Grown Man Crying...

[sifugreg]

So, I got my new stand for my old Woodfast Lathe, Spent a ton of money on it and to get it here. In the process of forcably disassembling the unit (the previous owner had decided to drill out certain nuts on the headstock screwing up the threads) and dropping the headstock the 1-1/4 X 8 TPI Morse Taper got bent. I've been trying to file the threads back into alignment but I'm not having any luck. I have my doubts about having a machine shop redo the whole piece but maybe they could re-cut just the threads and fix the mores taper? Any suggestions or is this just an excuse for me to purchase a new lathe (which I can't afford)?

 

[john lucas]

Just take it to a good machinist and ask for thier advice. They may be able to thread spindle and ream the morse taper or they may have to rebuild the entire shaft. They should be able to tell you what it will take to fix it and how much it will cost. Hope for your sake it's something simple.

 

[hcbph]

So, I got my new stand for my old Woodfast Lathe, Spent a ton of money on it and to get it here. In the process of forcably disassembling the unit (the previous owner had decided to drill out certain nuts on the headstock screwing up the threads) and dropping the headstock the 1-1/4 X 8 TPI Morse Taper got bent. I've been trying to file the threads back into alignment but I'm not having any luck. I have my doubts about having a machine shop redo the whole piece but maybe they could re-cut just the threads and fix the mores taper? Any suggestions or is this just an excuse for me to purchase a new lathe (which I can't afford)?

A machine shop may be able to helicoil the screw threads. They do that with engine blocks etc, and that's pretty much a standard process.

Paul

 

[Charlie Harley]

Talk nice to a local machine shop and I'll bet they'd do the job for not much at all. Most shops I work with make their money doing large jobs for industrial clients. Average Joe's who come in with a busted tool get fit into gaps in their work schedule and get charged very little, if any. Most machinists are "tool guys" themselves and know how to help out a pard in need.

 

[Mark Mandell]

A machine shop may be able to helicoil the screw threads. They do that with engine blocks etc, and that's pretty much a standard process.

Paul

Paul,

I know about Heli-Coil for female thread repair, but how would that be done on the male spindle thread? Is this something new?

Thanks.

M

 

[hcbph]

Paul,

I know about Heli-Coil for female thread repair, but how would that be done on the male spindle thread? Is this something new?

Thanks.

M

My misunderstanding, I thought it was the female threads that were damaged. I had one male threaded item once that was damaged, there is a thread restorer (assuming the material is left) that can be used to help 'push' the threads back in shape. Similar to a die but it doesn't cut the threads, just push them back into alignment. Good luck

Paul

 

[Hawaii Turner]

Shed more tears?

Greg,
If your spindle is bent at the threaded end only a few thousandths, it might be possible to chase the threads to true it up, but that will result in the threads being looser. The MT would have to be recut, not reamed as a reamer would not correct the alignment. When recut, or reamed, the tapered hole diameter would increase and some (all?) of the taper shank tools (drive centers) would probably bottom out on their shoulder rather than engaging the taper.
I may have located a new spindle for you @ $110. They are checking if it really is in stock. I will post when I hear.
Do you have the tools and capability to R&R the spindle and the bearings? You might as well replace the bearings at the same time.
Talk to you later
Aloha,
Doug
PS, been a machinist for 40 years

 

[Hawaii Turner]

Found it


Greg,
I talked to Danny at Craft Supplies USA, and although they no longer sell the Woodfast lathe, they still have some spares in stock, and he has found the spindle. Call him @ (800) 551-8876
I think that this will be the best and least painless resolution to your problem.
Aloha, Doug

 

[Bill Boehme]

Now that's what I call real service

Greg,
I talked to Danny at Craft Supplies USA, and although they no longer sell the Woodfast lathe, they still have some spares in stock, and he has found the spindle. Call him @ (800) 551-8876
I think that this will be the best and least painless resolution to your problem.
Aloha, Doug

I agree that buying a new replacement spindle is, by far, the best and least pain solution in the long run. My opinion about the damaged spindle is that there is no way that only the threaded end is bent -- the whole spindle is bent to some degree because the bearings are simply not stiff enough to prevent the spindle from bowing.

Hopefully, the pulley will remove from the old spindle (if the spindle is warped, there may be a problem). Installing new bearings is no biggie if you know the Do's and Don'ts -- otherwise have a machine shop do it for you. Definitely do not use the old bearings: They are likely damaged and you wouldn't be helping things by removing them from the old crooked spindle and pressing them on the new spindle. I have made my own bearing pullers and presses by using all-thread, nuts, washers, various PVC pipe fittings, and bronze bushings. Also, you can often drop a bearing right onto a spindle without a press if you chill the spindle in a freezer for a couple hours to shrink it. Assembling everything after removing the spindle from the freezer requires working rapidly, installing the bearing in one smooth fluid motion (don't stop at midpoint to admire your progress -- else it may not be anything to admire), and making certain that you don't cock the bearing.

Bill

 

[Mark Mandell]

My misunderstanding, I thought it was the female threads that were damaged. I had one male threaded item once that was damaged, there is a thread restorer (assuming the material is left) that can be used to help 'push' the threads back in shape. Similar to a die but it doesn't cut the threads, just push them back into alignment. Good luck

Paul

Gotcha. That's what I figgered.

 

[sifugreg]

Whoa, you are an amazing man. I temporarily fixed the device by cutting off the end 1/4 inch of the shaft but things stil don't quite fit right. I will definately jump on the parts. Thanks again!!

Greg

Greg,
I talked to Danny at Craft Supplies USA, and although they no longer sell the Woodfast lathe, they still have some spares in stock, and he has found the spindle. Call him @ (800) 551-8876
I think that this will be the best and least painless resolution to your problem.
Aloha, Doug

 

[sifugreg]

Exellent advice. Can't thank you all enough. Luckily I was able to get the pulley off just fine and it seems to run true. There does seem to be the slighest ammount of wobble that wasn't there before. Well worth the $110 if nothing more than as an idiots fee for being so careless. Seems that something like this crops up every few years to keep you humble. Actually, I would like to replace it with something that hadn't been drilled out. I had to beat the $#^@ out of the back nut to get it off as that was the one my grandpa drilled all the way intto the spindle and put a set screw in. I probably damaged the aft bearing just getting that out. Guess most of my problem was frusteration. Not a good trait for a wood turner

Greg

I agree that buying a new replacement spindle is, by far, the best and least pain solution in the long run. My opinion about the damaged spindle is that there is no way that only the threaded end is bent -- the whole spindle is bent to some degree because the bearings are simply not stiff enough to prevent the spindle from bowing.

Hopefully, the pulley will remove from the old spindle (if the spindle is warped, there may be a problem). Installing new bearings is no biggie if you know the Do's and Don'ts -- otherwise have a machine shop do it for you. Definitely do not use the old bearings: They are likely damaged and you wouldn't be helping things by removing them from the old crooked spindle and pressing them on the new spindle. I have made my own bearing pullers and presses by using all-thread, nuts, washers, various PVC pipe fittings, and bronze bushings. Also, you can often drop a bearing right onto a spindle without a press if you chill the spindle in a freezer for a couple hours to shrink it. Assembling everything after removing the spindle from the freezer requires working rapidly, installing the bearing in one smooth fluid motion (don't stop at midpoint to admire your progress -- else it may not be anything to admire), and making certain that you don't cock the bearing.

Bill