Hello everyone!
I've been wanting to join this site for some time now but finding the time to play around on the web is difficult. Anyway Im 21 years old and I'm just now getting into the trade. Im currently half way through my two Associate Degrees (Manual Machining/CNC Machining) at Sinclair College in Dayton Ohio. I already have two Associates Degrees from Sinclair (Electronics Engineering, and Computer Engineering). Im trying to become a "Jack of All Trades" so that I can get my business up and going to support myself. I found a job through school that has come to teach me a lot about the trade. I started there back in December 2012 as a manual mill operator at a small machine shop. The owner saw that I had potential to grasp new ideas very fast. So I progressed up to a ProtoTrak Mill along with a raise, few months later moved up to a Hurco KMB1m 3 Axis CNC Mill along with a raise, and now currently since April 2013 I have been moved up to his biggest/nicest machine in the shop, the HAAS TM2 along with a nice raise. My job has become almost a hobby for me and I really enjoy it. However I still want to push getting my business going.
So I acquired a old lathe for free. Im not sure who makes it. Has no markings on it what so ever. Only who it was inspected by and that it got a grade "A" stamped on the ways back by the tail stock. I have posted some pictures of that old machine so If anyone knows what it is please tell me! This lathe had been sitting for years in a gravel floor barn. The guy that had it covered the machine with old motor oil when he parked it to sit. In hopes to keep it from rusting and pitting. Well that did help prevent the rust but it alos allowed 20 years of dirt and dust to collect and cake on to it like glue. The carriage and cross slide would not move from all the dirt crusted on the ways. The guy said it was a working lathe before he parked it. So I knew I could get it working, it just needed rebuilt. So thats where Im at now. I've tore everything off the machine and began stripping it down to bare metal with a wire brush on a angle grinder. I hit every surface besides the ways and precision surfaces. I scraped the dirt off the ways with a razor blade and then used a scotch brite pad on a die grinder. Once everything was cleaned up I wiped it all down with paint thinner. Which is where I'm at now.... Painting the machine. I got some Sherwin Williams Industrial Paint left over from work. So far all I have spayed is the bed. I plan to do some more painting today. Im getting close to the putting back together stage and thats what has brought me here to ask some questions. I would like to either lap or scrap the ways of the machine. I've read so much on the internet of people saying dont do it or go ahead whats the worst that can happen. The ways on the machine are not beat with heavy gouge marks or anything. It looks to be in good shape. However they still have scale on them that is going to affect its ability to move smooth and free. I realize this machine is old and worn but I want this machine to be as accurate and tight as I can get it. My boss said to get some "Clover Lapping Compound" I need to do something to the ways to polish them up again just what should I do?
Also I recently bough a WT Tool ZX45 bench-top mill that I plan to CNC. So after I get this lathe put back together I will be starting a thread on it.
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Hi
its looking good
you will of gained a lot of useful experience with the old lathe rebuild
and will have a lathe that will outlast many of today’s cheap imported machines
John
PS
when repairing an old mini lathe I found it easier to reverse engineer the speed control then
correct the mechanical issues
Last edited by john-100; 07-13-2013 at 07:03 AM.
Hi John
When your talking about the speed control, are your talking about the pulley belt system? What did you end up using? VFD?
Hi
it was a PWM DC motor speed control FC250J
with no circuit or other info available I traced the circuit and
about 3 years ago I posted here -
speed control pcb for Clarke CL300 lathe | Model Engineer
John
Looks like there are a few schematics out there now, if this is the same controller, same number anyhow?
Harbor Freight Chinese Lathe Motor controller repair. How to fix FC250J/110V
Al.
CNC, Mechatronics Integration and Custom Machine Design
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”
Albert E.
Ill end up buying one of the mini-lathes here eventually to CNC. But first I need to finish this project. Ive been spending countless hours on researching lapping the ways. I cant find any information on the procedure of how to do it. All I find is that you start with a rough grit paste and work your way up to a fine paste. However whats the procedure. Ive read once that you should rough lap without the gibs then finish lap with them secured. While you continuously tighten the gib till the travel is smooth and tight throughout the whole travel range. I would just like a few more references to help ensure I do it right.
Hi Al
for some reason I cant see any link to the controller details even when highlighting the
almost invisible yellow text
servicing the boards is made harder because all of the board is live and I have the 240V version
the nearest I've found on the net is here -
http://www.hossmachine.info/Gerling%...viceManual.pdf
John
I've no experience of lapping ways
replacing the original ill fitting gibs with new ones made it possible to part off without breaking the tool!
about 5 pages into the speed control thread I posted a picture of the new gibbs
that made a greater improvement than replacing the spindle bearings with taper bearings
John
CNC, Mechatronics Integration and Custom Machine Design
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”
Albert E.
Hi Al
I don't see the index , I guess something in the way my PC is setup
whats the web address your taken to for the schematic ?
John
This is a screen shot with the upper part of the schematic.
http://www.dcmotorcontroller.net/
Al.
CNC, Mechatronics Integration and Custom Machine Design
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”
Albert E.
thanks Al
now I know what I should see
not this
another puzzel to solve
John
PS
I've just been re reading this thread of someone elses adventure with a lathe
http://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,8261.0.html
Main screen
Al.
CNC, Mechatronics Integration and Custom Machine Design
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”
Albert E.
Ive ordered several grits of Clover lapping compound from 80 to 400 grit. Just waiting for them to come in the mail. Now Im thinking of adding some sort of oil passage ways to the ways of the carriage, cross slide, and compound rest. This lathe does not appear to have any sort of lubrication method. Im thinking about taking a ball nose EM and milling some groves in the carriage. Anyone ever installed a one shot oiler on a lathe? Or Ive heard of high pressure zerk fittings for oil?