length)

These do not include bushings for the end gears and one more gear in the apron, which I still need to order. As I recall I will still need four more of 6381K468 1/2" ID X 5/8" OD X 5/8" L, for the end gears and one more gear in the apron. Theses will need to be faced to the width of the gear they will be pressed into.

These bushings are pre-sized for the indicated shaft sizes, so they don't need to be reamed. Most leave about .002 clearance for a slip fit. I replaced any shaft that showed any appreciable wear. You may wish to use bushings to be reamed to fit your shafts, but I didn't worry about it, since they are mostly for low-speed application in areas that do not require ultra-accurate clearances. The exceptions were the large bushings for the spindle, for which I had the spindle journal reground and the bushings finished to size by the machine shop. All listed bushings are 932 Bronze.

Hope that helps.


----------



## astjp2 (Jan 1, 2014)

Tony, this is what I am thinking of making the pins and shafts from.  What do you think?

http://www.speedymetals.com/pc-1555...quivalent-turned-ground-polished-000-001.aspx


----------



## thenrie (Jan 2, 2014)

The TGP (turned, ground, polished) 1045 was recommended to me, so that's what I used. I don't yet know enough about metals to make a recommendation. The 1045 machined well for me and gave me very nicely finished surfaces on those parts I had to turn down. 

I still need to cut the keyways in my shafts. I'll likely get to that next week.


----------



## thenrie (Jan 3, 2014)

Picked up my spindle and pulley gear from the machine shop today. The pulley gear now runs smooth as glass on the spindle. The total to have the journal reground on the spindle and have the bushings reamed to fit was $220. I feel like it was worth it to have the spindle back to nearly "like-new" condition.

Now, once I get a chance to get some paint on the headstock casting, I can start reassembling things.


----------



## astjp2 (Jan 3, 2014)

Tony, did you find a worm gear?  I have called around but no luck yet....:thinking:


----------



## thenrie (Jan 4, 2014)

Yep. I got mine from Dick Triemstra. He had made some a while back and had one left. Scott Powell, from the Yahoo Group is making a batch, I believe. You might check with him. I was very pleased with the MCL-271 tumbler gear he made. 

To make sure, you are talking about the MCL-166 worm gear, also called the clutch gear, which is bronze, yes? I also replaced the worm, which is the steel longitudinal gear the feed screw runs through. I got an excellent used one from Joe at Plaza Machinery.


----------



## astjp2 (Jan 5, 2014)

I need the worm, I have a great clutch (worm) gear.  I also need a compound gear, mine has razor sharp teeth now.  I will contact Joe when I get a chance.  Thanks.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Jan 18, 2014)

Well, this week I had to repair two vehicles and a washing machine, but I finally got back to working on the lathe today.

I finished the shafts I built to replace worn shafts in the apron and gear box. I got some use out of the Palmgren milling attachment I bought for cutting the keyways on the South Bend 9A. I am pleased with the way they came out. So pleased, in fact, that I have decided to replace three more shafts from the gear box, that I originally decided to leave alone. Might as well keep going while I'm at it, and not leave it half-done.

So, I have replaced the three worn shafts, the worm, the worm gear (clutch gear), the compound gear, and all the bushings in the apron, and when I get finished with the other shafts I intend to make, I'll have replaced all the shafts in the gear box, both tumbler gears, and all the bushings. I have also replaced the entire compound. Mine needed some parts and the T-slot had been broken and repaired, so I just bought a whole other compound that is in better condition all the way around, although I must say the old compound screw appears almost new.

Making headway, little by little.










When I cut the keyway on the tumbler gear shaft, I had to do it in two operations. I cut the keyway from each end, meeting in the middle where the ring clip groove is. It had to be just perfect, though, because the right side tumbler has to mount from the left and slide past where they meet in the middle. Turned out perfect. I used a 3/16" carbide end mill to cut the slot. The slot has to be cut just a hair over 3/16" wide, to allow the key to slide easily, so it took several passes to get the depth, then another pass to take off another couple thou to widen the slot.

In the shot with all the shafts, the original are on the right and the new shafts on the left. 

Also, you see a couple shots of the shaft that holds the apron compound gear. It has a ball oiler in the end. This was tricky to set up, as I mentioned in a previous post. I set it up in the milling attachment by chucking the drill bit in the headstock and using the old shaft to get the milling attachment set up at the proper height and angle. I ground a small flat on the domed end of the shaft at the proper angle for the drill, then fixed the shaft in the milling attachment, using a straightedge to get it set at the proper angle (the oiling hole penetrates the shaft at an angle, coming out on the opposite side of the shaft in the groove you see where my ring finger is). I got lucky and the 1/8" drill exited exactly where I wanted it to. Then I used a 1/4" brad-point drill bit to countersink the hole, using the 1/8" hole (I think it was 1/8", but might have been 3/32". I just used whatever fit in the hole in the old shaft) as a center, having left the shaft fixed in the milling attachment. After that, I used a 3/16" brad-point bit to drill the oil reservoir.  I used a small punch to tap the original brass oiler out of the old shaft and pressed it into the new one for that original look. I had bought a replacement zinc-plated oiler from McMaster-Carr, but decided to try to re-use the original. Glad it worked. I like the look of the brass oiler better.

So, that's my fun for the day.

One of the shafts I'll be making next week has three diameters in the middle and different size threads on each end. Should be a fun and interesting challenge for me.


----------



## thenrie (Jan 23, 2014)

Worked on degreasing the bed and chip pan of the DR yesterday. I further disassembled the vari-drive assembly and found I need to replace another shaft and appertaining bushings. Ordered the materials today. Also received the steel for the other three shafts I mentioned for the gear box. maybe I can get those done before the end of the week. Also found the aluminum sheaves for the large belts have some corrosion on them. I'll need to see if I can get that mitigated.

It's been so cold this week that I haven't even been able to get the workshop warm with the wood stove, so I haven't gotten a lot done this week.


----------



## thenrie (Jan 27, 2014)

Finished cutting the three shafts from the last picture above. I had to re-make one shaft, because I messed up the threaded end. My SB9A has a shop-built threading dial with no marks on it, and I keep bumping it and it disengages, so I lose track of where to engage the half-nuts. Tomorrow I'll try to cut the threads on the three threaded ends, as well as the keyways and oil grooves on all three. Two ends are threaded 5/16-18 and one is 1/2-13. I scribed a line on the top of the threading dial in place of number marks 1 and 3, so if I can keep it engaged I'll be able to cut those threads. If it keeps disengaging on me, I'll see if I can cut the threads by reversing the motor. I guess I'll eventually have to break down and buy a real SB threading dial.

Pics tomorrow.


----------



## astjp2 (Jan 28, 2014)

Without pics, it didnt happen!  :roflmao:


----------



## thenrie (Jan 29, 2014)

I can guarantee it happened. Just haven't gotten around to the pictures yet. Maybe tomorrow.

I got the threaded ends of the two shafts cut today. Came out ok, thankfully. I still need to cut the keyways and I'll be done with the shafts and will then turn my attention to installing the bushings. Some of them are going to have to be turned down on the OD just a hair.


