Lathes & M/C tools

[KeithHC]

Firstly I have not read right through this thread so maybe the answer is already there and I appologise. However, I acquired from my late father some years ago a Flexispeed Mk 1 lathe. Last year I thought I would like to get it to work and have so far manged to clean it up and get the three jaw chuck un-seized. The lathe had an electric motor and a capacitor attached. These must date from the mid fifties so I will not even try to power them up. Can any one suggest suitable replacements or is the lathe beyond redemption.

 

Keith HC, Dursley

[Pebbles]

Keith see Richard Jones posting on re-motoring his Unimat. I should add that there are more powerful motors that the one he used. 

[tender]

Hi all.

Bought this a month ago, had to strip it down to get it down to the shed so while I had it in bits I carried out some basic maintainence and replaced a few worn bits. The motor was very noisy so I replaced it with a three phase motor and inverter and now it's back together running much quieter. The back gear has half a tooth missing so I'll get a replacement for that when the need to use it arises.

 

 

It came with a box full of bits including several chucks, back plates, steadies, dividing attachment, vertical slide, drill chucks and a life time supply of cutters/tool steel and a few bits that I've no idea what the're for.

[ian@stenochs]

That is a good looking Super 7 I But I have never seen one in such a dark shade of blue!

You can be very lucky with 2nd hand buys in that you get tools which you might never buy yourself, even some you cannot identify, but one day they might just be found a use!

I got a big box of bits from a friend of my fathers estate most of which at the time I thought was junk but have found a use for an awful lot of it. Enjoy finding out what you have and what you can do on Myford.

Ian.

[tender]

That is a good looking Super 7 I But I have never seen one in such a dark shade of blue!

You can be very lucky with 2nd hand buys in that you get tools which you might never buy yourself, even some you cannot identify, but one day they might just be found a use!

I got a big box of bits from a friend of my fathers estate most of which at the time I thought was junk but have found a use for an awful lot of it. Enjoy finding out what you have and what you can do on Myford.

Ian.

It looks slightly darker in the picture and I was a bit surprised to see a blue one when I first saw it. I did wonder if it had been re sprayed but I didn't come across any evidence of such while it was in bits.

[raymw]

Maybe some useful info here - http://www.lathes.co.uk/myford/index.html I would suggest you replace/repair the back gear now, before you need to use it. If you haven't already, check the bed is true (adjust the packing underneath the feet of the bed. The offset weight of the motor tends to twist it, so I've been led to believe.

 

Post pictures of the unknown bits, maybe someone knows what they may be.

[tender]

Spent some time today cleaning up one of the boxes of bits. They were all quite grimy having been unused for some time.

First off - a tool post for parting off on the back of the cross slide.

 

 

This took a bit of working out as it was all in bits, now it's together it looks like it could be very useful.

A Sadle stop with a turret for various positions.

 

 

Next - a die tool holder for the tail stock

 

 

And a handle for hand turning the chuck - presumably for use with above. Must remember to take that out before turning on the motor.

 

 

Lastly - I've no idea what this is for, maybe a 'special' made by the previous owner for a one off job.

 

 

Two more boxes to go, mostly chucks various, drill chucks and what I believe to be a dividing attachment and vertical slide.

[ian@stenochs]

 

Lastly - I've no idea what this is for, maybe a 'special' made by the previous owner for a one off job.

image.jpg

 

 

Hi,

That looks like a centre for holding tubes. I had one like it on a previous lathe when I was turning boiler bands onto a thick wall brass tube. The other end was held in the chuck with a piece of solid bar inside to stop the jaw pressure denting the end and the conical centre held the free end on centre.

 

What other goodies do you have?

 

Ian.

[ozzyo]

And a handle for hand turning the chuck - presumably for use with above. Must remember to take that out before turning on the motor.

 

image.jpg

 

 

 

If your going to use that handle at least put the lathe in a mid gear (no gear) or at least turn the power off. If that was to hit you in the head from under power it could be a one way trip to the bone yard for you. That thing at low revs. could break your arm at the very least, is it not spring loaded so that it wants to jump out? All it takes is a moment of forgetfulness and then it can be a lot of pain not just for you but your family.

