One-Shot Lube Leak

[mmcmdl]

It's " cool " these days to run lines thru the frames of machines these days to tidy up the looks of machinery . Yes , it looks great . For the mechanics who have to maintain it , it's a PITA . Good thing we get paid by the hour .

 

[Titanium Knurler]

Yes, I understood. But the challenge is no 'easy to reach place' at or above the nick. I will definitely try the splice fix before tearing the machine apart. Hopefully, the worst case scenario will be nothing more than removing the end cap to give me a little room to work.

Regards,
Terry

Terry, maybe before you cut the tube you could grab and clamp it with a hemastat so it doesn’t retract while you prepare to splice it. You can get one cheap at a fishing store.

 

[tjb]

Have a look at David's mill overclocking project. He did some lube line work. He has other picture/video links too showing disassembly innards, hopefully its linked in there.

PM935 - the Best & Jacobs Full Custom Edition

It’s been almost a year since I received my PM935 mill, and I thought it was finally time post here about the process of upgrading and accessorizing the machine. Some of you may recall that I embarked on a similar project with my PM1340GT lathe a few years back, and documented here. The mill...

www.hobby-machinist.com

Thanks, Peter.

If David did it, I'll be working toward the ideal to aspire to.

Regards,
Terry

 

[tjb]

Terry, maybe before you cut the tube you could grab and clamp it with a hemastat so it doesn’t retract while you prepare to splice it. You can get one cheap at a fishing store.

View attachment 313196

Wow, thanks for this suggestion. I actually have a pair of these in my tool box but have never used them! My daughter is a pediatrician, and somehow I managed to acquire them from her. They were going to be tossed out, but I figured who knows? Maybe they'll come in handy in the shop someday. And here we are.

Regards,
Terry

 

[Titanium Knurler]

Wow, thanks for this suggestion. I actually have a pair of these in my tool box but have never used them! My daughter is a pediatrician, and somehow I managed to acquire them from her. They were going to be tossed out, but I figured who knows? Maybe they'll come in handy in the shop someday. And here we are.

Regards,
Terry

Terry, just pretend you are doing open heart surgery on your mother-in-law. If it works out, that's OK, if it doesn't you've always got plan B.

 

[tjb]

Terry, just pretend you are doing open heart surgery on your mother-in-law. If it works out, that's OK, if it doesn't you've always got plan B.

I don't think you have a very good grasp on the situation. I want this to be a 'successful' operation.

 

[Titanium Knurler]

Actually liked my mother-in-law very much but saw this bumper sticker on the way to work the other day and it gave me a chuckle.

 

[tjb]

View attachment 313199

Actually liked my mother-in-law very much but saw this bumper sticker on the way to work the other day and it gave me a chuckle.

Actually, mine was okay, too. She and my father-in-law raised a fine son and four great daughters - one of which has been my bride for 48 and a half years.

 

[tjb]

Well, unfortunately, I have some bad news. It looks like I'm likely not going to have the opportunity to join the elite brotherhood of those have taken a table off of a full size milling machine. I called a friend who owns an auto parts shop and asked him if there was any chance he had plastic tubing of the size I needed (5/32 OD, 3/32 ID). He didn't (no surprise) but he threw out the comment the smallest thing he would have was rubber fuel line. That got me to thinking. I've got quite a few feet of that stuff on hand left over from my hot-rodding days. Pulled out a roll and test-slipped it over the broken end. Guess what: it was a PERFECT tight fit. So I cut off a piece long enough to slip over about two inches on either end of the break. It's very snug (Titanium Knurler, check out the tool I used to hold the piece under the table), and long enough to be worked on pretty tightly. Works like a charm - no leaks. But with any kind of luck, in a few years it may break, and I'll need to pull the table after all. Or maybe just put another piece of fuel line on it. Hmm. Tough decision.

Thanks to all for the typically wise counsel.

Regards,
Terry

The broken piece - about two inches of line:


Slipping on to line under the table:


Pushed all the way down on broken piece and reassembled (added a cable tie to keep it off the lead screw):

 

[Titanium Knurler]

Terry, I am happy it worked out for you and your cost was zero!

Mike