Atlas 10F apron problems NEW

[dgehricke]

Greetings one and all,
I think you'll love this one. The other day I was traversing the length of the lathe bed and the traverse gear housing broke, Imagine that that wonderful ZAMAK just fell apart. I feel lucky as I just purchased an aluminum one from an eBay seller about 2 months ago just in case. So I removed the lead screw and the apron was unbolted, I then installed the new part, perfect fit ! works great. My problem now is the cross slide it turns the lead screw now which it didn't do before.
I seem to remember the same problem about 15 years ago when I cleaned and painted the lathe but I can't remember what I did to fix the problem.
This is a 10F so it does cut across the face of material in the chuck by pulling out the knob. I took the apron off about 3 times and the lead screw, looked at every thing there is no shim stock used, so a little imput would be greatly appreciated, i'm at a lose.
I feel like a total idiot.
Thanks in advance.
dgehricke

 

[rzbill]

In my mind, the only way that turning the cross slide handle can cause the lead screw to turn is if the cross feed gear (the one controlled by the pull knob) is engaged or partially so. Focus your attention there.

 

[markba633csi]

Are you saying that the cross slide turns the leadscrew or the other way round?
Mark
ps in either case I think it's the cross feed knob mechanism that needs attention

 

[wa5cab]

No, he said cross slide handle (actually called cross feed handle), not cross slide. But in any case, it has to be something associated with the cross feed sliding gear.

 

[dgehricke]

The cross feed turns the lead screw,I have removed the lead screw 3 times as well as the apron and looked at the gears for some swarf
but it is clean there is no shim stock for the apron,no gears were changed and all the original parts were used when reassembeled except the new part to traverse the saddle. Any help ?
Regards
dgehricke

 

[rzbill]

At the risk of repeating myself, there is ONLY ONE connection between the cross feed and the lead screw. That is the gear train from the bevel gear surrounding the lead screw to an adjacent bevel gear, then to the gear on the mushroom button and then to the gear on the crossfeed screw. The gear on the mushroom button moves in and out of mesh with the gear on the crossfeed screw that DOES NOT come off with the apron. You have to get low and look up at the bottom of the carriage to see it. Investigate this gear train for nonconformity to original design. Do what you have to to MAKE it disengage and figure out why it won't do that under normal operation.

IE. Does the mushroom button system position the shifting gear correctly? Is the gear on the crossfeed where it is supposed to be?

As a last resort, take the mushroom button off (roll pin) and remove the gear. If the described problem persists, call for an exorcism