Threading dial problem

[ome]

Hi guys, thanks for all of your collective knowledgeable advice.
I am having a problem with the threading dial lining up on any of thr 4 numbers, except it never does. I have tried to engage the gear at different places on the leadscrew, but never gets on any number.Do i need a new or used threading gage for my Logan 11" 56" bed lathe.

Thanks<
jon

 

[Tony Wells]

After a lot of use, wear will show up like that. Some people simply make a new index line wherever it wants to fall. As long as it is consistent, that works fine. Or it could be that the dial or gear has slipped on the shaft, or the gear has simply worn, or even not engaged with the leadscrew deep enough. They generally pivot on a single mounting bolt so that you can disengage them when not in use, so it might be worth looking at.

 

[ome]

After a lot of use, wear will show up like that. Some people simply make a new index line wherever it wants to fall. As long as it is consistent, that works fine. Or it could be that the dial or gear has slipped on the shaft, or the gear has simply worn, or even not engaged with the leadscrew deep enough. They generally pivot on a single mounting bolt so that you can disengage them when not in use, so it might be worth looking at.

Thanks Tony.

Regards
jon

 

[GK1918]

This problem is nothing new. I have wrote this before i think. Myself I cant see the numbers anyways. So my first thing in setup is
run the maching with 1/2 nut to put a load on it and kill the electric. You know those cheap round bandades for your toe "corns" or
something? I stick it on and mark with a red sharpie.. I still think there is enough things to do without getting involved with numbers and all that. Everybodys different I guess, but by the time I do steps #1, #2, #3 and #4 my sharpie lines comming up. The fastest I can do at my age is back gear and in second (drive speed). Things happen fast & I cant miss a red line (rather than seeing little numbers).......

 

[OldMachinist]

On some lathes the gear is only held on the shaft by a set screw. To adjust engage the half nuts and run the carriage down the ways a few inches, stop lathe with half nuts engaged. Loosen the set screw and rotate the dial until the lines line up, tighten the set screw.

 

[ome]

On some lathes the gear is only held on the shaft by a set screw. To adjust engage the half nuts and run the carriage down the ways a few inches, stop lathe with half nuts engaged. Loosen the set screw and rotate the dial until the lines line up, tighten the set screw.

Thanks, i wish that were the case , but there is a long pin from center of dial and down to the gear, no set screw.

Thanks,
jon

 

[Tom Griffin]

Take the dial assembly off so you can get a good look at it. There has to be something holding the gear on the shaft, because that's probably the way it was originally aligned. It may be a pin and they can be difficult to see. If it is a pin, just knock it out, rotate the gear 90º and drill a new hole in the shaft with the half nuts engaged and a mark lined up. I suppose the gear could have been fixtured and pressed on the shaft. In that case, you'll need to devise a way to pull it and realign it to the mark.

Tom

 

[ome]

Take the dial assembly off so you can get a good look at it. There has to be something holding the gear on the shaft, because that's probably the way it was originally aligned. It may be a pin and they can be difficult to see. If it is a pin, just knock it out, rotate the gear 90º and drill a new hole in the shaft with the half nuts engaged and a mark lined up. I suppose the gear could have been fixtured and pressed on the shaft. In that case, you'll need to devise a way to pull it and realign it to the mark.

Tom

thanks Tom,
not pressed to the shaft, a bolt lets it mesh with the lead screw when haif nut is engaged. Little confused where i would drill a hole.

Jon

 

[Tom Griffin]

OK, here's a pic of the shaft. It looks like it is straight knurled on each end, probably hardened, and the dial and gear are pressed on. You'll need to pull the gear, or drive the shaft out with a punch, realign the mark and press it back on.

Tom

 

[pestilence]

It shouldn't really matter whether it lines up on a number or not as long as you flip the lever at the same time it's just about to line up or whatever. Actual alignment of the number and the mark isn't important
All that's important is that the number and the mark are in the same position relative to each other every time.

Someone recently did a YouTube video meant to demystify the threading dial recently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbRcs_Hhtuw

The creator of the video is TomG, who's been posting in this thread.

I just took a look at the dial on my Logan 11" and it looks like the shaft is as TomG said. It looks like if you could press the dial off the shaft, you could rotate it a bit and press it back on to realign it with the gear.