Save me from myself, please!

Hey westerner, good luck with the surgery! When I had mine, I over did it a tiny bit, and really really suffered for it - please take all the rest that is recommended!

Good luck with your Atlas, as well.
 
Thank you, gentlemen, for the advice, and kind wishes. I have A BUNCH of cartridge reloading to do, and a pile of movies. Not to mention all the surfing on this and other subjects. And fear not, no RUI (reloading under the influence) either!
 
@westerner

Here's a PDF to download and take along for your long waits and recovery period:
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/connelly-on-machine-tool-reconditioning.41802/
It's BIG; 600 pages, in 6 parts at the link.

To some this is considered "the bible" of scraping, and repairing ways (dovetail and flat surfaces), alignment, etc.

They still try to sell it in the back of the new machining magazines for $100!

All my best wishes for your surgery and recovery.

-brino
 
To me sometimes it’s not about the money. It’s the satisfaction of when your done and it works as planned.
Many not like a new machine but it’s yours and you did the work.
Thanks ron
 
Dang, Brino! THAT should keep me out of the bingo parlor for AT LEAST 2-3 weeks! Thanks.
Ron- Hit the nail on the head, you did! I recognize that this machine is limited WHEN NEW! My uncle broke in on this very machine 50ish years ago. Learned the basics, and then some. He left that shop 45ish years ago. Since then, it has been sadly, and seriously, neglected. What I learn in my time with it is a tribute to him and his skills. It is far less about what what the LATHE is, or could be, capable of. More about advancing MY capabilities in the spirit of his memory. Thank you.
 
Just surfed thru the "beater truck" thread in the member's hangout. The whole thing ties in here. Many in my family are cursed with an irrational affection for old iron too. This lathe, my uncle's 55 jeep wagoneer, my own (2) 71 F-250 4x4s, and my 71 Bronco. Not to mention my brother's "collection". The satisfaction of keeping them alive FAR outweighs the sacrifice involved. That said, I cannot compete in the "beater truck" thread. Some of those guys could school ME on "satisfaction"! LOLOL. My hat is off, and covering my heart.
 
An update, gentlemen. As stated earlier, I measured .004 bed wear. Further inspection reveals another .006 in the underside of the carriage. Shim under gib here adds ANOTHER .010.! Far side of back ways worn .004 at the headstock. Small wonder I found a little chatter.
So- I have spent some time measuring, and scheming. I built a scraper and jig. Disassembled the carriage, and used it, with careful gib adjustment, to guide my progress. "Y" play is now consistent full lenght. Carriage vertical, "Z" I believe, has been reduced to .004 at headstock, to nil about halfway towards tailstock.
Is it RIGHT? Absolutely not.
Is it RESTORED? Well, kinda.
Is it BETTER? By a whole bunch.
Was it tedious, satisfying, and CHEAP? Oh, my, YES!
Please know that all of your input was considered thru all of this. I did a test run on a scrap piece, on the mill, as I originally had proposed. As Brino kindly suggested, "A bit ambitious"...Not a small understatement, gently delivered, greatly appreciated.
 
well done! It takes some dedication to restore an old lathe, particularly one needing scraping...
What you have now is quite manageable! Congratulations! :D
 
@westerner

Congratulations on the success!
You made the lathe better and must have learned a bunch....win-win

I'd appreciate some pictures of your "scraper and jig".....and also any advise on measurement techniques and reference material you found useful.
Thanks

-brino
 
Last edited:
Brino- pics are coming. My internet connection at home is 'spotty', to be kind. Our good friends at Verizon decided to 'allocate assets' to more lucrative areas lately. That said, let me say this in advance- ever heard the saying "poor folks have poor ways"? When I present what I have done, even the DEAD purists will shudder! Ron's post above captures quite eloquently my approach in full!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top