# Need clamping plate for Busy Bee B-244 tailstock



## toysareforboys (Jul 10, 2019)

Got a great deal on this mini lathe from the original owner. He only used it for woodworking so it hadn't seen any hard use and was maintained flawlessly.

Anyway, I broke the clamping plate in half (that goes under the tailstock). The bolt that was in it wasn't the original (i.e. it was a regular bolt, not a T bolt) and it slipped through the slot in the clamping plate (which spread it and split it in half).

I contacted Busy Bee (their main headquarters is only a 15 minute drive from me) but they said parts for this lathe were discontinued 15 years ago 

I looked at some of their current mini lathes and non of the tailstocks/clamping plates seemed similar and the distance between the rails was different (the gap between my rails is 45mm).

Any suggestions on how to obtain a replacement? This lathe is the only piece of real equipment I have (no mill) so I don't think it'd be possible for me to recreate one. I asked a local shop about creating me a replacement but they didn't seem too excited.

Let me know please and thanks.

-Jamie M.


----------



## WCraig (Jul 10, 2019)

Welcome to Hobby-Machinist!

Can you post a picture of the broken part?  Does it have to be a precise size to maintain tailstock alignment?  If not, it may be possible to hacksaw and file a decent replacement out of a piece of steel.  Or perhaps a local member can help you out.  (I don't have a mill either.)

BTW, what model is that lathe?  It appears to be branded "Busy Bee" rather than Craftex.  I think they introduced the Craftex label in the early 1980's so that makes the lathe 35+ years old.

Craig


----------



## RJSakowski (Jul 10, 2019)

When I broke the clamping plate on my Atlas/Craftsman 6x18, I made one from steel before I had a mill.  It isn't a difficult project if you simplify the design.  I used drill press, hack saw and files and cut the recess for a square head bolt with a cold chisel.

I have been using that clamping plate for more than forty years now and haven't had a reason to improve on my original design.


----------



## cbellanca (Jul 10, 2019)

The original was probably cast Iron. Make one out of steel.


----------



## toysareforboys (Jul 10, 2019)

WCraig said:


> Can you post a picture of the broken part?  Does it have to be a precise size to maintain tailstock alignment?  BTW, what model is that lathe?


I gave the part to a shop to re-create and they lost it  It doesn't need to be super precise because the tailstock is aligned by the top rails, not the clamping plate, but the bolt hole/slot has to be precise to line up with the off-set hole in the tailstock. The model number of the lathe is B-244, dated 7 month of 1986:








RJSakowski said:


> When I broke the clamping plate on my Atlas/Craftsman 6x18, I made one from steel before I had a mill.  It isn't a difficult project if you simplify the design.  I used drill press, hack saw and files and cut the recess for a square head bolt with a cold chisel.
> 
> I have been using that clamping plate for more than forty years now and haven't had a reason to improve on my original design.


Damn, nice!!! I might just give it a go, thanks.



cbellanca said:


> The original was probably cast Iron. Make one out of steel.


Yep, it was, pretty brittle.

Thanks for all the encouragement guys, I might just give it a go making one.

-Jamie M.


----------



## hman (Jul 12, 2019)

Your lathe looks a whole lot like the Grizzly G4000 (9x19").  https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-9-x-19-Bench-Lathe/G4000
You might be able to get the replacement part from them.  Their support people are pretty good on the phone.  Here's a link to their customer support page.  Note they even have numbers for international customers. https://www.grizzly.com/contact


----------



## John O (Jul 12, 2019)

If you need milling, I am 15 min east of Busybee


----------



## pdentrem (Jul 12, 2019)

This is the same as Jet BD920N and others, still made today.
Pierre


----------



## toysareforboys (Jul 13, 2019)

John O said:


> If you need milling, I am 15 min east of Busybee


Oh baby, that could be super useful! What milling machine do you have? I found an amazing deal on an ancient one, pretty much free to a good home, just had to provide a forklift/transportation, but it was designed to run on 600 volts (three phase), didn't know how I could make that work at my house 

Another user on this forum sent me a PM and he has a brand new clamping plate for it, part# is P2445011, I just gotta pay postage, nice!! I'll give that a go and if I break it again I'll get a better one made 

I'll post up a pic when I get it.

Thanks again everyone.

-Jamie M.


----------



## toysareforboys (Jul 13, 2019)

pdentrem said:


> This is the same as Jet BD920N and others, still made today.
> Pierre


Wow, neat! The clamping plate looks identical to my stock one (#24, Jet CLAMPING PLATE BD-920N 8015).






I don't think the bolt they show is the same one that came with my lathe originally because in the box of parts that came with my lathe it came with a "T bolt" that fit perfectly into the clamping plate/tailstock but the threads were all stripped out, and it had been replaced with just a regular bolt (like in the diagram). I imagine the T bolt spreads the force better so the clamping plate doesn't spread/crack as easily.






-Jamie M.


