5914 Intermittent Lead Screw?

[HighWall]

I have a new-to-me Clausing 5914.

When I first got it in my shop and powered up, I found that the lead screw would not engage. Before I get a bunch of suggestions about checking the shear pin, mine is fine. I also understand the 3 position selector switch. The lead screw was unengaged no matter what I did. I found I could spin it with my fingers and then it would continue to rotate, but then I could stop it with my fingers. Then I fooled around with the different controls and it started turning and I could engage the feed controls on the carriage. This afternoon, the former owner was here and the lead screw again wouldn't engage, then after taking the top cover off and checking out a few things, it started turning again.

What would cause the lead screw to balk like that? It seems to be working okay now, but I'm a little reticent to use it on something critical until I understand the problem better.

 

[Black Earth Knives]

Mine does the same thing and I haven't found the reason why yet. I have tried removing the gear box but is won't let go of the main body. Let me know if you find the answer to your (our) problem.

 

[Silverbullet]

Has to something not truly engaged , gear missing detent or key and keyway messed up or another shear pin that drops in and out causing the intermittent working . May need someone watching all the parts that run the leadscrew to catch where it's spinning free. Sure is a pita tho I'd be frustrated too. I know you may have thought of all this but I'm just trying to help.

 

[wa5cab]

This is another reason why I dislike sheer pins.

 

[Old junk]

Second what silver bullet says.sounds like key or gear walking in and out.

 

[Black Earth Knives]

FIXED!!

On my Clausing 5914 it turned out to the be the selector for gear "A, B, or C" had worked loose (i.e. knob moved forward) and the pinion gear at the back of the quick change gear box was not contacting the rack gear. Sadly I had to totally dismantle the gear box before I found this out. Hopefully I can save someone time in the future. By the way, you do need to take the quadrant gear set off of the lathe before the gear box will pop out. It isn't hard, just a step I was missing in the beginning.

-Scott