# Newbie question about SB9 saddle and carriage



## wheelyneil (Oct 22, 2012)

Hello All
Just a quick question, I bought a SB9 C model a short time ago I am starting to level and trim things in. But one thing I am not sure is right? After I adjusted the saddle tension to the ways, I noticed that on the carriage side of the lathe the saddle and carriage will raise if some pressure is applied to the base off the ways about 1/8" now is this normal or am I missing somthing to adjust on the front side of the machine?

Hope this is'nt a stupid question!
Thanks all for any info

Here are a couple pics of what I am talking about!


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## 12bolts (Oct 22, 2012)

Hi Neil


wheelyneil said:


> Hope this is'nt a stupid question!


#1) There are NO stupid questions :nono:


wheelyneil said:


> ...I noticed that on the carriage side of the lathe the saddle and carriage will raise ....


#2) The saddle is the part that sits on top of the bed and runs on the prisms, (those raised vees) and the apron (the part with the controls and handwheel) bolts to the saddle and hangs down the front. These 2 parts together make up the carriage. So what you are referring to is the apron side of the carriage or saddle. Dont take this as criticism, I am just trying to help you get the correct names of the parts :whiteflag:
To answer your question, it is normal. During most turning operations the rotation of the work against the tool is always pushing the front (apron) side of the saddle down onto the ways.

Cheers Phil


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## wheelyneil (Oct 22, 2012)

12bolts said:


> Hi Neil
> 
> #1) There are NO stupid questions :nono:
> 
> ...



Hi Phil
Thanks for clearing that little question up for me  and clearing up some of the names so I dont confuse to many people!hew:

Take care!


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## 12bolts (Oct 22, 2012)

No probs Neil,
You may also have noticed, (or may even be missing), at the RH side of the saddle, front corner close to where the apron bolts on, a bolt that passes vertically down through the saddle and pulls up on a small steel block against the bottom of the ways, to clamp the carriage in position. That is used to prevent unwanted long travel of the carriage. Dont use it as a sliding friction block to remove excess play/slop.

Cheers Phil


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## wheelyneil (Oct 23, 2012)

12bolts said:


> No probs Neil,
> You may also have noticed, (or may even be missing), at the RH side of the saddle, front corner close to where the apron bolts on, a bolt that passes vertically down through the saddle and pulls up on a small steel block against the bottom of the ways, to clamp the carriage in position. That is used to prevent unwanted long travel of the carriage. Dont use it as a sliding friction block to remove excess play/slop.
> 
> Cheers Phil



Yes the carriage lock was missing, and that is what I am making this morning. I am trying to restore a old Drill press spindle and need to take a few thousands out of the MT2 taper but I dont want to try until I can lock the carriage while boring. Thanks for bringing that up because with me being so new to all of this I could have missed that little tid-bit!hew:


take care!
Neil


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## dmakseyn (Nov 11, 2012)

Hello all,
I thought I would just jump in with a reply and post some pictures later!
I have a Model A 9x42 that I have been working on for a while. The saddle rides on the 
bed ways and has a cast iron bar held to the bottom rear of the saddle with two bolts
which thread up through the bar into the bottom of the saddle. On my machine, this bar
has seen some wear but I have been lapping it smooth on a surface plate. If the back of the
saddle is lifting as much as you show in the picture I would guess that this bar is missing.
Take a look and see if it's there. Also check to see if the bolts have broken off in the holes
or just missing all together. 
The bar on my machine is made from cast iron with a recess in the center to allow only the 
outer edges of it to make contact with the bottom of the flat part of the bed.
My Atlas/Craftsman 6" needed that part replaced and I made one from a piece of ground flat stock.
Solved the lifting problem perfectly!
Regards,
Dave


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