----------



## astjp2 (Feb 10, 2014)

Hey Tony, we are still waiting on pics of your progress!  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Feb 10, 2014)

Coming dear.

Here you go.

I have finished the shafts. As I said before, I have replaced all the shafts in the gear box. Take a look at the bushings I replaced. Can you see anything amiss?




Yep. You are correct. Not one single oil hole in any of them.

So now we know why I had to replace ALL the shafts in my gear box, as well as all the bushings. At some point, some enterprising person rebushed the gearbox, but failed to drill any oil holes in the bushings. So, now the gearbox has all new shafts and bushings WITH oil holes. Things should run much smoother now.

I found I had to turn down the outer diameter of all the bushings to get the proper intereference fit. Most were in the area of .007-.010 over the diameter of the housing hole. While the bushings fit the shafts before installation, they all required reaming after installation. I bought a cheap set of adjustable reamers from Harbor Freight to do the job. If you have another option, don't do that. They are of unbelievably poor quality and did a rough job of reaming most of the bushings. I expect that at some point in the next several years, after I have acquired proper reamers, I'll do the job again.

I also found that two of my shafts turned out just a hair out of concentricity on the bearing surfaces. I was unable to turn those two shafts between centers, as I should have. I dialed one end in on the 4-jaw and had the other on a pretty worn dead center. The two shafts turn with little resistance and will do for now, but I will replace those two shafts in the future as well. Learning as I go.

Here you can see the new shafts with the keys and gears temporarily installed.




I will probably be reassembling the gearbox this week, unless I get a couple warm days, in which case I'll try to get a fresh coat of paint on it first.


----------



## thenrie (Feb 11, 2014)

Well, OK!

The quick-change gearbox is back together and looking good. I'm still sanding and prepping the rest of the castings, in hopes that a few warm days will come along in the next week or so. Doesn't look hopeful, though.







Before and after shots. Looks better after, even without paint!


----------



## astjp2 (Feb 11, 2014)

Tony, it looks good.  now lets hope it does not make any gear noise when running.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Feb 13, 2014)

Yep. Looking forward to getting it going. Right after I finished threading end of the last shaft, the gearbox on my SB9A locked up. Don't know what happened and I haven't had time to take it apart to see. Luckily, I was able to disengage the tumblers and finish the remainder of the work on the shafts (keyway cutting) and resizing the bushings without a power feed. Once I get the DR back together it will be the South Bend's turn for overhaul.

Talked my wife into letting me do some painting in the basement. Fumes don't seem to bad with this paint. So, next week I'll bring some of the main castings up to the house for a fresh coat of paint. I'll probably just paint the headstock castings and the carriage, and maybe the taper attachment for now. The rest I can paint later, after I get the lathe back together and  after the weather warms up I'm not going to paint the bed or cabinet yet. Those will come later.


----------



## thenrie (Feb 20, 2014)

Spent several hours last week prepping all the castings and other parts for paint. Got them all hauled up to the house and set up on a temporary table in the basement.




I mixed a pint of paint (Majic Tractor, Truck, and Implement enamel, from Tractor Supply, in Light Ford Gray) with reducer and catalyst yesterday morning and started painting. I read all the instructions on all the cans before mixing, but somehow missed where it says on the paint can to reduce for spray application. The instructions on the reducer simply said to add to the paint to help it flow and improve finish. Anyway, it went on pretty thin with the brush, but flowed to level pretty nicely. Paint instructions also indicate 24 hours between coats. I waited the 24 hours, gave everything a rub-down with 00 steel wool, then started to apply the second coat. I started with a couple small parts for test pieces and it seemed everything was fine, but then I started seeing problems after painting the apron again. I found that on some parts the second coat was causing the first coat to soften and wrinkle. Guess it needs more than 24 hours at 70 degrees. I stopped painting and decided to let everything sit another day. I may end up having to strip and repaint a couple parts, like the apron.

The instructions also indicate that once the hardener is mixed in, the paint's pot life is about 8 hours. I had to quit painting before I finished yesterday, so I cleaned the brushes and sealed the remainder of the paint in a plastic peanut butter jar. Even with the hardener mixed in, it was still usable today, 24 hours later, to finish most of what I didn't get to yesterday, as well as for a second coat on several parts. I must not have mixed enough hardener in, although I calculated it all and measured it accordingly with a syringe. Today I learned that once the paint starts "kicking", from the hardener, you might as well call it a day. It just starts going on so sticky you can't even go back over a single brush stroke, even though the paint in the can appears fine. I wasted most of the pint I mixed. Could have done it all, two coats, with about 1/2 a pint. Still, I have another pint left (bought a quart can), so I'm fine.

When I bought the paint, I actually wanted the Massey Ferguson gray, which is much darker, and a much closer match to the original DR colors, but they were out of it, so I went with the Light Ford Gray, which is very close to the lighter color of some of the later DR lathes. It looks nice. I think it will be fine. I've certainly seen colors I like a lot less (to say it nicely) on lathes and other machinery.

A couple other things I learned. I bought three brushes: 1", 1/2", and a 1/8" fine point detail brush. Figured I'd cover big areas with the larger brush and do details with the fine brush. Turned out that the wide brush left brush strokes that would not flow out. Also, I found that painting around the borders of all the machined areas with the detail brush simply took too much time. I was afraid the paint would start kicking before I got all the parts covered (ended up not being the case, though). I ended up using the 1/2" brush for everything. Got some paint on the machined areas, some of which I wiped away with a lint-free rag with a bit of Mineral Spirits on it, but in other places I didn't want to risk getting the rag into the finish, so I'll clean up those places with a razor blade and files, once everything is cured and hard.

Like I said, I may end up stripping a couple parts and repainting them. Luckily, I noticed the problem before I started on the gearbox and the headstock casting. I still haven't painted the end gear cover or the headstock cover. I'll get those tomorrow when I mix a new batch of paint for the second coat on the other parts.

I have to keep reminding myself, "It's not a show car!" Even with the problems I would rate my paint job a "10" (from 10 feet away it looks pretty good).







I also made a derustification box for my lathe bed. I screwed together some scrap lumber I had in the shop and made a wooden box-pan. I then split a heavy-duty (4-mil) garbage sack and lined the box. I laid a couple pieces of 1/4" wood in the bottom to keep the ways off the bottom, so the "Evaporust" will circulate all around the bedways. This evening my son helped me lay the bed upside down in the box. Now I need to wait for another warm day, so the stuff will work. I bought 3 gallons of Evaporust, at $22 per gallon, for the job. Good thing that stuff is re-usable.





The bedways on my lathe aren't pitted with rust, but they are rust-stained. I figured that since I have it all apart, and am painting the castings, I might as well try to remove the rust stains from the bedways. We'll see how it goes.

Sorry about the fuzzy pictures. I'm using my phone camera and it seems to be having problems.


