Ball Stop on Cross Slide

[vocatexas]

Last year I bought a 1917 Lodge and Shipley at an auction. It appears to be in really good shape for it's age. According to what I could find out it sat totally unused for most of the last 100 years. Of course, after sitting for years, nearly everything that was supposed to move wouldn't. Since my shop isn't finished (starting that process tomorrow) I haven't started seriously tearing into the lathe. As I've had time I've liberally oiled all parts that should move with Liquid Wrench.

I now have everything moving, but I ran into a small problem with the ball stop. I understand it's purpose, but somehow I 'activated' this feature, and I can't find instructions on how to deactivate it. I know it should be simple, but I can't for the life of me get the cross slide to move more than six turns of the screw now. Can anybody here tell me what I'm doing wrong?

 

[benmychree]

Is there a screw into the side of it? A picture might help.

 

[MikeTx]

I have a slightly newer Lodge and Shipley lathe. It is a model X 20 inch, which I believe is from the 1950s. I had the same issue with it. I could turn the cross slide 3 or 4 turns and it would stop. I don't know the proper fix for the problem. The solution so far for me was to remove the cross slide handle and the adapter that is bolted to the cross slide and remove the ball bearing that was inside. It will now turn freely all the way in. I can see how this feature would be nice for threading. I hope someone will be able to tell you the proper fix for this as I would like to fix mine as well. It has been quite a while since I have done this and my memory is not perfect. If needed, I can look at mine again in case I have not stated clearly enough what I did. Good luck.

 

[benmychree]

There definitly is a lock device on it, I used these many years ago but do not remember, again, post a picture.

 

[vocatexas]

Here's the information I found at Vintage Machinery: http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/2104/6068.pdf. Instructions are on Page 7.

I'll try to get some pics tomorrow. I've read and re-read the instructions, but I still don't understand them enough to release the cross slide. I partly disassembled the components and I see the dial sleeve with the grooves, but if that's where the ball is supposed to be, it isn't there. My Model A doesn't have this feature; it has the adjustable multi-stops.

Thanks guys.

 

[vocatexas]

Here's a photo of the cross slide shaft showing the two set screws; one on the graduated collar and the other on the outer collar. The inner-most hole appears to be for a pin spanner and the outer set screw holds the hand wheel on the shaft. Also, the shaft slides in and out. I haven't found any documentation on what this function does. The picture shows the shaft extended.

 

[vocatexas]

Nobody has any ideas?

 

[Toolmaker51]

Can't say from this position, but when I hear limited cross slide movement when there is obviously lots of lead screw, will suggest/ ask if there is a threading stop.
Those save eyeballing cross slide dial, just rolling it in while right hand gives a few thou to the compound. Reach the relief, kick out chaser while backing out slide, run carriage back and compound in for next pass, reach start point wind slide back in, tap the stop, engage chaser.
Pre-automation that was life in a production environment.

Or the leadscrew nut isn't attached well. It'll look like backlash and then just stop or abruptly be hard to turn.

 

[tq60]

The ball stop is a great feature.

If I recall on ours, 1946 model a, there is a thumb screw that you turn in which pushes the ball into the groove.

There is a trick, you leave it in one position and the device follows as you do your first cut.

Once at finish point you screw in to lock.

Yours looks different.

On practical machinist site there is a guy that did a full restoration of one of these, maybe go there and search.

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