Lathe Feature Discovered!!

[AGCB97]

I just found out that my 1920 Springfield 'Ideal Lathe' has a automatic carriage stop. WOW!!

I've wondered but not enough, what those rings with the square set screws were on the feed direction shaft. While researching the spindle taper for this lathe, I was looking at an old .pdf of a 1919 Hendey lathe manual and noticed that a lot of things looked very similar to the Springfield. I noticed those same rings and the description said they were carriage stops. I had to run right out to the shop and investigate. Sure enough by testing 1st by running the spindle by hand so as not to break something if there were a problem and then by running under motor power, they turn the feed shaft and disengage the feed gears wherever you set them, right or left feed.

I'll be playing with them today but seems as though turning, boring or threading to a shoulder will be a new joy and take away the anxiousness of stopping the carriage at the right time.

This sure is a great lathe!

Aaron

 

[Uglydog]

How about some pics!!
Please.

Daryl
MN

 

[Randall Marx]

Sounds sweet! Would like to see it though.

 

[AGCB97]

Shown with things I've made, ER40 collet chuck, 4-way tool post, serpentine belt drive, chuck wrench, tailstock quick lock, tailstock table, 2-way cross feed stop

 

[Randall Marx]

Very Nice!!!

 

[bosephus]

Just a thought .. but before you use the auto stops for threading be absolutely sure they work with the lead screw as well If the machine has a separate feed rod for the carriage .... keeping in mind the half nuts and lead screw drive the carriage for threading and the feed rod drives it for normal turning operations.

 

[AGCB97]

I checked that and both feeds are stopped. Thanks for the concern.

I played with it yesterday and can set the stop to within about.010 accuracy with my limited practice. The repeatability of the operation is about .002 but I'll put an indicator on it and check that some more. I wish I could find some directions for a lathe with this feature. Maybe I'll hear from someone on this forum.

Aaron

 

[4GSR]

Don't try to use those stops for threading, they won't work. You could crash and tear up things!!! This will not dis-engage the lead screw.

 

[Uglydog]

Would you please show a close up of the stops.

Thank you,
Daryl
MN

 

[AGCB97]

Ken
This completely disengages the entire feed train at the 1st gear. I just cut a 1/2-20 thread for experimental purposes and it worked great.

That being said, I did not take my hand off the 1/2 nut lever just in case.

One thing I noticed is that you have to set the stop at the right end of the relief because as you crank in the compound it will move left slightly (actually 1/2 the pitch of the thread by the time it's done).