Author Topic: Grayson lathe...  (Read 22027 times)

Offline John Hill

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Grayson lathe...
« on: March 26, 2013, 06:50:37 AM »
Being as how I am on a seven day weekend nowadays there was no excuse not to start checking out the Grayson lathe especially as I was fully rested after the 1206km drive to get it!

Obviously it has been well loved at some time during the last 70 years or so.  Someone has fitted felt wipers and made a number of little 'enhancements' such as this depth gauging doohickey on the tail stock...

IMGP1387 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr


Maybe it was the same person who made this rotating centre which I assume is shop built..

IMGP1389 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr

But somewhere along the line someone had an oops while trying to lock the bull gear to the spindle..

IMGP1386 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr

Offline John Hill

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2013, 06:51:23 AM »
I had to have a little nip of  'medicine', just to steady my nerves, before putting the bull gear in the four jaw chuck and turning off the broken bit...

IMGP1390 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr

It took absolute ages to turn up a collar especially as I had to also turn up a scrap arbor (just so everything would be properly centred) which I offered up to the newly turned side of the bull gear and drilled three 4mm holes.  I used my drill mount which was one of my earliest projects...

IMGP1391 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr

I also had a root around in my box of 'old projects' and found this index attachment which I made about the same time as I made that drill mount..

IMGP1392 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr

Offline John Hill

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2013, 06:52:20 AM »
I tapped the collar for a set screw and attached the collar to the bull gear using three ultra long rivets (which I found in my nail drawer)..

IMGP1393 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr

Put it all back and everything fits!

IMGP1395 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr

The indexing attachment is very nicely made, it came with two plates ( a number 1 and a number 2) which are stamped 1939.

Bogstandard

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2013, 07:57:04 AM »
Actually John, on my old Atlas, it had a very similar arrangement on the bull wheel.

If you notice the hole through the bull wheel, the one with the cross drilling across it, that is where a spring loaded pin goes through to lock the bull wheel to the drive pulley.

When the pin is retracted, it allows the back gears to be used.
When they are swung forwards, the large back gear connects with the small spindle gear (which is also driven by the pulley) which then goes through the reduction shaft to drive the bull gear, after you loosen the screw attaching the pulley to the spindle, otherwise everything just locks up solid.

John

Offline John Hill

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2013, 08:40:35 AM »
Hi John,  yes, I took a spring loaded pin out of the hole in the bull gear.  I should really make another one as it was a very sloppy fit in the hole in the side of the big belt pulley. 

I had quite a tussle getting the spindle apart as the belt pulley (and it's attached small gear) are a very tight fit on the spindle, perhaps because there is no way of lubricating them, I drilled an oil hole.  This lathe has a slide to engage the back gear, at least one of the gears has to come off the shaft so it can be slid aside when changing the belt (unless you are using a belt with a joiner) but it looks like the last time that was done someone drove a pin into a blind hole, that might be a day's project like the bull gear has been.

Cheers, John.

Offline steamer

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2013, 11:02:08 AM »
Fine looking lathe there John...nice score!  and a nice job fixing her....she just needs some TLC......I know a lot about TLC.. ::)


Use her well!

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline John Hill

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2013, 06:37:38 AM »
Looking under the cross slide to find the cause of the backlash I found this...


IMGP1396 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr

... there is really no thread at all remaining in the casting.

Instead there was this..

IMGP1397 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr
... a brass nut that rested in the trough of the saddle casting with a length of steel pipe dropped in to stop it moving.  Of course that was a very loose arrangement.   I will be drilling and pinning the nut in position which I hope will be a major improvement.

Offline steamer

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2013, 06:52:30 AM »
I don't think I've ever seen a lathe worn like that!

Is there enough meat to put in a proper piece of iron?

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline John Hill

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2013, 06:54:01 AM »
There was no topslide with the lathe, instead there was this..

IMGP1407 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr

I was almost certain that was a little milling slide that has been 'modified' somewhat and tack welded to a bit of plate.

I cut it off the plate and sure enough, the evidence was right there showing where the t slots had been cut off with a grinder.


IMGP1409 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr

Unfortunately the remaining metal was rather thin so I only took a couple of light cuts to try for a level surface.  Even when I had taken off as much as I dared there was still about 50% of it below the level... :-\

Obviously I have to mount this slide on something to make up for the loss of strength and really the best stuff I have on hand is this piece of plate.  I don't really want to weld it and I don't have anything big enough to heat it all at once to braze it on... :thinking:

Stay tuned....
« Last Edit: March 31, 2013, 06:57:52 AM by John Hill »

Offline John Hill

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2013, 06:56:36 AM »
Hi Steamer..  I have gone with using the brass nut..

IMGP1408 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr

It was quite difficult to get the solder to tin the cast iron but I did get a bit of attachment,  I have since added a couple of 4mm pins and it feels quite good.

Offline steamer

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #10 on: March 31, 2013, 07:02:24 AM »
Looks like you've got your work cut out for ya John!

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline John Hill

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2013, 07:11:19 AM »
This time next week it will be looking like a whole new machine Dave!

Most of the machine seems to have very little wear and I can only assume that the original top slide met with some sort of disaster, maybe at the same time that cross slide thread got busted out.

Offline steamer

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #12 on: March 31, 2013, 07:13:55 AM »
Please keep us posted!  I really like that dividing head!

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline John Hill

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #13 on: March 31, 2013, 07:24:37 AM »
The dividing head is very nicely made if it is a home shop job which I somewhat doubt.  The bracket that holds it to the lathe is well made too and considering the date on the plates indicates the dividing head and the lathe are from the same era it just might have been factory fitted or at least fitted by the original owner.

There are two dividing plates, the one that is fitted to the dividing head and another that appears to have been too close to the action when someone was doing some grinding as it has a couple of significant nicks in it.

Offline John Hill

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Re: Grayson lathe...
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2013, 06:58:05 AM »
Today's progress!

IMGP1411 by aardvark_akubra, on Flickr

The result of my efforts to convert the 'modified' milling slide to lathe top slide,  I just need to drill and tap for a tool holder.   I used a T nut to clamp it in place so there is plenty of scope for moving it around on the cross slide.


 

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