----------



## WCraig (Jul 13, 2019)

toysareforboys said:


> I found an amazing deal on an ancient [milling machine], pretty much free to a good home, just had to provide a forklift/transportation, but it was designed to run on 600 volts (three phase), didn't know how I could make that work at my house


Free?  Let me be the first to say, "You Suck"!  

There are several options to convert household single phase power to 3 phase.  They have to be sized specifically to the motor that you want to run and that drives the cost.  For a mill, a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) is likely to be the best choice since it also allows you to control the speed of the motor.  Others here will have more experience with that than I have.

Craig


----------



## John O (Jul 13, 2019)

toysareforboys said:


> Oh baby, that could be super useful! What milling machine do you have? I found an amazing deal on an ancient one, pretty much free to a good home, just had to provide a forklift/transportation, but it was designed to run on 600 volts (three phase), didn't know how I could make that work at my house
> 
> Another user on this forum sent me a PM and he has a brand new clamping plate for it, part# is P2445011, I just gotta pay postage, nice!! I'll give that a go and if I break it again I'll get a better one made
> 
> ...


It is a First mill, don't remember the model


----------



## Chipper5783 (Jul 13, 2019)

toysareforboys said:


> Oh baby, that could be super useful! What milling machine do you have? I found an amazing deal on an ancient one, pretty much free to a good home, just had to provide a forklift/transportation, but it was designed to run on 600 volts (three phase), didn't know how I could make that work at my house
> 
> Thanks again everyone.
> 
> -Jamie M.




My goodness, get it if you can.  The 600V 3ø is not a difficult issue to sort out.  Go through the "Electrical Issues" portion of this web site - that question is about the second most ask topic that we see (the first one being "should I get this . . . . ", dumb question because the answer is always "yes").

The 600V and the 3 phase are two separate issues.  Each can be dealt with a few different ways.  The approach that is right for you will depend on what your present set up is and what your future intentions are.  3ø powered machines, and 600V machines are likely to be industrial quality (good) and the power issues will dissuade other buyers (also good).  Go into it with your eyes open - just because it is "pretty much free" still means you'll have plenty of spend to get everything working well.

First issue is sorting out the 3ø.  I went the approach of a "whole shop" solution.  If you are in this game very long, you'll get other machines, and 3ø power is the norm.  The ability to plug in and go, the main motor, secondary motors, controls - everything works as originally designed - it is awesome.  I set myself up a little 3ø distribution system - over the years I've picked up additional machines (at 10 3ø machines now).

Second issue is the 600V.  When I got my first 600V machine, it would have been quite a chore to swap over to 240V (the main motor would have been easy, but the feed motor would have been really difficult).  I was able to get a good used little 3ø transformer.  I have since acquired two more 600V machines - again they are now very easy to power up (and came essentially "free").

Don't expect "something for nothing".  Let's say you get that "First mill" really cheap - First is a good brand.  It will cost you a bit to move it, then it costs a little to power it, there will be pieces missing & broken (at least for every "cheap" machine I have hauled home there have been numerous minor issues), it will need to be cleaned and serviced, you'll need to buy tooling - and you can reasonably end up with a decent and capable machine for 5%-20% of what a new machine would have cost you.

"Pretty much free" does not mean anything.  Look at the end cost.  I have, and I've been able to equip / afford a very nice little shop with some excellent capabilities (it was not free, but it didn't break the bank).

Let us know how you make out.  David


----------



## John O (Jul 13, 2019)

If you get the mill, I have a 220-550 single phase transformer I'm not using and depending on the amps a vfd as well.


----------



## toysareforboys (Jul 27, 2019)

Parts came in today! Woot! Part number says P244-5011 OR P244 5011 







-Jamie M.


----------



## WCraig (Jul 27, 2019)

Do you mean Busy Bee supplied the part (for a 35 year old machine)?  Or from somewhere else?

Craig


----------



## toysareforboys (Jul 27, 2019)

WCraig said:


> Do you mean Busy Bee supplied the part (for a 35 year old machine)?  Or from somewhere else?


A member on this forum sent me a PM (see post #9 above) saying that he had two brand new (old stock) clamping plates but no longer had the lathe, so he sent them to me for free, I just had to cover postage 

-Jamie M.


----------



## toysareforboys (Aug 1, 2019)

FINALLY got a chance to make some chips tonight! Woot 

*Warning to headphone users:* high pitched sound!






That video is that last part I was making (40mm Delrin projectile), excuse the aluminum shavings all over from making the first part (40mm aluminum hull) 

New tailstock clamping plate worked perfect, drilled some 15mm holes (pictured) in aluminum aggressively, didn't budge one mm!






That's a press fit, that post into the hole (post is 15.25mm, hole is a hair over 15mm, VERY tight fit, lol). Used my 2 ton arbor press to do it, was barely enough! I'm going to have to invest in a real press one day, one of those hydraulic 20 ton ones or whatever.
















Time to launch 

-Jamie M.


----------

