How do you adjust gibs

[cooper1203]

Hpw the bloody hell are you supposed to adjust the gibs with out the bloody gib sliding out. I can adjust them so they are a sliding fit with no tight spots and no wobble. give it a trial run in one direction all ok come back the other way and all of a sudden in differing places it all goes loose look at the gib and the bloody thing is sticking out 1/2"

Slacken off all the screws slide the gib back in because for some bloody reason the screws are too tight to allow the gib to slide back in even though it just bloody slid out do the screws up even tighter and rinse and repeat until you get to the stage that the bloody thing wont move

 

[Eddyde]

Do you have adjusting screws on both ends of the gib?

 

[ChazzC]

You didn’t say lathe or mill, but here are generic instructions for mini-lathe:


and mini-mill:


Generic manuals can be found

https://littlemachineshop.com/images/gallery/Info/MiniLatheUsersGuide.pdf

https://littlemachineshop.com/images/gallery/Info/MiniMillUsersGuide.pdf

If you search you question on YouTube you will find (too) many examples, possibly even some for your machine.

 

[cooper1203]

@ eddie there are four along the side of the topslide equally spaced

@Chazz Sorry i was alittle frustrated with it this morning. I have been at this trying to get a working machine for 2 months on and off. Its an atlas 10f lathe. which is another issue as im in the uk and trying to find parts over here is impossible and eye wateringly expensive to have shipped from the states so it is a case of modifying bits that are available and all takes time

 

[ChazzC]

When the gib slid out, did you put it back in the same orientation? Also, the “back” of the gib should have 4 flats on it that line up with the screws - you will need to do some fiddling with the insertion location using just one screw to make sure it is lined up correctly.

 

[cooper1203]

good point the "dents" for want of a better term are facing the screws but maybe they are upside down... they look in the middle but very possibly aren't

 

[markba633csi]

Atlas gibs can be fiddly to adjust- sometimes you need to hold the screw with a screwdriver as you tighten the locknut to avoid throwing off the setting- finding the ideal adjustments can take some experimentation- final fine adjustments can often be made by turning just the locknut itself, which "carries the screw with it" a very small amount and locks the setting simultaneously.

Make sure the screws are dropping into the "flats" or "dimples" on the gib strip

Have plenty of light in your work area for this procedure

 

[ChazzC]

good point the "dents" for want of a better term are facing the screws but maybe they are upside down... they look in the middle but very possibly aren't

If the dents/dimples are facing the screws it should be inserted correctly (only goes in two ways, and only one has them facing the screws)


The gib strip should be sized to closely fit the space top-to-bottom: it's adjusted side-to-side so the top slide dovetails fit closely. On some inexpensive lathes the gib strip is a little small (or the dovetails not machined correctly) and the strip can actually tilt, making adjustment almost impossible:

I searched for a simple video showing the adjustment procedure, but wasn't able to find one (Frank Hoose had an excellent video, but his content is no longer available and he shut down his website earlier this year).

 

[Mini Cooper S]

Agent Torres "Gibbs is pretty much set in his ways, I don't think you are going to be able to adjust him".

Agent McGee "Nick, I don't think that's what they are talking about"