Clean/lubing A Vt Mill Machine Table.

[Marv]

I was brought in out of retirement to help a friend out by filling in for his sick machinist. Needless to say his United States Machine Tool Co VT Mill machine has not been serviced in ages and the Table cranks up very hard. Any advise?

 

[Kernbigo]

if you have a luber pump it tell it runs out

 

[chevydyl]

Inspect the knees column ways, is there a lot of grime and chips in em? My ram ways were like that, maybe the gib is adjusted really tight, are the knee locks actuated

 

[Marv]

Inspect the knees column ways, is there a lot of grime and chips in em? My ram ways were like that, maybe the gib is adjusted really tight, are the knee locks actuated

It's been 50 years since I last used one of these. I could get on the floor and look up in there at the center column area (?) otherwise w/o out a manual, I can't figure out how to service that area. They also have a N3 M200 Lathe. They were using compressed air to clean off the shavings from both. The Lathe was lubed 2 years ago; the last VT service is unknown (decades?)... do I need to say more...!

They also only have about a 6" crank handle on it and I've not been able to find a larger one.
I can only find one lock lever for the main cradle about 1/2 way down on the right.

Is there a parts drawing for one of these? I could not find one for this model that was even close on the internet.

Many Thanks... Marv.

 

[chevydyl]

Show a few pictures of the machine so we can point you in the right direction.

 

[Marv]

Here you go. I've included one of the Belt drive for the Horizontal drive of the head... one belt is missing and the other needs replacing. I've heard they are hard to get... any ideas?

Thanks Marv.

 

[chevydyl]

After the paint is all gone, start cleaning the ways with a solvent to break up the grime, I'd use a stiff bristle brush and rags. Going to have to work separate areas of the way, with the knee in different locations up or down, then I would flush the back of the knee as best you can to get any crappie that resides behind the bearing, may even goes as far as to remove the knee to get all the paint out from behind it so as not to cause further unnecessary wear.

I don't know why it would be hard to get the belts, just measure out the one you have, and measure out the one you need, Google how to properly do so
You could swap to link type belts and make your own length as needed

 

[chevydyl]

Looks like to me there is paint on the ways of the column, I would loosen the gib so it will move more freely and get to removing the paint on the bearing surface, careful work, don't scratch the bearing. The gib adustment will more than likely be under the wiper cap. Someone painted that machine that didn't know what to mask properly.

 

[chevydyl]

It's too late rick lol, I already seen in my email what you posted hahaha I was reading through the thread as to what in the world did I miss

 

[rick9345]

not much, posted wrong thread.