Help with Vintage K.O. Lee Tool & Cutter Grinder

[TDPurcell]

I have a vintage KO Lee grinder (Pic 1) and I'm looking for a part for it or ideas of what to do if I can't find the part.

The grinder is as follows: Model No. B604, Serial No. 3292 (Pic 2).

The third pic shows the assemply for the hand feed that moves the entire table top back and forth, i.e., toward the user and away from the user (It's the feed handle on the left in Pic 1).

Pic 4 shows the part I need from this assembly. It is the threaded insert that the hande-screw threads into.

You can see in Pic 5 how mine has broken.

The remaining pics are additional refrence pics.

I'm guessing that this is a shot in the dark, but do anyone have an idea for finding a replacement for the part I'm looking for?

Or does anyone have any alternative suggestions for repairing this?

I am not a machinist but a hobby knifemaker.

Thank you for your time.

David Purcell.

 

[Mike C.]

Probably just have to get a new one made. You might could get a piece of acme thread to use as an arbor and TIG weld this back together, but you'd likely have to chase it with an acme tap to get everything straight. Wouldn't take much more effort to make the whole thing at that rate.

 

[TDPurcell]

Thanks for the reply.

I think I've figured out that the part is called a feed nut.

I'll probably look for someone fabricate a replacement for me as finding a replacement probably will be impossible.

 

[gwilson]

I have a K.O.Lee Knockout,too!! I think mine looks a bit newer than yours. Must check the serial#. No extra parts though.

 

[Mike C.]

Yeah, K. O. Lee went out of business a couple of years ago (right after I bought my BA960), so I have no idea where to go in search of parts. You might post this to the abrasive machining section of this forum. Somebody there might be able to help.

 

[wlbrown]

HELLO,
this should be an easy part to make. buy a tap, if you have to,
and you will not have to single point the threads.
first, make a very detailed drawing, and then go at it!
good luck to all
wlbrown

 

[jkopel]

try fixing it first

I just acquired on old K.O. Lee B660 and have it apart for cleaning.
For what it is worth, it is NOT an acme thread, it is a standard 3/4-10 RH.
It is a moderately complex part since the double tapers fit in the holder to compress the feed nut and take up slack.
It also needs at least one of the grooves cut to engage a little pin that keeps the feed nut from rotating.
If it were mine I would first try to carefully silver solder it back together.
Degrease the crap out of it with some of that sodium hydroxide based purple cleaner, and then gently bind the two pieces with iron wire.
Brush the edges with a stainless steel brush to try and get some carbon off.
Flux it with good quality flux (I like the hi-temp stay-silv black from Harris) and silver solder it.

You might get some silver in the threads, but you are a knife maker!
Make a little 60 deg bent scraper and scrape it out until it fits nicely.

 

[George Wilson]

Testing password

 

[TDPurcell]

A friend of mine arranged to have the feed nut TIG welded. I've reassembled the grinder with the repaired part, and it seems to be working very well. I appreciate everyone's imput and help.

David.

 

[shapeaholic]

David,
I have sent you a PM

Pete

 

[TDPurcell]

Pete,

I have responded to your PM. Thank you.

David.