Can I swap spindles on a plain bearing lathe?

[D.sebens]

I don’t see why I shouldn’t drill out the passage on the bearings but I suppose I could raise up the brass cup thing. I would have to deal with clearance issues with the headstock lid though.

 

[tobnpr]

^^^
Possible that the paper was there to fill a gap as mentioned in #25 above. Else, it was a hack shim instead of brass...

 

[D.sebens]

^^^
Possible that the paper was there to fill a gap as mentioned in #25 above. Else, it was a hack shim instead of brass...

I wondered about it being a shim. It would work as a reverse shim.

 

[tobnpr]

I don’t see why I shouldn’t drill out the passage on the bearings but I suppose I could raise up the brass cup thing. I would have to deal with clearance issues with the headstock lid though.

I wouldn't mess with the bearing, personally. If the gits oiler stem is only a few thou too thick, maybe sand the stem with some emery cloth?

 

[D.sebens]

There’s no way the brass caps would seat to where they were with the other bearings. It’s about 1/16 or more off. If I don’t widen the bearing hole then the oiler cups will have to sit up about 1/4” higher which might cause interfering with the headstock cover. Just to clarify there gits oilers that press in to the brass cups that presses into the cap. The brass caps are 1/2” diameter.