Getting Tailstock on prolite 3000 lathe unstuck?

[brackishcnc]

After getting my prolight mill up and running, I am ready to tackle the 3000 lathe

It has all of the original equipment including the control box and everything seems to be operational.

But the sliding tailstock will not slide. I have cleaned up the exposed track/bar, it had some modest surface rust that I suspect is also present under the tail stock and preventing motion. I have sprayed oil and rust preventative to no avail

Before I disassemble for cleaning, if that is the board's advice, I want to be sure that I won't have multiple parts/bearings come falling out that I won't be able to readily reassemble.

I can't find any documentation at intellitek, even the manual merely mentions the tail stock as an option without other info

It appears that removing the bottom four bolts indicated will split the tail stock mount into two parts, allowing removal and access to the track interface and tailstock-innards for cleaning.

Is this sound? Does anyone have any insight on what I should expect on disassembly?

Also, are the three set screws for fine tuning the alignment?

 

[markba633csi]

Yes I would split the tailstock mount and it should come free. I'm guessing the three small screws are for trimming like a gib so they might need touching up later once you free up and lubricate the assembly
Is this a Benchman model? Prolite used that name I think

 

[brackishcnc]

I loosened all four bolts a hair and now it slides wonderfully.

Enough so that it does make me think that there are probably bearings / rollers, I just hope that they are captive when I get around to fully disassembling for thorough cleaning / lubricating

Intellitek is the manufacturer, and I believe prolight was the older brand name, and Benchman was used later

Thanks!

 

[brackishcnc]

I removed it. Just four flat walls without bearings / rollers.

The other end of each set screw has an embedded bearing, which fortunately were captive.

The set screws were not fully screwed in, so did not contact the track and had no impact on my immobility problem. That instead seems to have been a result of the modest corrosion on the track. I plan on taking some steel wool to the track before reassembly.

 

[markba633csi]

I would use a ScotchBrite blue pad instead- less abrasive than steel wool; less likely to scratch

 

[brackishcnc]

Will do. Thank you Mark

 

[ChazzC]

I’m surprised that there isn’t a gib strip of some kind between the set screw ends and the “track”/bed: I suspect that there should be some kind of wear strip yhat the ball ends of the set screws would bear against to control the fit & alignment. I doubt that the balls would rotate - more likely they are used to achieve point contact with the wear strip.

 

[brackishcnc]

There is no gib strip, and there is a subtle line visible where they've rubbed against the track / bar, without any feelable wear.

I confirmed that they are not bearings, just for point-load