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parting on an atlas 12" lathe
- Thread starter bkcorwin
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2011
- Messages
- 10,552
Yes, this is something that could be checked maybe once in the lifetime of your having the lathe. Referring to the Atlas 10F carriage exploded view drawing, you will see two bearing plates, 10F-54 and 10F-55. And two shim packs whose part numbers depend upon the vintage of the manual copy. These prevent the carriage from being lifted straight up off of the bed (never mind other things that would prevent that). AFAIK, Atlas never published specs on what the running clearance between the bearing plates and the bottom of the ways should be. But presumably sufficient to allow the carriage to be run all the way off the end of the bed without loosening the bearing plate screws.
Because turning and parting exerts both a vertical and a horizontal force (push) on the tip of the tool, there is a force trying to lift the rear of the carriage off of the ways. So clearance between the rear bearing plate and way would be the more critical IFF (if and only if) the force exceeds the weight of the carriage being supported by the rear way. To check the clearance, use a feeler gauge. Checking it both in the common operating area and at the right end of the bed would give some feel for wear. But there are four potential wear surfaces and the feeler gauge will not resolve which surfaces have worn. Other measurements would have to be made.
However, I was just looking at the carriage exploded view drawing of a Clausing 4800 series (V-bed) lathe and although it does show a shim for adjusting clearance of the front bearing plate, there is none for the rear. From which I surmise that those designers didn't consider it a problem worth worrying about. I don't have access this morning to the manuals on an equivalent South Bend or Colchester for comparison.
Robert D.
Because turning and parting exerts both a vertical and a horizontal force (push) on the tip of the tool, there is a force trying to lift the rear of the carriage off of the ways. So clearance between the rear bearing plate and way would be the more critical IFF (if and only if) the force exceeds the weight of the carriage being supported by the rear way. To check the clearance, use a feeler gauge. Checking it both in the common operating area and at the right end of the bed would give some feel for wear. But there are four potential wear surfaces and the feeler gauge will not resolve which surfaces have worn. Other measurements would have to be made.
However, I was just looking at the carriage exploded view drawing of a Clausing 4800 series (V-bed) lathe and although it does show a shim for adjusting clearance of the front bearing plate, there is none for the rear. From which I surmise that those designers didn't consider it a problem worth worrying about. I don't have access this morning to the manuals on an equivalent South Bend or Colchester for comparison.
Robert D.
well 1/16 blade made a big difference. I was parting a 2" bar of aluminum, and it chattered a bit on the 1"-.5" radius section, but ran nice and quiet for the smaller radius section. I drowned the thing in wd40, so while messy, i parted off a nice disk of 2" aluminum.
I see no noticeable movement of the carriage up and down. Overall I'd call it a success.
thanks
b
I see no noticeable movement of the carriage up and down. Overall I'd call it a success.
thanks
b