 

THAT THING COULD KILL.

 

Sorry if I may sound dramatic about this sort of thing but it only takes a moment and then it's a one way trip up to boot hill.

 

OzzyO.

[sagaguy]

On a par with leaving the chuck key in the 3 or 4 jaw chuck & switching the power on .

 

      Ray.

[ozzyo]

On a par with leaving the chuck key in the 3 or 4 jaw chuck & switching the power on .

 

      Ray.

 

Most of the time if you do that it goes into the floor or hits the lathe bed, if your unlucky hits you in the armpit. The chuck key is one that you tend to see when working the lathe. That one as its at the L/H end and behind the headstock you won't until you leave it in place and then !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

OzzyO.

Edited July 13, 2015 by ozzyo

[AndyID]

This chuck came with my old SB lathe. Took me a while to find out what it was for.

 

[ozzyo]

This chuck came with my old SB lathe. Took me a while to find out what it was for.

 

DSCN1499.JPG

 

Without going looking for any thing it is one of two types of chuck.

 

A very early type of key-less chuck. My first choice.

 

Or an auto tapping chuck, these tended to look a bit longer than this (or the ones that I have seen did). The front band was for the cutting pressure and depth and would auto spin when the depth of cut was made. Then the lathe had to be reversed to get the tap out.

 

So I'd still go for option one.

 

Please let me know,

 

OzzyO.

[AndyID]

Nope

 

Would you like me to PM the answer to you?

[daifly]

It's an armature chuck for holding motor shafts.

[AndyID]

It's an armature chuck for holding motor shafts.

 

Correct, although it's more like a steady rest, or a centerless center. The jaws are bronze and they are adjusted to support the armature shaft, then locked in place with the locking ring. I think these were used mainly for skimming motor commutators.

[Mike Boucher]

Spent some time today cleaning up one of the boxes of bits. They were all quite grimy having been unused for some time.

 

image.jpg

 

Next - a die tool holder for the tail stock

 

image.jpg

 

And a handle for hand turning the chuck - presumably for use with above. Must remember to take that out before turning on the motor.

 

Can't say I've ever seen anyone turn the chuck while threading using a die holder in the tailstock.  What I do is lock the chuck (engage backgear without pulling the pin) and turn the die holder.  That way you can push while starting the thread.

 

I don't know why you would ever need such a handle, but I'm no expert. I would strongly suggest you take that handle off and never put it back on...

 

Mike

[halfwit]

Tender - that does indeed look like a pipe centre in your last photo, very usefull for tube work. But make sure that the end of the tube is square before using it (either filed square or faced off) otherwise the tube will be held eccentrically. They come in all sizes, I used to use one that was at least 300mm dia. Rather heavy to lift...

 

The handle is interesting, and nicely made. I've seen a photo of a similar one fitted to a Unimat SL in Laidlaw Dickson's 'The Book of the Unimat', used (by an editor of 'Model Engineering') for turning cast iron at low speed. As you suggest it looks very usefull for cutting threads, either with tap or die holder.

[smokebox]

I have a handle on my Myford Speed 10 lathe. Used mainly for threadcutting where you don't want to disengage the leadscrew half nuts and there is no reverse available from the motor. Some Myfords have a reversing switch fitted and some don't. Mine just has a NVR switch fitted so a manual crank handle is very useful. I always make sure power is disconnected before using the winding handle.

 

PS Slackening the drive belt makes it easier to hand crank.

Edited July 14, 2015 by smokebox

[AndyID]

I have a handle on my Myford Speed 10 lathe. Used mainly for threadcutting where you don't want to disengage the leadscrew half nuts and there is no reverse available from the motor. Some Myfords have a reversing switch fitted and some don't. Mine just has a NVR switch fitted so a manual crank handle is very useful. I always make sure power is disconnected before using the winding handle.

 

PS Slackening the drive belt makes it easier to hand crank.

 

I use a handle for the same reason.

 

If the chuck is threaded onto the spindle, never reverse the motor unless the chuck is also secured by a grub-screw. If there is no grub-screw, the chuck will be quite happy to unscrew itself from the spindle, bounce off the ways, and more than likely land on your foot.

