Polamco Apron

[Chuck K]

I bought a Polamco lathe a few days ago. When I bought bought it I thought it just needed some tlc and everything would be pretty good. I failed to appreciate how much damage can be done with flood coolant. The machine wouldn't feed away from the headstock. I expected something on the order of a missing pin or sheared key. I got a real surprise when I looked inside the apron. The oil was just a contaminated sludge. Now this machine is actually set up pretty well to protect it from coolant. There are gaskets on the covers. Orings on the shafts. I have to assume that oil changes weren't high on the PM list. Every bearing in the apron is trashed. Today I got it all cleaned up and made a parts list of bearings that I need. I'm hoping that Motion Industries will have everything I need. It will definitely go back together easier than it came apart. It's really a well built machine. I have to rethink my use of flood coolant after seeing this. Tomorrow I can start on the saddle. I don't foresee any surprises there. It doesn't even have any crash marks on it.

Chuck

 

[British Steel]

Hi Chuck, I had something similar put me off soluble oil so I now use a neat cutting oil in the.sump - doesn't go stinky either!
On mine, the apron was fine but an inspection cover gasket on the QCGB had failed allowing suds to get in. The QCGB was designed to be enclosed and oil-tight with the gears and open bearings in an oil-bath, so when I opened it up it was a mess....
I hope you have better luck finding replacement bearingsthan I did, mine were last made around 1960, huge inch size taper-rollers with flanged outer cups, special order at £650 each, as low as £500 if I bought a thousand! I made some top-hat adaptor bushes; and used wheel bearings, saved a few grand

Dave H.

 

[Chuck K]

Dave, The bearings in the apron are just thrust bearings. I'm pretty confident that I can find them locally. There isn't much info on the web about Polamco lathes, but from what I have found it seems that Toolmex handles all the parts for the machine. If I strike out at the bearing supply house I can always check there. I haven't opened the headstock up yet. The machine runs so smooth and quiet that I don't think there will be a problem there. I had never thought of coolant being so destructive. If I was going to use it in a production setting I would be doing frequent lube changes.

Chuck

 

[Chuck K]

Motion Industries has all the bearings I need. Curiosity got the best of me today and I opened up the top of the headstock to take a peak at the gears. Everything looks nice and clean. I still don't understand how the apron got so gunked up. Everything was tight and sealed. Maybe someone left the oil fill plug open or something. My initial plan was just a thorough clean and lube on the machine. I've got so much time in it now I decided to hit it with the Rustoleum smoke gray and pretty it up a little. There isn't much paint left on it anyway so by the time I degrease it, there isn't really much scraping and sanding to do. I'm really impressed with the workmanship that went into this machine. They didn't cut any corners that I can see.

Chuck