Hendy Lathe Problem

Video_man

Video_man

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H-M Supporter Gold Member
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Nov 9, 2011
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Someone at the railroad museum where I volunteer has boogered up the tailstock on our 1941 Hendy lathe, and we need to disassemble the tailstock to repair the threads on the advance screw. Hoping to avoid any more damage, we're hoping someone knows the proper procedure for taking this apart. Any help appreciated!

0206061551b.jpg
 
you need to post a pic of the handwheel end of the tailstock, it looks like my Covmac, if it is, remove the fixings from round the collar and the handwheel and drive screw will come out of the tailstock. It may require a long tube to fit over the screw to tap the collar out, but if you are carefull it should be a simple job. Actually looks like the brass or bronze nut in the quill has failed, tap it out and make a new one on the Hendy! If it isthe quill you are asking about, and need to strip, if the nut is in a blind or flush bore, and cannot be driven out from the other end, if the nut is already damaged, it can be machined out, or bored and tapped for a coarse thread, and have a plug screwed into it, and then driven out from the other end of the quill.
Phil
 
If you don't figure it out soon, pm me and I can see about getting you into contact with the guy that has all the Hendy records and documentation that still exists.
 
Here are a couple of links to manuals that may help.

http://pounceatron.dreamhosters.com/...dey-manual.pdf

http://pounceatron.dreamhosters.com/...dey-Op-Man.pdf

Thanks to Greg Menke for hosting these and others he has on his site.

Hendyman is the contact for anything pertaining to Hendy lathes and such. He hangs out on the Practical Machinists Forum under the "Antique Machinery" section. Send him a PM over there and he will get back with you soon, usually a day or so. Please provide the serial number of the lathe in question when you contact him. That way, he can locate the proper drawing pertaining to the tailstock you have there.

Someday, I hope we can get him to hang out here too without having to go over to the "other forum" to talk to him.
 
Whatever you do, DO NOT even consider disassembling the base as it is almost certainly shimmed to align and it's unlikely you'll get it right again.

Once again, ask me how I know this :)
 
Thanks for your advice, everyone, and thank you 4gsr for the manuals. The bronze nut in the ram is damaged but I think I can finesse it with careful work with riffler files and such. The damage -- and I can't fathom how they did it --- appears to be the drive screw in the tailstock itself, which is why I need to remove it. Fortunately, the base is not involved. I'll post how this works out, and thanks to all of you again!
 
If (like my Covmac) it is a hollow quill screw, with no slot for removing the morse taper, it is usual to drive out the morse taper with a rod or tube from the handwheel end of the tailstock by passing the tube or rod through the hole in the handwheel/screw . this can easily damage the thread if the end of the bar or tube gets mushroomed and gets stuck in the quill screw. Ask me how I know, although I managed to get it out again without damage.
Phil
 
Success! Actually all that's needed to remove the advance screw is to remove the handwheel and key, and it slips out the front with no fuss. I milled off a badly damaged first thread on the screw (somebody must have tried to assemble it with a hammer ----insert bad word here) ----but I filed a new lead on it and it was good as new; the bronze nut in the ram was also damaged, but patience, dental picks, riffler files and so on smoothed it out enough for a smooth engagement. So, all fixed, and the Gold Coast Railroad Museum and I thank all of you for your interest and input!
 
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