1964 10EE lathe

[rabler]

Here's what it looks like so far. Quick change gear box (QCGB) rehung, most of the covers in place, even if covering empty space. Second picture is the bench of parts left to go. At least that is most of them, there are a few more in various corners of the garage, and the motor and electronics on the electronics bench, etc.

 

[rabler]

The DC motor was obviously in need of some help, based on looking at the commutator. (Note these pictures are "thumbnails" so you can click them for larger view.) So I hoisted the motor out from under my electronics bench and put it up on the workbench:


Took the motor apart with some help from my wife to manage the gear puller on one bearing. This is what the motor shaft looks like going into the reduction gearbox, note the face of the motor is the backplate of the reduction gearbox. Had to disconnect the two leads to the brushes.


Here's the plate the brushes sit on, and a closeup of one of the brush holders. The brush itself is on the bottom right, barely protruding from the holder, desperately in need of new brushes:



I got the rotor chucked up in the Monarch CK and started to turn the commutator down. Took about .075" off the diameter total to get it completely cleaned up.



I still need to clean up between the commutator bars, but that is a challenge for another day. Another issue I have to address is that the fan rotor is about 3/8" out of true. Looks like someone had pried against it to remove the rear motor housing. (GRRRRRrrrrr). I'm sure that's going to induce some vibration in the motor if I don't straighten and/or balance it. You can see a gouge near 3 o'clock in this picture, and at about 7 o'clock there is a major bend.

 

[extropic]

Great progress. Sweet machine.

In my projects, when I find things like your bent fan, I think of God's vengeance (lightening strikes and such) on the ill prepared (insert favorite descriptor) that did the damage and left it behind.

I would like to see a description and pictures of how you have (or intend to) relieve the insulators between the commutator segments.

 

[rabler]

Great progress. Sweet machine.

In my projects, when I find things like your bent fan, I think of God's vengeance (lightening strikes and such) on the ill prepared (insert favorite descriptor) that did the damage and left it behind.

I would like to see a description and pictures of how you have (or intend to) relieve the insulators between the commutator segments.

Thanks! A lightning bolt sounds too quick. I was thinking of using his fingers as the next pry-point.

This is my first adventure cleaning up a DC motor. I've heard from at least 2 sources that a hacksaw blade with the kerf ground off is a good tool to scrape between the commutator bars so I plan on trying that. I left the rotor mounted in the CK so it'll be easy to access, and I can give the commutator a final polish after that to get a truly smooth surface to minimize wear on the brushes.

 

[Shootymacshootface]

That 10EE is going to be so awesome!

 

[Winegrower]

It takes knowledge of a bunch of different disciplines to pull off this kind of restoration. Terrific work, rabler.

 

[rabler]

It takes knowledge of a bunch of different disciplines to pull off this kind of restoration. Terrific work, rabler.

Or the willingness to jump in and learn at the cost of a few mistakes along the way, which is a good way to acquire that knowledge.
Thanks!!

 

[rabler]

I would like to see a description and pictures of how you have (or intend to) relieve the insulators between the commutator segments.

The insulation was much less of an issue than the copper smearing. Hacksaw blade with the kerf ground off, and lots of patience. Held the blade rocked at 45 degrees into the trailing edge from the cut. Polished with 180 then 320 grit sandpaper. Cleaned up with compressed air. Had to go back and hacksaw more and then polish again to get something I could live with. The harder and certainly nastier job is going to be getting all the grease mixed with carbon out of the frame.

 

[rabler]

Please continue showing us your progress. I suspect for 10EEs, the price is about to go up and the availability about to go down, with all the drooling going on out here in cyberspace.

Missed your comment earlier. I really hope the price doesn't go up. I might mess this up and need to buy another one to start again.

 

[rabler]

Well I've started cleaning out the carriage. A couple hours of scrubbing in the parts washer. Compressed air would not go through the oil lines, so I took the manifold and bijur flow restrictors apart and blew them out individually, alternating compressed air and WD-40 after cleaning the ports out individually with a bit of welding wire. All but one of them are open/flowing at this point. I left the blocked one soaking over night with WD-40 saturating the line. I'm going to have to replace a couple of the copper lines as they are smashed flat. I'll probably go ahead an replace the flow restrictor ports too. Getting oil through here consistently is the most critical part of long term carriage/way maintenance, with keeping good way wipers a close second.


I'll have to get around to ordering brushes and bearings for the motor, but likely not until next week. The trip to pick up the straight edge took up a full day. Been trying to get some spring yard work done too. Of course my idea of "yard work" includes spreading a couple dump truck loads of gravel.