Author Topic: Replacing odd discontinued lathe parts.  (Read 9132 times)

Offline WillieL

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Replacing odd discontinued lathe parts.
« on: January 18, 2012, 10:32:55 PM »
This is a small project I did a few months ago when I was looking for spare parts for one of my lathes. I tried to order a new tail stock quill, feed screw, and a feed nut. The company had the new quill in stock but the feed parts have been discontinued and are no longer available.



So I started looking for a length of acme threaded rod with the same thread as the original part. There were none to be found because the original screw has a metric diameter but it has an imperial pitch. The closest thing I could find was a section of 5/8 - 8 TPI rod and a matching nut/sleeve.



I managed to turn down the end of the acme rod to the proper diameter (metric) to fit the tail stock housing and hand wheel. Then cut the threads for the hand wheel nut, and milled out a key slot.



But then I was still missing the thrust collar in the center of the shaft.   :Doh:
Sooooo..... it was over to the tig welder to build up enough of a ring of metal to turn a new collar.



I finally ended up with a usable part, which turned out to be even beefier than the original. I tell people - "Oh sure, I PLANNED it that way."   :lol:



I hope this meets with the picture requirements?
WillieL

Midwestern USA

Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Replacing odd discontinued lathe parts.
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2012, 10:53:20 PM »
Picture requirements met!

Some nice work there. I am in the process of updating my tiny mill (read: redoing the CNC conversion). Hope the screws turn out as nice.

Going to make some delrin/acetyl nuts for it though.

Eric
Science is fun.

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Offline Davo J

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Re: Replacing odd discontinued lathe parts.
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2012, 11:47:29 PM »
Really nice work, it looks great. :beer:
That tig weld did the job well.

Dave

Offline WillieL

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Re: Replacing odd discontinued lathe parts.
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2012, 09:12:33 AM »
Picture requirements met!

Some nice work there. I am in the process of updating my tiny mill (read: redoing the CNC conversion). Hope the screws turn out as nice.

Going to make some delrin/acetyl nuts for it though.

Eric
I wish I had the noodle for doing CNC work, but I'm afraid my math skills are, well.....  nonexistent.   :palm:
I'm afraid it's manual machines for me.

Re: Making your delrin/acetyl nuts - are you going to cut them, or do the "hot melt" method? Either way I would be interested in seeing the process.

Willie
 
WillieL

Midwestern USA

Offline WillieL

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Re: Replacing odd discontinued lathe parts.
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2012, 09:18:53 AM »
That tig weld did the job well.

Dave
Unfortunately, I had to do it twice. I had to stack a second bead on top of the first because I didn't get it quite tall enough with the single bead.   :doh:
Luckily, I still had more filler rod.   :D

Willie
 
WillieL

Midwestern USA

Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Replacing odd discontinued lathe parts.
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2012, 01:31:07 PM »
...
Re: Making your delrin/acetyl nuts - are you going to cut them, or do the "hot melt" method? Either way I would be interested in seeing the process.
...

Going to try out the "hot melt" method. I have the delrin to do this, I just have to make the time.

I plan on doing a project log as soon as I get going.

Eric
Science is fun.

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Rob.Wilson

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Re: Replacing odd discontinued lathe parts.
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2012, 02:33:29 PM »
Nice save Willie  :clap: :clap: :clap: :thumbup:



Rob

Offline WillieL

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Re: Replacing odd discontinued lathe parts.
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2012, 09:35:27 PM »
Thank you Rob. I know I took the long way round to get there. But the benefit for me will be that if I ever need to replace the feed nut again, I know I will be able to get another one easily since it is a standard size and pitch now.

You should have seen some of the looks I got when I walked into the supply company and asked if they had any 13mm x 8 TPI left hand acme threaded rod.....   :loco:

 :lol:
WillieL

Midwestern USA