----------



## thenrie (Feb 20, 2014)

You'll notice from the pictures that I removed all the label plates before cleaning and painting. Some of the drive screws I was able to remove by prying them up with a sharp chisel. Others I slotted the head with my dremel and a cutoff blade and simply screwed them out.  On the screw threading plate on the gearbox, I broke off two of the drive screw heads. I tried drilling them out, but they just won't drill. Not sure what to try next. They are the lower left and upper right drive screws, so even if I don't get them out, the plate will stay in place with the other two, but I sure would love to get them out and make things right. Any ideas would be appreciated.

The only thing I can think of to do is to drill them out with a small hole saw I have, which is for drilling broken screws out of wood, then epoxy a plug in the hole and drill that for the drive screw.

Help please!


----------



## drs23 (Feb 20, 2014)

The pictures are fine and I like the Ford paint. You'll be very pleased when you're finished, I'm sure.

Great job! 

Thanks for keeping us updated.


----------



## hvontres (Feb 20, 2014)

thenrie said:


> You'll notice from the pictures that I removed all the label plates before cleaning and painting. Some of the drive screws I was able to remove by prying them up with a sharp chisel. Others I slotted the head with my dremel and a cutoff blade and simply screwed them out.  On the screw threading plate on the gearbox, I broke off two of the drive screw heads. I tried drilling them out, but they just won't drill. Not sure what to try next. They are the lower left and upper right drive screws, so even if I don't get them out, the plate will stay in place with the other two, but I sure would love to get them out and make things right. Any ideas would be appreciated.
> 
> The only thing I can think of to do is to drill them out with a small hole saw I have, which is for drilling broken screws out of wood, then epoxy a plug in the hole and drill that for the drive screw.
> 
> Help please!



My buddy mjhenks ground off the heads on his logan and had to use some carbide drills to get them out.


----------



## TomKro (Feb 21, 2014)

If you check with local machine shops, they may be able to refer you to someone who can burn them out with an EDM.


----------



## thenrie (Feb 21, 2014)

Thanks for the ideas. I think I'll try the carbide drill bit first.

Temps warmed to 70 degrees today, so I went ahead and poured the Evaporust into the derustificator. It took about 3-1/2 gallons to fill it above the machined undersides of the ways. I'll leave it overnight and we'll see how it turns out tomorrow.


----------



## TomKro (Feb 21, 2014)

Nice "derustificator". 

Very curious if the solution is aggressive enough to leave some sort of rust line at the liquid line?  When using Pine-Sol, I found the item had to be completely submerged, or it left a nasty ring.  Please take another picture when you decide to flip that bed over.  

Coming along very nicely.


----------



## AR1911 (Feb 21, 2014)

TomKro - you used PineSol to derust?  It etches metal?   More info please!

I just did two lathe beds with Evaporust. One I was able to completely submerge, the other had feet cast into the bed, which stuck up out of the solution. Since it was rough cast and mostly painted, I did not worry about etching. But it will certainly etch bare metal.

I think that Ford gray is what I need to paint my Wade, looks pretty close. Thanks for the tip!


----------



## TomKro (Feb 22, 2014)

AR1911: I was using Pine-Sol for bearing cleanup, and just happened to drop a small cast part in the coffee can to take the grease off.  It takes some time (weeks), but it appears to penetrate and loosen the old thick layers of paint, appears to etch off the rust, and doesn't smell as nasty as some of the paint removers.  

  The down side is you have to remember not to leave bare steel parts in it for too long, as you get some sort of soft black film.  Also, iron/steel must be completely submerged, or you get a gunk/rust line where the air hits the part.    

  I have not used Evapo-rust, and it may actually be cheaper (and faster) then Pine-Sol.  I have a large plastic drawer filled with Pin-Sol, and I use the empty Pine-Sol bottles, filled with water, to bring the liquid level up around odd shaped castings.   It is slow, but it works for me.  After I clean up a casting, I coat the casting in light oil and set them inside another large plastic tub with a lid, waiting for decent outdoor weather, so I can prime and paint.  

  I'm curious to see the liquid line on Tony's effort to see if there's a nasty "ring".  If not, Evapo-rust may be the better route.


----------



## AR1911 (Feb 22, 2014)

Interesting.  I'll try some of that for cleaning at least.

The etching is very clear, but it takes a week or more to happen.  I have a set of parallels with a diagonal etched line across them. I'll try to post a photo in a few days.


----------



## John Hasler (Feb 22, 2014)

TomKro said:


> AR1911: I was using Pine-Sol for bearing cleanup, and just happened to drop a small cast part in the coffee can to take the grease off.  It takes some time (weeks), but it appears to penetrate and loosen the old thick layers of paint, appears to etch off the rust, and doesn't smell as nasty as some of the paint removers.
> 
> The down side is you have to remember not to leave bare steel parts in it for too long, as you get some sort of soft black film.  Also, iron/steel must be completely submerged, or you get a gunk/rust line where the air hits the part.
> 
> ...



Pine-Sol has a bit of glycolic acid in it, which is probably what attacks the rust.  IMHO you'd get equal or better results cheaper with phosphoric acid and dish detergent.


----------



## thenrie (Feb 22, 2014)

Evaporust will not actually "etch" metal. It simply removes any rust on the metal, which sometimes leaves the bare metal with a slight etched feel where the rust had eroded the metal. I believe one of the active ingredients must be phosphoric acid, which attacks the rust and leaves a fine black protective surface on the metal. I have found that some hardened steel comes out looking like it has been "blued". The coating is not durable and comes off with a little touch of steel wool, leaving a shiny metal part. 

Etching is where the chemical actually eats metal, leaving a roughened surface. These kinds of products are used for prepping bare, virgin steel for paint. They actually etch the metal like sandblasting will etch glass. Evaporust and similar products do not etch metal. It will, however, soften paint, which is probably why you got the line you were talking about. I had the liquid coming up just barely over the machined surfaces of the bedways, so even if there is a line it will not be noticeable.

The temps were up yesterday, above the recommended 60 degrees minimum for using Evaporust, so I left the lathe bed in the solution for about 6 hours and got my son to help me lift it out. My camera battery was dead, so I don't yet have a photo. I'll try to post one later. It appears to have removed all the rust, but there are still dark stains left by the Evaporust. I hit it with 0000 steel wool a little bit, but it didn't do much good. In the final analysis, I don't think the results were worth the $80+ I spent on the Evaporust. It looks a little better, because the stains are gray/black, rather than rust brown, and I have the satisfaction of knowing there is no more rust, but I certainly could have spent that money in better ways, I think.

Still working on the paint on the castings.


----------



## AR1911 (Feb 22, 2014)

The gray frost is microscopic pitting where the rust used to be. If you know a product that will leave that shiny and smooth, patent it.

also, Evaporust works fine with a layer of ice on top, as I learned last month. It just works more slowly but the results are the same.


----------



## thenrie (Feb 22, 2014)

AR1911 said:


> The gray frost is microscopic pitting where the rust used to be. If you know a product that will leave that shiny and smooth, patent it.
> 
> also, Evaporust works fine with a layer of ice on top, as I learned last month. It just works more slowly but the results are the same.



