Harrison L5 Lathe Restoration

Are you replacing the headstock bearings ? The headstocks on these were never quiet , apparently this is due to the high nickel content in the gears .

Your lucky to have the gap bed model , makes it a more useful machine I think. I bought a faceplate with the same thread as the L5 spindle but I discovered its too large to fit my L5, it would fit yours OK as you have the gap bed.
 
roverguy said:
Are you replacing the headstock bearings ? The headstocks on these were never quiet , apparently this is due to the high nickel content in the gears .

Your lucky to have the gap bed model , makes it a more useful machine I think. I bought a faceplate with the same thread as the L5 spindle but I discovered its too large to fit my L5, it would fit yours OK as you have the gap bed.
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I'm not 100% sure if I will replace them or not, ive put my feelers out and sent a few emails for prices.. so I'll wait and see the bearings seem to be in fair shape can't feel any defects at all with a finger or finger nail they aren't "notchy" at all seem to turn ok with decent preload.

The guy at the bearing shop hadn't ever heard of precision bearings this size he also said that precision bearings of the 60s would be of.similar quality to a standard bearing now... he may have just been trying to make the sale but he had a fair point that they are all made to a fairly high standard. .. they come up as dumb truck bearings he said..

Part no: 387/382A
: 387/382B
Timken taper roller bearings..
 
The headstock casting does look strange , the uneven way it sits . I would remove the headstock casting and see whats going on underneath. maybe the quality inspector at the factory had a bad day ! It's not a requirement to fit those high precision bearings, they cost a small fortune and you wont really notice any benefit . I would use the off the self variety bearings myself.
 
roverguy said:
The headstock casting does look strange , the uneven way it sits . I would remove the headstock casting and see whats going on underneath. maybe the quality inspector at the factory had a bad day ! It's not a requirement to fit those high precision bearings, they cost a small fortune and you wont really notice any benefit . I would use the off the self variety bearings myself.
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Does yours sit dead nuts perfect? i read that they went to alot of efford to align the headstock and to shim the bed to the base so if its not needed i wont touch it because im unsure how to re align the headstock! maybe i could use a paint pen and draw some lines to put it back in the same place if it all checks out..?

the headstock bearings where $90 for the race and 60 for the inner bearing from the local shop.
 
I had a look at my L5, I cannot see the end of the headstock because the end belt covers are in the way .

I would not be concerned about removing the head casting from the bed, the V ways in the bed will align the head casting within .0005" you can remove it and the accuracy should not be changed , in theory.

Have a look on EBAY for the beaings , you will pick them up cheap .
 
I had a look at my L5, I cannot see the end of the headstock because the end belt covers are in the way .

I would not be concerned about removing the head casting from the bed, the V ways in the bed will align the head casting within .0005" you can remove it and the accuracy should not be changed , in theory.

Have a look on EBAY for the bearings , you will pick them up cheap .
 
roverguy said:
I had a look at my L5, I cannot see the end of the headstock because the end belt covers are in the way .

I would not be concerned about removing the head casting from the bed, the V ways in the bed will align the head casting within .0005" you can remove it and the accuracy should not be changed , in theory.

Have a look on EBAY for the bearings , you will pick them up cheap .
Click to expand...

I pulled the headstock tonight and it's not actually square, thats maybe just the way it is!

I did stone the headstock ways before reinstalling and there where large burrs where the headstock bolts down, next I'll have to figure a cunning plan to somehow clean the inside of the ways..
 
When you say its not sitting square ? Is it sitting out of alignment to the bed ?

The other possible cause is: its a headstock from another L5, somebody has changed it over . Do you know the history of it?

My L5 was in a navy ship , it has the MOD badge on the motor , the motor on it was a 240V DC motor, very odd . I changed it to a 2hp 3 phase with a VFD .
 
roverguy said:
When you say its not sitting square ? Is it sitting out of alignment to the bed ?

The other possible cause is: its a headstock from another L5, somebody has changed it over . Do you know the history of it?

My L5 was in a navy ship , it has the MOD badge on the motor , the motor on it was a 240V DC motor, very odd . I changed it to a 2hp 3 phase with a VFD .
Click to expand...

I ment the casting isn't square, the headstock is definitely original.. it looks to be sitting square to the ways.
 
Been waiting for bearings to arrive, I ended up geting 3 precision bearings for the price of 2



I also made a new bushing for the clutch shaft, the old one had over 0.40 mm of slop some fool used grease that had turned hard as rock blocking the oil ports i just need to put some grooves into the ID Of the bushing for oil.

I'll attach a dremel to the tool post I think. . Havnt decided.

I faced some of the clutch parts that had some wear also

Next is electrical, then paint, and work on the taper turning attachment while paint is going hard.
 
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