[raymw]

On my old Myford ML7, I extended the countershaft, filed a flat on the protruding part of the shaft, and when required slide on a large hand-wheel (about 9inch diameter). It is quick/easy to attach, and unlike a handle, does not cause a problem if I forget to remove it, I tend to notice it if I start the motor. I only seem to use it when using a die in the tail-stock holder.
 
The armature chuck looks interesting, in the past I've managed by using a centre in the usual centre drilling in most shafts, or a 3 jaw steady, or occasionally a machined brass bush in the tail-stock. Many ways of skinning a cat (or your knuckles).
 
wrt chuck keys, this type https://www.cromwell.co.uk/IND4905930K can be easily replicated for the more usual type, by sliding a suitable spring over the shaft, but probably best to get into good habits.

 

Best wishes,

 

Ray

[ozzyo]

Hello all,

 

good post (#643), re the chuck. IIRC this type of chuck is also known as a live chuck, running chuck and a few more names.

 

I have just got my new Axminster catalogue and spotted this universal knee type of mill and thought that you all may like to see it. If I was in the market for a new mill I think that I'd be giving this one a good looking at.

 

OzzyO.

[raymw]

The problem with these small machines is that they are small, sometimes not enough room to get in a chuck, cutter and workpiece, plus the major snag is that the rpm is far too slow for the small cutters that you will need to use. Axminster used to do a 'micro-mill', at about three to four hundred pounds, to make it usable I replaced the geared head with a a couple of blocks to hold a dremel type drill, or woodworking router. Looks pretty, though.

[flubrush]

The problem with these small machines is that they are small, sometimes not enough room to get in a chuck, cutter and workpiece, plus the major snag is that the rpm is far too slow for the small cutters that you will need to use. Axminster used to do a 'micro-mill', at about three to four hundred pounds, to make it usable I replaced the geared head with a a couple of blocks to hold a dremel type drill, or woodworking router. Looks pretty, though.

 

You might be able to make a riser block to lift the vertical head a few inches to give a bit more table clearance.  This has been done on small knee mills like the Centec 2A to give a bit more elbow room between spindle end and table. 

 

I'm surprised that the top spindle speed is so slow.  It looks like it is a Seig machine and they might have been able to use the motor setup on their KX1 mill which gives a top speed of 7000rpm - still not ideal for very small cutters,  but a lot better than 2000rpm.   But it does look like a nice small machine.

 

Jim.

[ozzyo]

The problem with these small machines is that they are small, sometimes not enough room to get in a chuck, cutter and workpiece, plus the major snag is that the rpm is far too slow for the small cutters that you will need to use. Axminster used to do a 'micro-mill', at about three to four hundred pounds, to make it usable I replaced the geared head with a a couple of blocks to hold a dremel type drill, or woodworking router. Looks pretty, though.

 

A lot would depend on what you wanted to M/C for a lot of 7 / 10mm stuff this mill would have a lot of uses, it could be a bit small for 7" gauge type stuff. To get the best use of the space between the table and spindle nose you may have to use "finger" collets. This is the first time that I have seen a universal mill (or a H mill) in the Axminster catalogue and could be to see how it goes? Maybe a bigger one next year?  It does have a lot going for it 300mm longitudinal travel, 92mm cross travel, that should be big enough for most 7mm locos for the important bits.

 

Spindle speed can be a bit of a red hearing, 200 - 2,000 rpm. The low end is a bit on the high side I'd have liked to see about 100 rpm. The top end is OK for most of our type of work. Cutting speed books may tell you to use 20,000 rpm for small milling cutters but when you start to use these types of speed you also have to use the types of cutter that will stand being used at that sort of speed and at the cost of them, when you start to run at these sort of speeds you will need coolant and a lot of it.

 

When I was in heavy engineering I worked a V. mill that had a top speed of approx. 1,600 rpm and it was OK cutting 1mm key-ways to + -  0.025mm. It was also quite happy to take a 3/8" cut off a slab of 8" wide metal at 10" per min. IIRC spindle speed was about 300-400 rpm. With a cutter of about 10" dia.

 

OzzyO.