Most of the parts I have "de-rusted" with Evaporust have come out very shiny and smooth after hitting them with a wire brush or steel wool (depending on the part). Now, I didn't say mirror finish. You are right. Once a part has been rusted, the only way to take it back to its original finish is to remove the surface down past the rust pitting. That's where I am with the lathe bed. Can't take it down past the pitting without ruining the bed. So I'll live with the little bit of pitting that is left after removing the rust.  

As for temperatures, I have found that the effectiveness of Evaporust is greatly enhanced by warming it. I have a large crock pot that will hold a gallon. I set it on warm and leave parts in it overnight. Works wonderfully.

Here are some pics of the bed, before and after. You be the judge (remember, the flash enhances colors and makes things look worse than they are in reality).

Before:








This picture was after cleaning with a razor blade and WD-40:




After tanking in Evaporust:








Looks a lot better than before, now that I look at the pictures. After I removed the carriage and tailstock, I scraped the ways with a razor blade and WD-40. That took the rust down to flush and smooth with the good steel. The Evaporust removed the remainder. After the evaporust, I went over the ways a few swipes with 0000 steel wool to remove the Evaporust "frost" (I hadn't thought of that word, but it is a good one to describe it).

Hopefully, I'll be putting things back together over the next two weeks. All the necessary parts have been purchased or made. All the castings are in the process of being painted, except the bed and cabinet, which I will leave for some other time. Both are getting a very thorough cleaning.

Still looking for a new cross feed screw and nut.

- - - Updated - - -

A couple of those pics came out really bad. Don't know why. I'll try to get better ones on Monday.

- - - Updated - - -

By the way, I finished the workbench for the South Bend lathe. I'm going to try to get it installed on the workbench next week. Once I finish the DR it will be the SB's turn.


----------



## TomKro (Feb 22, 2014)

Tony:

That bed is coming right along.  Looks solid.  Thanks for the pics.  

Also, very nice workbench.  Looks good enough to use it for a kitchen table.  

I guess you needed a lot of Evapo-rust to cover those ways, but the Pine-Sol wasn't so cheap either.   I like John Hasler's idea, but I'm in need of a chemistry review in order to get a formula for the proper mix.  I'd hate to go too strong and start chewing things up.


----------



## astjp2 (Feb 23, 2014)

Tony,  Dick has new crossfeed nuts for a good price.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Feb 23, 2014)

I know he has, but my cross feed screw is so worn that it wouldn't do me much good to replace just the nut. I think I'll stick with what I have until I can find both. They're not difficult to change out.


----------



## astjp2 (Feb 23, 2014)

Do you have a taper attachment?  If not, just order a nook screw and make a new one.  The  telescoping screw is only needed for the taper.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Feb 26, 2014)

Yes, I have a taper attachment. That's why I'm still looking.


----------



## astjp2 (Mar 10, 2014)

Tony, do you have any pics of the cross slide screw?  I may have found someone to make it.  I am thinking that I may have one that is not telescoping to get my machine working, if not I am still looking because the screw I have is not an original size. Tim


----------



## thenrie (Mar 11, 2014)

I'll try to get a couple pics tomorrow. The difficult part is that the screw for the taper attachment has a keyed hole about four inches long in one end. The keys would have to be swaged and I expect it would have to be a custom made swage, unless someone could come up with an original from Delta Rockwell. You'll see what I'm talking about when I send the pics.


----------



## astjp2 (Mar 12, 2014)

They were actuall broached, it was made as 2 pieced, once broached, it was silver brazed together with the other half of that part of the screw then the acme theread were cut.  I found mine and will take a few pics of it tonight, so dont worry about it.  I think that there is a better way to make it, its just finding someone to do it.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Mar 14, 2014)

Finally got the headstock back together. Took me a full two days. I have had a heck of a time getting the shifter aligned and the safety mechanism adjusted. Still not exactly right, but it will wait for another day. Looks pretty good. Forgot to take a shot of it upright, but I'll post one next week.  Looking at the pics, I just realized I haven't yet cleaned the excess paint off the bottom of the headstock. I'll get that tomorrow.





I also got the last coat of paint on all the castings. Not perfect, but looks ok. Wish I had time and some help, so I could get the bed painted as well, but that's going to have to wait until next time I get the itch. Still cleaning and working on getting the cabinet painted. I plan to paint the chip pan before I put the lathe back on it, but I'll probably wait on the cabinet.

I have decided the "Light Ford Gray" paint is a little too close to white for my taste, but what's done is done. I could have darkened the paint in the can, but I ended up spraying the last two coats from a rattle can. Painting with a brush just wasn't working well with this paint. The spray coats look much better.

Tim, I know you already pulled your cross feed screw, but here are a few pics of mine.


----------



## thenrie (Mar 16, 2014)

Headstock complete! I'll reassemble the apron, carriage, and tailstock tomorrow.


----------



## astjp2 (Mar 16, 2014)

thenrie said:


> Headstock complete! I'll reassemble the apron, carriage, and tailstock tomorrow.
> 
> View attachment 72597



Tony, I like that color, maybe a touch of green added but it looks appropriate for that era of machine.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Mar 19, 2014)

I have seen a color very close to what I used on the later model 11s, which is why I went ahead with it. Now that it's done, though, I would have preferred a little more gray to it. One thing is sure, you can easily tell when the lathe needs to be cleaned...or at least wiped off!

I have finished the tailstock and apron. The saddle needs a little more work. I've been doing a little polishing - nasty, dirty work. I'll be working on getting the chip pan ready for paint today and maybe finish up some polish work.

More pics maybe today. My phone battery is shot and I only get about one or two pics or calls before it's done. Just depends on which comes first - the calls or the pics. I should have a new battery by the weekend. 

Still looking for a cross feed screw in NOS or excellent condition, if anybody has a lead on one. Mine is very worn in the middle. Not worth putting it through a new nut at this point. 

I have been reading up on the use of acetal for feed nuts and the thought has been rolling around in my head that I might take my old screw and turn the threads to where they are all even and the same dimension, then make a feed nut out of acetal for it. That wouldn't change the feed rate at all and should take out all backlash. Any reason why that would not work? At the very least, I think it would extend the useful life of the worn-out screw I have.


----------



## thenrie (Mar 19, 2014)

Almost forgot. I need to make a correction to a statement I made in an earlier post.

I said Evaporust will not etch good metal, but only removes rust from rusted metal. I was wrong. 

Evaporust will definitely etch good metal if left for too long in the solution. I found that out when I left the nose of my spindle soaking overnight. Temps were in the high 20s and low 30s in my shop (only a wood stove for heat). Evaporust works best when warm, but works even when cold, just takes longer. I left the spindle soaking overnight. When I pulled it out of the solution it left a dark line where the surface of the solution was. I figured it was just sludge, but when I cleaned it off with 0000 steel wool, I could still feel the line with my fingernail. I few strokes with some fine emery took it off, but it was definitely an etched line. So, just a word of caution.


