Broken reverse feed trip / ball lever

[LEEQ]

I'm patiently picking at a ball lever broken off at the neck in the middle. Don't know how long the patient part will last, but so far so good. Anybody have any cool tricks to steal? Magnets were a no go. wont bind tight enough to drill either. I cemented a small drill to it and walked away. I might be able to jiggle it out of there tomorrow. Not real hopeful though. I thought I'd ask around.

 

[schor]

Got a picture?

 

[LEEQ]

I don't think a picture offers much. It looks like a hole with something stuck in it.

- - - Updated - - -

The ball with the screw threads is broken off after the first chunk of shaft right before the shoulder in the middle. It is out. The rest is stuck in it's recess. Hope that get's my point across better than words alone.

 

[Richard King]

I have seen those broken off before. Go buy a cheap needle point pair of pliers and if you have to grind he tip very small or heck maybe a twizers. I have a old pliers in my box and it looks like heck, but it worked. Rich

 

[twstoerzinger]

This is probably the weakest part in Bridgeport Mill heads. According to H&W Machine, this little part is almost always broke. BP thinks you are going to use a small machine screw to extract the part (which you have done). The problem is how to get the remaining broken part out of the fairly deep hole it is in. I had the same problem a while back. I tried piano wire, tweezers, tapping on the head with a soft hammer, etc. Finally got mine out by magnetizing a piece of drill rod that would fit loosely into the bore. It still took lots of wiggling of the drill rod and light tapping on the head to get the broken part to find its way out. A little WD-40 might help if there is petrified oil or grease holding back the broken part.

When you get it out, you can turn a new part yourself. Otherwise H&W Machine (and others) carry replacement parts.
Terry S.

 

[LEEQ]

:winner:ME. I win. So the glued bit didn't work. I went back to the drill it theory. Eventually I did get a small hole pecked into the end of the shaft. I drove a 12d gun nail into the hole for a lever and a handle. I then manipulated the threaded shaft with one hand and the nail with the other. The broken shaft came out far enough to get a small flat screwdriver behind the shoulder and pry while pulling the nail. Only cost me a bit and some grey hair. I got it all back together and won't use power down feed until I slip a new ball lever in there....and promptly do it again. Thanks guys for your tips.

 

[RWL]

Some people have reported being successful using bursts of compressed air to loosen it / move it to where you can grab it.

 

[jmiller]

Ill throw my two cents in as I just got mine out. Struggled with this for at least an hour last night. My wife even came out to take a crack at it, she loves puzzles. This morning I inspected for wear in the bore and it all looked fine. I tilted the head to the side and fired compressed air in the hole that the the depth stop screw comes through at the top. Few seconds of air and a couple jiggles of the screw shot the broken piece out. Easy peasy.

Now to get the cap screw out of the guide that's attached to the quill.. its in there good. Already broke one allen wrench trying to loosen it.

 

[solo]

Ill throw my two cents in as I just got mine out. Struggled with this for at least an hour last night. My wife even came out to take a crack at it, she loves puzzles. This morning I inspected for wear in the bore and it all looked fine. I tilted the head to the side and fired compressed air in the hole that the the depth stop screw comes through at the top. Few seconds of air and a couple jiggles of the screw shot the broken piece out. Easy peasy.

Now to get the cap screw out of the guide that's attached to the quill.. its in there good. Already broke one allen wrench trying to loosen it.

Maybe soak it with Kroil penetrating oil