Craftsman cross slide question

[captnbob45]

I have a question about the cross slide gear on my 12" lathe. The 24 tooth cross slide gear and the bevel gear where they mesh the gears teeth barely touch. Is this normal? There is no way to adjust them that I can find. Most gears mesh with the teeth most of the length of the tooth.
I have tried to search for this gear but could not find anything. Thanks

Craftsman Model: 101-28910

 

[jwmay]

Picture maybe?

 

[captnbob45]

I could not get a good picture where the two gears mesh. The bevel gear is above and part of the spur gear underneath it. The bevel gear makes it appear they are meshing. The cross slide is the lighter gear.

 

[pdentrem]

They should engage fully but your picture shows a lot of wear on the bevel gear portion. You can buy new or make a new one with two new gears on a common shaft.
Pierre

 

[Jake M]

I don't know the lathe specifically, but that picture shows poor engagement. You can just see the spur gear teeth peeking through the bevel gear teeth. They're "hooked", probably workable, but it's not ideal.

I don't see a lot of room to adjust the fit of the existing gears. The upper gear will be fixed in space by the height of the saddle/cross slide. The gear below that, the compound spur/bevel gear, that is fixed in the up/down direction to match the location of the other bevel gear. Those two can't have their respective axes offset from each other. And the last (first in the power flow) has it's axis fixed by the leadscrew...

I do believe I see some wear going on there on the working faces of the upper gear, and from what little I can see of the spur part of the compound gear. I also see wear on the outside of the upper gear, towards the three o'clock position.
Are you able to watch these gears in motion? If so, does the poor engagement continue all the way around as they rotate, or does it increase or decrease at particular clock positions of either of the gears? I'm wondering (not knowing, just wondering) if there is something bent in there.

 

[Nutfarmer]

Check the housing the gears are mounted in. It is made of zmac ( pot metal) and is easy it brake or crack. This may be your problem. Ask how I know. I broke this housing removing it.