----------



## thenrie (Mar 24, 2014)

On Friday we had a bit of warm weather. Got up close to 70*. I enlisted the help of my son and placed the lathe bed and cabinet on my flatbed trailer and took them up to the house for cleaning (no water at the shop). I used Purple Power from Autozone. They had a 2-for-one sale on the stuff. It worked like a charm. I sprayed it on, waited a bit, them blasted all the muck off with my power washer. I went over it all a second time with the Purple Power and a green scrubber. She cleaned up pretty well. I dried off the bed ways with paper towels, because it started to flash-rust while I was finishing up cleaning the cabinet. I left them both in the sun to dry afterwards.

That afternoon I went ahead and applied the first coat of paint to the lathe bed. I used the reducer and catalyst and brushed it on. It flowed out very nicely and cured well, despite the cool weather. If I get another day or two of warm weather this week I'll put the finish coat on it.

On Saturday I sanded out the chip pan and applied the first coat of paint. I decided to paint it with the Light Ford Gray, like the lathe. The cabinet will get a darker gray. Again, I used the reducer and catalyst and brushed it on. It turned out well, but the weather cooled off again, so it still hasn't hardened completely. I'll give it a few more days before I try to apply the second and final coat.

Phone is still on the fritz. Hopefully I'll have pics by this weekend.

- - - Updated - - -


Getting exciting, guys! I started putting things back on the lathe bed for trial fits today. It's still sitting on the workshop floor right now, because I'm working on painting the chip pan and cabinet. I'm hoping things warm up enough by Thursday to put a final coat of paint on the bed and chip pan, and maybe get a coat of primer on the cabinet. I need to apply another coat on the gearbox casting as well.

On the gearbox, when I removed the threading guide plaque, I broke off two of the drive screw heads. A standard drill would not bite into them, so I bought a 5/64 carbide bit and tried to drill them out. The bit kept trying to slide off to the side. I broke the tip of the drill bit several times and had to regrind it. Finally, I just moved the plaque up about 3/16", marked the hole locations with a center punch, and drilled four new holes with the carbide bit. I then enlarged the holes to fit the new drive screws by re-drilling the holes with a 3/32 drill. I have filled and sanded the old holes and will apply a couple coats of paint. Shouldn't be able to tell the difference.

If the weather will give me a couple of warm days this week, I should be able to finish the last of my painting and get the lathe completely back together and on the cabinet again.

Next project will be to find a 3hp 3-phase motor to make into a phase converter.

It's all coming together and looking great, if I say so myself. Can't wait to get it running and making chips.

Sorry, no pictures. Phone is still on the fritz. Hopefully I'll be able to post some by this weekend.


----------



## AR1911 (Mar 24, 2014)

Tony, you DO realize you are destined for Hell for power-washing that lathe, right? :jester:


----------



## chips&more (Mar 25, 2014)

thenrie said:


> Almost forgot. I need to make a correction to a statement I made in an earlier post.
> 
> I said Evaporust will not etch good metal, but only removes rust from rusted metal. I was wrong.
> 
> Evaporust will definitely etch good metal if left for too long in the solution. I found that out when I left the nose of my spindle soaking overnight. Temps were in the high 20s and low 30s in my shop (only a wood stove for heat). Evaporust works best when warm, but works even when cold, just takes longer. I left the spindle soaking overnight. When I pulled it out of the solution it left a dark line where the surface of the solution was. I figured it was just sludge, but when I cleaned it off with 0000 steel wool, I could still feel the line with my fingernail. I few strokes with some fine emery took it off, but it was definitely an etched line. So, just a word of caution.




Nice job on your restoration! Evapo-Rust… I love the stuff! I did not know it could etch steel? Thanks for the insight. I do know it removes gun metal blue and black oxide finish, so be careful.  And for a note, if I have a part to big for whatever reason, I just throw a rag soaked in the stuff onto the rusted area. Works just as good and saves on the amount of Evapo-Rust you use…Good Luck.


----------



## thenrie (Mar 25, 2014)

AR1911 said:


> Tony, you DO realize you are destined for Hell for power-washing that lathe, right? :jester:



Well, now wait a minute! All I power washed was the bed! Just the bed!anic:

Anyway, here she is in all her glory...on the floor of my shop. She'll look a little more glorious when I finish painting the cabinet and get her back on the top of it.











I still haven't finished with the gearbox, so it and the lead screw are missing in the photos. Maybe next week I'll have it all back together and on the cabinet.

Here's a couple shots of the befores:









Nice improvement, if I say so myself. I'm pleased with the way it is turning out. Now if I can just collect some more tooling without breaking the bank!

After I get it all finished and working, I'll post a complete list of what I have spent on the rebuild, so that others might be able to judge just how far they want to go and how much they may end up sinking into a "great deal on eBay", the way I did. No regrets, though, except that I wish my lathe had come with more tooling, like Tim's did :greenwithenvy:. Still, I feel pretty lucky to have come up with a taper attachment at a very affordable price. I'll eventually acquire or build a steady and a follow rest and a collet chuck, and little by little I'll collect the other stuff.


----------



## GarageGuy (Mar 26, 2014)

That's an amazing transformation!  Beautiful work!  Hopefully now it will give you a lifetime of metal chips in return for your time and dedication.  Tooling will come along.  I find bits and pieces on Craigslist, and sometimes even score big.  Be patient and check regularly, and you'll fill in much of what you need.  Enjoy, you've earned it!

GG


----------



## astjp2 (Mar 26, 2014)

Well Tony, if you are still coming out to Utah, you can tear it back down and start scraping all of the ways that need it.  I have the abilities to do it now.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Mar 26, 2014)

It is looking pretty certain that we'll be heading to the Payson, Ut area. We're planning on putting the house up for sale in May. I'm going to be hauling all my tools out to my dad's place in Arizona and put them in storage until we find a place and get settled. Once I get a workshop in shape I'll haul everything up to Utah and get set up. Who knows how long that will all take, but once it's done, I'll sure be coming to see you, Tim. I think my bed is ok, but the ways on the saddle and tailstock could use some work. I'd like to learn how to scrape and do it well.

Back to the lathe. I have a question. The wipers on the saddle of my lathe were made of rubber. Before I noticed that, I bought some felt to make the wipers out of. What material are they supposed to be?


----------



## astjp2 (Mar 27, 2014)

Mine are felt and the 10" was felt also.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Mar 28, 2014)

Just won an ebay auction for an 11" faceplate for my lathe. The owner had it listed as an L-1 mount, but looking at the photos with his tape measure, it is definitely a L-00 mount. I have bid on and watched a couple others that ended up selling for well in excess of $150. I picked this one up for $72 including shipping. I was the only bidder, I guess because of the mislabeled mount. It's not a genuine Rockwell faceplate, but who cares. I'm happy.)


----------



## toag (Mar 28, 2014)

nice score!

Still looking for a D1-3 and D1-6 faceplates.


----------



## thenrie (Apr 2, 2014)

Another good score for me! I just picked up a genuine Rockwell milling attachment for my 11" off Craigslist for a grand total of $155, including shipping. I'm anxiously waiting to receive the package and take a look. From the pics on the ad, it appears to be in very good condition, except that the vice jaws were made by the current owner. Looks like he did a nice job on them, though. Hopefully, I'll get it by this weekend.

