To rebuild or NOT (lathe)

I redid my 9A a year ago, it was a project lathe. Everything was rusted shut, and nothing turned. I oiled everything up and made sure I was getting oil to the spindle by working it by hand after oiling then sticking a small dia. rod inside the little hole above the headstock oilers (gits) and oil was getting that far so I did run it a little and made some parts then started a complete tear down and rebuilt. The gear box was a big pain as the gears would not turn because the oil dried up on the shafts and the taper pins were facing the wrong way to remove. I tried a lot of things, but what worked was a little ceramic heater on the gears for a little while until the gears would move to get the taper pins out. Everything went easy on everything else after the gear box. The gear box was a pain to work on because there is no room inside it to get it together with one person, 2 people would be easier to hold gears on the shaft while sliding the shaft in. The gear box took the most time. The lathe had very little wear and all the gears were perfect, just been sitting for a long time without being used and it runs real good now. I never did get the book, but I hear it is good. I will add some pics. Good luck. More pics in my album after you get 20 posts on here, I think it's still 20 posts, it's under pjf134.
Paul

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Thanks, everyone.

Phil,

So instead of grease for backgears you use Penzoil Syncromesh? So there's no need for grease anywhere on the lathe. the right oils can work?

Paul,

I see a hammer in one of your photos. I'm assuming you used that instead of a deadblow.

Regarding the book, the photos are up close and clear and parts have been clearly identified with numbers and letters and bolts that turn clockwise to loosen have been identified. That alone makes the book worth the price, not to mention the wicks, springs and gaskets you get for about $59. Just my opinion.

So with a little help from my friends I may start the rebuild then. Before the advent of the internet I probably wouldn't have even thought of attempting something, but with so much advice, ease of posting photos, it makes it less insurmountable.

I plan to use the lathe to make small steam engines, marine, rail and stationary. Eventually, I may need to get a mill attachment or a mill, but that's down the road a ways.

I still have to buy some stuff before starting the rebuild. Some of the tools required I've never even heard of before like a hinged 1/8" pin spanner wrench, 1/2" spanner bit, dial indicator, and strap wrench. The book says you MUST use a strap wrench and insert a hexagonal stock in the chuck using a wrench on that. In NO way should the backgear lock be used to remove the chuck or the gears will be stripped. So I guess I better heed the advice.

BTW, as a way to try to pay back the help I received, I'll document the entire process with photos and videos on the lathe section of this forum. It will likely be there for a number of months as I go through the process.
 
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SE18,
I did use a regular hammer and it worked just fine since I did not have a dead blow hammer. I assume a dead blow would work better, but I had no problem with a regular one. I did use a sledge for spindle removable with a thick block of wood with light hits at first and some harder hits until it got free and it worked great too. No parts had any damage this way and I did use existing parts when putting back together without any altering to pins or anything else. The headstock was easy to take apart and put back together and only a few part to contend with (see pic). The split nut at the left and the key on the spindle holds the spindle and everything in place.
Paul

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very inspirational, like tool candy. I'm gonna stop by the paint store for some enamel, grey machine with touch of green is what I think would look good and close to builder paint. I think original paint always best to stick with to keep the heirloom look; my daughter has some oil paint used for canvas. I'm wondering if a couple drops of that would mix in with enamel; also wondering if 8 ounces of enamel would suffice
 
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Phil,

So instead of grease for backgears you use Penzoil Syncromesh? So there's no need for grease anywhere on the lathe. the right oils can work?
Click to expand...

No, I used Syncromesh for the gearbox only. I used grease on the part of spindle that spins inside the spindle bullgear and spindle belt pulley when backgear is engaged. You will note there is an oil hole on the middle belt pulley for applying oil. My lathe has grease in there. I would not do that again, and instead use oil. I am not sure what oil I would use in that oil hole. To answer the other part of your question, if I had to do it over again, there would be no grease anywhere on the lathe, and there never way when SB built it. At least to my knowledge.

The Synchromesh oil is good but it runs out of one shaft bearing on the right side of the gearbox pretty fast. I do not think the oil is too thin, but that perhaps another felt is needed somewhere in the oil galley to slow the flow of oil. Study carefully the oil flow in the gearbox and get the felts in the right places.

Phil
 
SE18 said:
Thanks, everyone.

Phil,

So instead of grease for backgears you use Penzoil Syncromesh? So there's no need for grease anywhere on the lathe. the right oils can work?

Paul,
Click to expand...

The right grease is spec'd in the rebuild book. You can buy it at harbor freight.
 
The problem with using grease in certain areas is that when chips are flying everywhere (and I mean everywhere) any that land on the grease are likely to stay there and be pulled through the machinery. The proper way oils and hydraulic oils used will not allow that to happen (at least very little).

JMHO

-Ron
 
ScrapMetal said:
The problem with using grease in certain areas is that when chips are flying everywhere (and I mean everywhere) any that land on the grease are likely to stay there and be pulled through the machinery. The proper way oils and hydraulic oils used will not allow that to happen (at least very little).

JMHO

-Ron
Click to expand...

The grease is specified for the shafts that run through the back gear. No chips will ever get or stick there.

Right lube, right place....
 
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