Haven't updated this project in awhile. Covid has hit our business just like everyone, but fortunately we're still very busy. I've just had to be selective with what "fun" projects I spend time on. Also had another baby boy in November, and been busy doing land work on our property (because we can't budget outsourcing it). We did sell our other 15" engine lathe (making room for a new CNC), so that has put some helpful pressure on getting this lathe going. These are the many battle fronts that this lathe is sitting on currently:
1. Still refitting the saddle and cross-slide. I've paused working on the cross-slide ways and am focusing on getting the top of the saddle scraped in. Nearly every top surface on the saddle had to be fly-cut and my less-than-stellar milling set-up left a lot of clean-up needed with the scraper, so it's taking time to get it all flat again. The top of the saddle I'm just trying to get within .001 all around parallel with the bottom of the saddle, while the ways will be 20PPI. When I do have time to play, it's usually a couple hours here and there, so haven't been able to double down on the scraping, BUT, I did end up with a bigger surface plate in the shop last year which is making measuring my progress much easier.
2. I have all the pieces cut for the belt guard. Just need to finish welding, paint it, and make some simple stand-offs to mount it on the machine.
3. Thanks to eBay, I found the last missing gear guard from the feed-gear-train. It's the right one for my size of lathe, but will need a couple corners nibbled on to fit with the other guards.
4. You will all be happy to know I went back on my plan to make a wood electrical enclosure (no house fires). I revisited the steel cabinet I had saved from the Czech turret lathe I scrapped and found a better way to mount it behind the head-stock and position the components inside.
5. I've been piecing together the missing 3H collet set. The collet tube I found is a perfect fit for my machine BUT, the flat belt and belt guard collide with the closer hand wheel, so I plan to make a 4" extension and a 4" spacer sleeve to off-set the tube and clear the guard. I'm also working with Hendeyman to get prints for the missing pieces of the bed mounted collet set cabinet (see this thread for more details on this project:
Hendey Collet Box parts).
6. In addition to the bed mounted collet box, I'm also planning on reproducing the bed-mounted wood tool box and probably the floor standing wood pyramid for storing face-plates (hendeyman's a saint!). These options were advertised in this era with some high end 12" lathes. My lathe's a 16", but the cutting-edge electric drive lends it towards a high end out-fit in my imagination. Once the drawings arrive, I'll see how big of a task making the mortised wood pieces will be.
7. I'm setting up to re-pour my Babbit half-nuts. My plan involves a fixture to hold the halves and an acme-thread core that mimics the lead screw (since the lead screw is so long and has a key-way running along it that inhibits a good mold). More details on that project here:
Babbitt Re-pour Questions.
8. I'm also working on getting the feed worms and feed worm gears replaced in the apron. Not yet decided if I'll outsource them to hendeyman or tackle them ourselves.
9. I've located a few other spindle plates and chucks. Once the saddle's back together, my first job will be to cut away the 4-jaw chucks stuck back plate and replace it.
10. Still doing clean-up and painting. As I noted before, the painting is not necessary right now, but I'd rather do it when the castings are clean than later once they're soaked in cutting oil. It does build moral for a project that's taking a long time to complete.