I applied the final coat of paint to the lathe parts and chip pan yesterday. Not sure I'll get to paint the cabinet. I may just rattle-can it to just get a coat on it, then refinish it in the future, after our move back out west. At any rate, I should be able to get the lathe back on the cabinet and fully assembled this weekend. Have to let the paint harden a little. I'm looking forward to getting it back together and finished.

I still need to make a rotary phase converter for it before I can get it making chips. Still looking for a 2-3hp motor in decent shape that isn't priced like it's gold-plated.

Hopefully, I'll be able to post some pics of the finished lathe this weekend.


----------



## thenrie (Apr 5, 2014)

Received the Rockwell Milling Attachment today. It's in good shape. Has a shop-made lower jaw and no upper jaw (apparently the seller forgot to put it in the box). I'm quite pleased with it.

I also finished painting the cabinet for my lathe. I rattle-canned a coat of Rustoleum Red Primer and a coat of Majic Massey Ferguson Gray on it, and it turned out pretty good. I'm pleased with it and it looks much better than it used to. On Monday I'll try to enlist some help putting it back into its place in the shop and putting the lathe bed back on top of it without scratching it up. Then I'll put the lathe together and get some awesome pictures of the finished product....well almost finished. I still need to make a RPC for it and I'd still like to buy a new cross feed screw and nut, but those things will come as I get time/funds. 

Right now I'm just trying to get the lathe all back together, so I can finish cleaning and organizing my workshop. Next month I'm going to load all my large machine, welding, and woodworking tools on a trailer and haul them out to Arizona to put them in storage until I get a new place out west somewhere. I have a ton of junk and unfinished projects I need to finish and get rid of before I put the house up for sale. Wish me luck!


----------



## thenrie (Apr 8, 2014)

Almost there!

I still need to install the lead screw, finish setting up the end gears, and install the gear cover. I need to head to HD to get a few allen bolts to finish assembling things. I still haven't finished re-installing the drive unit and motor either. I'll get it done this week for sure! Later on I plan to finish polishing the handwheels and a few other parts. I'm pleased with the way the cabinet turned out, for a rattle-can job.









Here's a before and after of the backside of the apron. I still haven't figured out how the worm gets lubrication.





Now, I think it looks pretty good. I'm looking forward to getting it running. Still, If I were to do it again, I wouldn't choose "Light Ford Gray". It shows up every tiny little smudge, scratch, and chip like a neon sign. I'm wishing I had gone with the old industrial gray. Oh well. Maybe next time. If nothing else, it will force me to keep the machine clean!)


----------



## thenrie (Apr 9, 2014)

A little more progress. Just have the drive unit to finish installing now.




Now a question for you Delta Rockwell experts. My spindle gear isn't lining up right with the reverse/forward gears. I don't recall whether it was like that before or not. I'm wondering if I did something to move the spindle bearings and change the alignment when I installed the spindle. It did take a little tapping with the mallet to get the spindle back in, just like when it came out. Everything inside the headstock seems to be lining up right. 

The thread protector on the end of the spindle also threads on too far and leaves a couple threads unprotected, which is why you see the bronze spacer in there. I just happened to have a ring left over from the bushings for the pulley gear that fits exactly. I'm thinking about cutting a keyway in it and putting it on the other side of the spindle gear to line things up right. Any opinions/thoughts?




- - - Updated - - -

One other question. My South Bend lathe tailstock is set up so that when you wind it all the way in, it kicks out the center or whatever tool you have in it, disengaging the morse taper. My DR tailstock doesn't do that. Am I missing something?


----------



## rohamm (Apr 10, 2014)

My DR 11x36 kicks out the tang on my drill chuck arbor right about the 1 1/8" mark on the tailstock barrel.


----------



## wa5cab (Apr 10, 2014)

rohamm,

Use a plain instead of tanged arbor on the tailstock chuck.

Robert D.


----------



## thenrie (Apr 10, 2014)

Well, from my old photos, it appears my spindle gear is lining up just like it did before I took everything apart. That's a relief.

Got the drive unit all back together and re-installed today. Everything turns easily by hand, with no catches or bad sounds. Just need to wire it up and get a rotary phase converter and we're in business.

I disassembled and cleaned and lubed both my 8" 4-jaw and my 6" 3-jaw chucks. 

I guess I've pretty much run out of things to do on it. 

I'm done...until I get my RPC made. 

Here pretty soon I'll put all my receipts together and give an accounting of the cost of the rebuild.


----------



## dave2176 (Apr 10, 2014)

That is a thing of beauty. Great job.

Dave


----------



## thenrie (Apr 10, 2014)

There are still some parts that need replacement, such as the lead screw, the cross feed screw, and the cross feed nut, but I'm waiting until I find replacements that are in as close to new condition as I can get. I don't want to pay the high price for a replacement that ends up being only a marginal improvement.

I'm also going to be on the lookout for a follow rest, a steady rest, and a collet closer to pick up as I go along. I feel pretty fortunate that I was able to find both a taper attachment and a milling attachment at very reasonable prices. I hope to do as well with the other tooling items.

Thanks for the compliment, Dave. It was a lot of work, and certainly not cheap, but I really enjoyed it.


----------



## thenrie (Apr 19, 2014)

Well, I'm not done yet.

I found a RPC this week that I intend to buy, offered by a member of the Yahoo group.

However, I just figured out that the pulley of the Reeve's drive on my lathe has been altered, so that the center sheave of the pulley is fixed in position and does not slide side-to-side to change speeds. 

So, decision time: Do I disassemble the pulley and rebuild it to spec and go with the RPC for power, as originally planned, or do I leave the pulley as-is and buy a VFD for power, so I can have the variable speeds, but risk harm to the motor down the road?

Boy, seems nothing is easy anymore.

Here are some attachments of what it is supposed to look like (photos reposted from Bill-TALUTIS):






The center sheave has a plastic or phenolic bushing which allows it to slide side-to-side on the steel shaft. My center sheave is apparently a shop-built item that is made solid, so that it does not slide, but stays right in the middle.

Stay tuned!


----------



## thenrie (Apr 22, 2014)

Ok! Today I got my Reeve's Drive pulley pressed apart. Happy Day! Figured out pretty quick that it is actually in good shape and it turned out to be an easy fix. My drive is made a little differently than Bill's, but functions the same. My center sheave does not have a plastic bushing, like his does and the sheaves are machined to fit together differently. Mine just slides on the steel shaft with no bushing. It is also keyed, so as to not rotate on the shaft. The center sheave was stuck in place by surface rust on the steel shaft. After having the pulley pressed apart, I cleaned everything up, de-rusted the shaft and cleaned it up, greased it, and reassembled it. Works like it is supposed to. My Reeve's drive has been re-installed in the lathe cabinet and I'm ready to go buy a RPC and get it running.

I have been offered a 3hp RPC by a member of the Yahoo Group (Thanks Dan) at a great price, and I'll pick it up on Thursday. I should have everything running by next week! Hallelujah!

