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Ex-Cell-O 602

Is that the original paint color? If so it looks pretty good. Mine was painted black when I got it, ugh. I went back with machinery gray.
I think it is close to the original color, based on a few scrapes and gouges, but I don’t believe it is the original paint. Whoever did the paint did a really great job of masking, but while cleaning it up I have run across some really faint areas of overspray.
 
Hi Doug H:
The classic way to judge the knee gibs (and the knee wear) is to perform two tests:
1) Snug up the gib at the middle of the stroke, then go to the ends of the stroke...if it gets tight at either end and remains correct in the middle your ways are worn.
2) go to the middle of the stroke, put a clock touching somewhere on the knee close to the outboard end of the knee and another as close to the column ways as you can.
Then waggle the elevation crank up and down through the range of its backlash.
If the outboard clock moves more than the inboard clock you have clearance between the gib and the ways in that location.
Basically you're propping up the knee with the elevation screw and then letting it sag, and the two clocks are telling you how much it sags when the elevation screw is not propping it up.

You can check it at all points of the knee stroke and characterize roughly how much clearance you have and whether its consistent for the whole stroke.
You can judge more accurately how much by propping the inboard end of the knee right next to the ways so it can't drop then lowering the knee onto the prop with the crank until the inboard clock just begins to register (it will even with a solidly propped knee) and then reading the outboard clock.

A third way to tell you if the knee gib is loose is to put on the two clocks as before, then run the table in and out as far as you can without hitting the clocks.
If the knee is rocking as you move the weight of the table past the fulcrum of the elevation screw you'll see it with the clocks.

Cheers

Marcus
www.implant-mechanix.com
www.vancouverwireedm.com
 
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Thanks, Implemex. That makes sense.

Some of us old wrenches get in the habit of thinking we can figure anything out and don’t always ask the questions we should. Most of the time, experience will lead us down the correct path, but sometimes it is just easier to rest on someone else’s experience. Trying to adhere to that mindset as I work on learning a new skill set. So much of machining looks really simple and straightforward, but the more I study, the more I realize that there is a whole lot I don’t know.
 
Had intended to take pictures of the reassembly, but it was so miserably hot that I forgot all about it. Got the knee finished up, and the cross slide. Started on the table, but ran into issues with the table feed assembly. Seems someone misplaced a cap screw. Feels like a totally different machine now. I have to say tho, you can consider this a public service announcement, If you ever get the opportunity to refurbish a machine in the Texas sun, you might want to put it off till cooler weather. I would have waited, but I really wanted to give it a deep cleaning before setting it up.
 
Got it in it's new home. Will run power this week, and also picking up it's new sibling, a lathe. First real project will be a Drawbar for the XLO, then a fine feed knob as well. After that, I will be using both machines to make fixturing to hold 1911 frames and slides. for various machining operations.
 

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Hey Doug does your 602 have a cover over the knee bevel gears or are they open? Mine has a cover and so far I see no way to lube those gears, which I find strange. Can't remove the cover without pulling the table so I am wondering what you found. I have seen a few with open gears. Thanks!
 
Hey Doug does your 602 have a cover over the knee bevel gears or are they open? Mine has a cover and so far I see no way to lube those gears, which I find strange. Can't remove the cover without pulling the table so I am wondering what you found. I have seen a few with open gears. Thanks!

There is a tray that covers the gears, to keep chips out of them. As far as I can tell there is no way to get to them without removing the table. I havent looked, but it may be possible to reach them from beneath.
 
There is a tray that covers the gears, to keep chips out of them. As far as I can tell there is no way to get to them without removing the table. I havent looked, but it may be possible to reach them from beneath.Thin sheet metal cover with two small screws holding it on.
Yea there is no way to remove it without the Y screw being removed and then it would be a pain. Thin sheet metal cover with two very small screws holding it on. No way I could even get them out to lift it. You can get to it from below and I installed a zerk fitting in the side so I can grease it. It needed it much smoother handle turn now. Thanks!
 
Glad to see an XLO get a new lease on life. I was always baffled why the BP design was often cloned as it was clearly inferior to XLO.
 
Hello everyone.

First, just wanted to introduce myself and offer my gratitude. I just purchased an ELO 602 from a local shop/warehouse. I had originally gone in to look at an old Cincinnati Toolmaster, but just couldn't get excited about it. The price was probably fair, but more than I wanted to spend on that particular machine. I asked if he had anything else, and he pointed to a couple of BP mills, but he wanted twice as much for those as he did the Toolmaster. I was about to leave, and asked if there was anything else, and he just looked at me and asked how mechanically inclined I was, and I just laughed and told him that I could fix just about anything if the parts were afailable, or if someone could make them. He said he had that old XLO and that he only wanted a grand for it. That was half what he wanted for the TM, and much less than what he wanted for the "refurbished" BP machines, so he had my attention. I asked him why it was so cheap, and he said the table was siezed up, and he just didn't want to mess with it. I asked if we could power it up so I could check the head(as much as you can by just powering it up). Spooled right up, and the variable speed worked like a champ. Tested the auto feed, and it also worked as it was supposed to. No smoke, chatter, or any really unusual noises. Only thing I could identify wrong with it aside from the table being siezed was it is missing the fine feed wheel for the quill. Closed the deal, and loaded it up, and took it home. It helps when you have a 3 ton crane on your truck.

First thing I did was power up the DRO. I had every intention of dismounting it and tossing it in the trash, but It works fine. A little hard to see the readout in bright daylight, but I imagine once I get it indoors, it will be fine. It is an old Teledyne Gurley Pathfinder 50. Will have to test it against a good dial indicator, but it seems to be as accurate as it is meant to be.

Got the easy part done, so I figured I would start in on the Table. Chased down a copy of the manual so I could be reasonably informed, and started backing the gibs out. They didn't want to cooperate at first, but a bit of penetrating oil got things moving. Once I got it loosened a bit I started running the power feed back and forth, and after a few passes everything was moving like glass. I haven't decided if I am going to stop there, re-adjust the gibs and call it good, or totally disassemble the table and knee for a thorough cleaning while I can get to it with the crane. If it was October, I would have already started, but Man, it is freaking hot outside.

Anyways, much appreciation to all who have posted previously about the XLO machines, and those who answered previous questions. Without that information at my fingertips, I might have passed on an awesome machine.
I think you scored. XLOs are great machines. I always considered them much superior to BP.
 
Hi all,
I just purchased a Ex-cell-o mill.
It doesnt have a power feed on it.
In the pictures was a power feed on the “x” axis.
Could you please supply information on it?
THANKS
 








 
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