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PM-1660TL
- Thread starter erikmannie
- Start date
Thank goodness its end of a week, and tomorrow starts another week.You can move the scale and the read head away using spacers. This will allow you to get at the locking screw. Most people replace that screw with a hex head bolt which allows you to have the scale fit right up behind it while using a flat wrench to lock/unlock.
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It does not make the lock unnecessary, but you wouldn't use it while using the taper attachment.
All this poking around is because the cross slide is unnaturally difficult to move.
I took off the cover of the DRO for the cross slide and below the scale (lower, closer to the floor) I can see there is a hole. I can just get a ball ended hex tool in there and it will lock the cross slide. I made sure it was unlocked, because I am tracking down why it is so hard to turn the handle to move the cross slide. (The taper unit was installed by PM.)
By the way, this lock is NOT documented
I have to decide what to do about locking the cross slide, when it is desired to so so.
I even completely removed the gib. Still hard to move the cross slide. I did what the manual said to do with respect to set screw 102 and 103, even hitting the cross slide with a plastic hammer, in each direction. I will play with 102 and 103 screws again tomorrow.
I finally have moved the lathe in to position. The toe jack would have made it easier, but the replacement toe jack just arrived late today. The toe jack will help in initial leveling of the lathe. My garage floor slants noticeably.
Here is a thank you from a newbie to you for keeping me motivated.
Thank you for your reply. I'll try to solve other mysteries, and find a solution, when I have to lock the cross slide.
Thank you for your reply. I wonder why PM didn't do that at installation time.
Now that I have the machine in place and a replacement toe jack delivered, my task tomorrow will be rough leveling the machine.
Then, figuring out how to set the parameters for the Yamaha VFD to get power to the lathe. I read posts on how others have done it, so, I hope to follow what others have suggested and done. I did read the manual. It's humongous. Initially I want 3 phase and see the spindle turn.
Then, figuring out how to set the parameters for the Yamaha VFD to get power to the lathe. I read posts on how others have done it, so, I hope to follow what others have suggested and done. I did read the manual. It's humongous. Initially I want 3 phase and see the spindle turn.
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2019
- Messages
- 4,392
The 4 hex screws on top of the cross slide & the set screw (that you previously thought was a missing screw) are used to adjust the the cross slide backlash.
You can loosen the four outer hex screws, tighten or loosen the center set screw, and then tighten down the four outer hex screws to make the cross slide handle easier or more difficult to rotate. This is how I lock my cross slide!
One *extremely* important point here is that if you make it too tight the cross slide power feed will not work, much in the same way that a cross slide power feed would not work if the cross slide were locked.
To make the same point again, one day I had my cross slide handle (rotation) set so tightly that I was afraid for several minutes that my cross slide power feed had ceased operating! So don’t go crazy with those 4 screws with the set screw in the middle; easy does it. If you are using these as a cross slide lock, definitely make sure that you loosen them back up before using the cross slide power feed!
Like you, I had PM install the taper attachment, and I didn’t want to mess with their install vis a vid the aforementioned “blocked cross slide lock (set screw)”.
You should experiment with those 4 outer bolts and the inner set screw to get your cross slide handle rotation to the desired stiffness. I like mine pretty tight.
I am sorry that I have not joined in on this discussion until now, but I am working crazy long hours & finishing up a bunch of spindles for the dividing head group project.
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- Jun 12, 2014
- Messages
- 4,811
FYI, the cross slide leadscrew nut adjustment is not for adjusting the tension/resistance in the cross slide/handle, it is only to reduce the back lash in the handle/nut. It is normal to have around 0.001- 0.003" of back lash in the dial. Tightening it to the point where it is used for resistance and/or 0 back lash will prematurely wear out the nut and the leadscrew. The manual specifically states that the adjustment should be made so the cross slide moves smoothly, it should not be so tight to offer any significant resistance. This is completely different to the gibs. As you have you will most likely wear out the center portion of the leadscrew/most commonly used section and will be too tight at the extremes, and the nut will wear out much more quickly. The leadscrew nut is split in the center and the set screw drives a wedge in the center of the split to slightly tighten nut for wear. You should also recheck the backlash after you have tightened the 4 cap screws that there is at least a little backlash in the handle.
@mksj Nice manual. Mine is not to good. I use a Kent manual when I need to reference.
@xyz I'm sure PM is in production mode right now. It takes some extra time with measuring and is not the "normal" way to do it. My scale is just a hair to the right on the screw and goes all the way to the end of the cross slide.
Also, if you ever loosen the handwheel screws you should tighten/snug them back up with the cross slide all the way back meaning away closest to you. It will help align the screw. That set screw #102 should not be tight at all on a new lathe.
@xyz I'm sure PM is in production mode right now. It takes some extra time with measuring and is not the "normal" way to do it. My scale is just a hair to the right on the screw and goes all the way to the end of the cross slide.
Also, if you ever loosen the handwheel screws you should tighten/snug them back up with the cross slide all the way back meaning away closest to you. It will help align the screw. That set screw #102 should not be tight at all on a new lathe.
Thank you. I am about to call PM about the too tight cross slide. I tried everything that has been suggested by the manual and most of suggestions that have been posted.
Thanks for your reply. I tried loosening up everything. Still need two hands to turn the wheel.
Working hard, long hours is good. You will enjoy retirement all the more!
By the way, thank you for your earlier posts. It helped me though some frustrating moments a lot: seeing others work through the same problems is encouraging me to keep calm.