Pics of my pulley parts:








I just realized I forgot to get a pic of the part after reassembly! Oh well, here's a shot of it in the cabinet!




- - - Updated - - -

I also borrowed a Starret machinist's level and leveled my lathe precisely today. Just about there!


----------



## astjp2 (Apr 23, 2014)

You can do mine next....


----------



## thenrie (Apr 26, 2014)

IT IS ALIVE!!!!!!!!

[video]https://www.dropbox.com/s/ybjs6c5vdm12ioz/2014-04-26%2017.50.07.mp4[/video]

We'll see if this link works. If not, I'll post a youtube link.  Picked up a 3hp rotary phase converter on Thursday. Got it plugged in today, but the power switch is bad. I'll pick up a new one  this evening. However, I was able to bypass the switch to give the lathe a test run. I was very pleased with the way it sounds and runs. No bad gear sounds and everything is functioning as it should. I need to figure out a way to check the speeds and set the pointer on my speed contol to show the correct spindle speeds.  I think that for now I'll just wind it up to the max and set the pointer at the max speed, then see where it lands on the minimum and just adjust it to  the best compromise between the two that I can get. 

Now to start making some chips!

You'll notice I have a South Bend carriage stop on the bed. The stop came with the lathe and it fits and functions on the DR, so I'll use it until I come up with a DR stop. It is for a South Bend 9, 10K or 10L machine.

This has been quite a project. Next up will be my cost sheet. I think I'm closing in on about $3,000. I'll get the exact numbers up next week.


----------



## Cbacres (Apr 26, 2014)

Tony,
your machine retro looks great. Making me anxious to get mine.
ill be following this post.

- - - Updated - - -



thenrie said:


> Almost there!
> 
> I still need to install the lead screw, finish setting up the end gears, and install the gear cover. I need to head to HD to get a few allen bolts to finish assembling things. I still haven't finished re-installing the drive unit and motor either. I'll get it done this week for sure! Later on I plan to finish polishing the handwheels and a few other parts. I'm pleased with the way the cabinet turned out, for a rattle-can job.
> 
> ...


----------



## thenrie (Apr 26, 2014)

Yeah, on that worm lubrication, I never did figure it out. The reservoir that was mentioned does not lubricate it. The worm is above the level of the reservoir. The only thing I can come up with is that the original worm bushing must be oilite and not need constant oiling. I didn't replace mine with oilite, so I expect I'll have to replace it again in a few years.


----------



## xalky (Apr 26, 2014)

Hey Tony. What a fantastic job you did restoring that lathe. Your persistent enthusiasm carried you thru this project with flying colors. 

I remember when you first took delivery of the lathe, and how disappointed you were with the condition of the lathe. Awesome job brother!

Marcel


----------



## thenrie (May 2, 2014)

Made a few chips this afternoon on the DR11. Just a few little test cuts to sort of get the feel of this machine and make sure everything works and sounds good. As it turned out, I couldn't get it to give me a clean cut. Lots of chatter and vibration. Thought maybe it was my HSS cutter, so I reground it, but no joy. Tried a 1/2" carbide with the same results. Tried different speeds and feed rates, no luck. I finally zeroed in on the headstock bearings. I readjusted them, tightening them a bit, and Voila! It's making nice, clean cuts for me now. I'll have to watch for heat and make sure I haven't over-tightened the bearings, but they didn't get more than a little warm with the little bit of work I gave them today. It was very gratifying to get a few nice cuts out of her, after this long restoration.

I found out I really love the vari-drive! After learning on a South Bend 9A, changing belts and taking whatever speed that gave, I absolutely love being able to change speeds on the fly, setting it exactly where I want it by feel and sound. It was really nice!  I ran the speed all the way to the stops in both directions and set the indicator needle. I was quite pleased with the way it worked. Not as loud as I had thought it would be either.

I also found I may have missed something when I reassembled the apron. After making a cut using the carriage power feed, I heard a clicking sound coming from the apron. Turned out the half-nut lever had fallen a little and the half-nuts threads were clicking on the threads of the lead screw. That's not supposed to happen. It would be a sad thing if the half-nuts were to engage while the carriage feed or cross feed was engaged. I found that I can engage the half-nuts with the carriage/cross slide power feed lever in any position. That's not supposed to happen either. There is supposed to be a lock-out that will not allow the half-nuts to engage unless the power feed lever is in the center position. I'm going to have to go back in and see what I missed.

One other thing I found today. I don't like the leveling feet I installed on the cabinet. It isn't the quality of them, they are very good ones from McMaster-Carr, and not cheap. It's just that they allow too much vibration. Too much movement of the cabinet, even though I carefully leveled the cabinet and then leveled the lathe with a machinist level. When I get settled in my new location in Utah, I plan to remove the feet and bolt the cabinet to the floor, then re-level the lathe bed.

We're having fun now!:terrific:


----------



## David (May 2, 2014)

Very nice job on the lathe!  Looks like a new one.  Thanks for sharing.

David


----------



## astjp2 (May 3, 2014)

I have a bunch of 3/8" ID shim washers that are .006 thick, along with some fender washers, you can get it real level...Tim


----------



## thenrie (May 3, 2014)

I figured out my problem with the apron. After trial assembling the apron, I neglected to completely disassemble it again before final assembly. In doing so, I forgot to re-install the ball and spring for the detent in the half-nut lever. Luckily, it was a very easy fix. All is well now. I should also note that it appears there is no "lockout" that keeps one from engaging the half-nuts while the power feed for the cross slide or carriage is engaged. I guess you just have to know not to do it. I will investigate this more, as I thought I remembered reading that there was a lockout. Maybe that was in my South Bend book. 

Tim, as long as the cabinet is close enough to level that the coolant runs to the drain, you're fine. The lathe bed has leveling feet that give more than ample range for leveling to exactness. The only shimming will be to accommodate uneven spots in the shop floor (whenever I get another shop) to give the cabinet a solid footing and keep it from rocking. That's the problem with the feet I installed. They raise the cabinet about 1-1/2" and make it a little unstable. With the machine running I can feel it move the cabinet with vibration from the varidrive. I think it would be better all around to have it bolted to the floor. I'll only be in my current shop another couple weeks, though, so it won't be here.


----------



## thenrie (May 30, 2014)

Well, in preparation for my big move, I have loaded all my big tools onto my flatbed trailer. It is at max payload. I also started pulling out a bunch of stuff I have been saving for a long time, just because it was still useful, not because I needed it. I need to get rid of that kind of stuff before my move. I have been sufficiently successful in selling off my old "junk" that when I saw a Rockwell Follower Rest come up on ebay recently, I decided that if I could sell enough stuff to be able to pay the "buy-it-now" price, I would do it.  Bought it this morning. Paid $309 (including shipping). The only way I justified it was by telling myself that I was simply trading stuff I didn't need for something I really wanted. I wouldn't have bought it any other way. I haven't seen a lot of follow rests come up for sale, and I can get a Chinese-made steady rest, so I bit the bullet and got it.

Once I get it, and get a bit of time, I'm going to inquire with a couple foundries and see what it would take to make a few castings off of it for resale. It would be nice to get a few "after-market" things like this into the market place to bring the prices back to earth a little bit. This picture is not the one I bought, but similar. Mine has seen a lot less use. Slowly, but surely, getting my tooling and accessories together.


----------



## astjp2 (Jun 1, 2014)

Tony, you would want to make a wood pattern and sand cast them, they need to be just slightly larger than the part due to shrinkage.  Tim


----------



## spyderxxx (Jun 2, 2014)

Thenrie

If you have $3000 spent on this and it's been about 180 days since you acquired your lathe , then you have spent about $17.00 per day. Where else would you have learned so much and had so much fun for so little?

Ed


----------



## thenrie (Jun 2, 2014)

Got my Follower Rest today. It is in better shape than I had hoped. While there are some scratches and chips in the paint, it appears the thing may not ever have been used. There is absolutely no wear on the brass rests (or whatever you call them). It was expensive, but like I said, I was essentially trading stuff I didn't need or want for it. I'm quite pleased.

Sorry for the fuzzy picture.


----------



## wa5cab (Jun 7, 2014)

Good find.  If you're happy with it, it doesn't really matter what you paid for it.  Last year I stumbled across an unused original rotary table for the Atlas mill.  Paid about as much for it as I paid for the mill (excluding motor freight).  But I wanted one, and am happy with it.  So who cares what it cost.  This is, after all, a hobby.  Business type decisions don't necessarily apply.  And there were three other people who were willing to pay almost as much.:thinking: 		

Robert D.


----------



## thenrie (Jun 10, 2014)

Now, if a steady rest or a collet adapter would just show up for sale...  I've been pretty successful selling off my old junk.


----------



## astjp2 (Jun 11, 2014)

Tony, what do you need for a collet adapter?  tim


----------



## thenrie (Jun 12, 2014)

I've just been watching for a 5C collet adapter and spindle thread protector, like you have for yours. Tom from the Yahoo group has said he can make one for me, along with a couple sizes of MT adapters, but he needs measurements from my spindle. My lathe is packed up for shipping, so I'll have to wait until I land somewhere and get settled again. Meanwhile, I just keep my eyes open. I know I can get one from Kennedy for about $150. Seems a little high, but at least I know it's available.


----------



## astjp2 (Jun 13, 2014)

You can get the whole shebang from JKS precision, they have a complete kit that will bolt on the lathe for a lever style closer for 800, it does not require modification.  Kinda spendy but its new and a lever style.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Jun 15, 2014)

JKS precision doesn't come up under Google. Do you have a link?


----------



## astjp2 (Jun 16, 2014)

Sorry, I had a couple of letters wrong, its http://www.jfkprecisionproducts.com/ and they do the hand closers or the lever ones.  Tim


----------



## ddushane (Jul 20, 2014)

Outstanding Job Sir! Looks Awesome! Now get it dirty : )

Dwayne


----------



## astjp2 (Jul 21, 2014)

Tony, did you get moved yet?  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Jul 29, 2014)

Not yet, Tim. House is under contract, and if all goes well we should be on the road headed west on Aug 19. Looking forward to getting out there and getting set up again.


----------



## astjp2 (Jul 30, 2014)

Maybe I can talk you into helping with a few parts for my rockwell, I have limited availbility to work on stuff...but I do get some things done..Tim


----------



## astjp2 (May 11, 2015)

So Tony, have you been using your lathe lately?  I have not seen you on here in a while.  Tim


----------



## thenrie (Oct 12, 2015)

Ok. I'm back...sorta. I've had my lathe in storage so long that recently I decided just to put it up for sale and see what happened. Figured I could probably find a better use for the money I've got tied up in the lathe. Got one looker, but that just got me thinking and dreaming about my lathe again. So, I just found a 5-C closer, collet adapter, and spindle thread protector set on ebay and bought it. It's not the lever closer, but then I really didn't want to have it permanently mounted, so I got the handwheel closer. Maybe in the next couple weeks or so I'll move some of my junk out of the way and make my lathe accessible, so I can start using it to help me restore the Southbend 9A I have waiting in the wings.

I'm still keeping an eye open for a steady rest, if anybody happens upon one.


----------



## thenrie (Oct 12, 2015)

thenrie said:


> Ok. I'm back...sorta. I've had my lathe in storage so long that recently I decided just to put it up for sale and see what happened. Figured I could probably find a better use for the money I've got tied up in the lathe. Got one looker, but that just got me thinking and dreaming about my lathe again. So, I just found a 5-C closer, collet adapter, and spindle thread protector set on ebay and bought it. It's not the lever closer, but then I really didn't want to have it permanently mounted, so I got the handwheel closer. Maybe in the next couple weeks or so I'll move some of my junk out of the way and make my lathe accessible, so I can start using it to help me restore the Southbend 9A I have waiting in the wings.
> 
> I'm still keeping an eye open for a steady rest, if anybody happens upon one.



I just read over the old thread. Turns out I forgot to mention that just before I left Virginia...and I mean just a few days before...Dick Triemstra, I believe it was, found a NOS cross slide screw for me. I bought it and a new cross slide nut from him and received it just before we left. I still haven't installed it. Maybe I'll get that done in the next week or so.

Sure would like to come across an NOS lead screw for it as well.


----------



## thenrie (Oct 17, 2015)

Just got back from vacation. While I was away I happened to look on ebay and found a couple of items I still lack for my DR11 lathe. Picked up a Royal handwheel collet closer, including the collet adapter and L00 thread protector, as well as a realio trulio DR carriage stop. So, now my Southbend carriage stop can go back to my Southbend 9A. 

Slowly, but surely, I'm getting my tooling all put together.

Pictures will come as soon as the parts arrive.


----------



## thenrie (Oct 27, 2015)

Well, this is the end of this thread. Today I sold and delivered my baby to another home. The rebuild was an enjoyable and very rewarding experience. I'm a bit sorry to have sold her, but it is unlikely I ever would have been able to put her to good use. She's a worthy tool sent to a worthy home.

Thanks for all the help and encouragement.


----------



## 4GSR (Oct 27, 2015)

They are like a child. it's tough to let go when they leave home for a new home.

I'm fixing to let go of my 13" Sheldon Sebastian lathe that I've had for the last 37 years.  Hate to see her go, but I got to make room for two more lathes that are in storage.


----------



## thenrie (Oct 28, 2015)

Well, I still have my little Southbend 9A to restore. That should be a fun project.


----------



## Fairbanks (Nov 5, 2015)

Excellent Post!  Thank you all for your contributions; interesting and very informative.


----------



## thenrie (Nov 24, 2016)

Admins, this thread should be in the Delta Rockwell forum.

Thanks.


----------



## 4GSR (Nov 24, 2016)

thenrie said:


> Admins, this thread should be in the Delta Rockwell forum.
> 
> Thanks.


Thread moved to the Rockwell-Delta Machinery catagory. Ken


----------

