Torquing machine parts when scraping

[AndySomogyi]

I’ve just started scraping the top slide to my lathe and noticed an interesting wear pattern. The high spots here are directly where the top slide bolts to the cross slide.

I know when we machine automotive engine parts, such as heads or blocks, we normally clamp a “torque plate” onto them, to simulate the actually mating parts in a stressed assembly.

All metals deform under load, it’s just question of how much.

I’m most certainly NOT a machine tool rebuilder, this is literally the first machine tool I’ve repaired, so I don’t really know how professionals deal with these issues.

I don’t know, the tension on the cross slide nuts was clearly enough to distort this part enough to alter the wear pattern where it contacts the top slide. I’m sure on a entry level class lathe like my Clausing, it probably wouldn’t matter. I’m just kind of curious how high end machines like say a Monarch are built / scraped.

 

[Cadillac]

How does the bottom blue?

 

[benmychree]

The compound rest of a lathe is likely the least important slideway on a lathe; "forget about it"!

 

[AndySomogyi]

The compound rest of a lathe is likely the least important slideway on a lathe; "forget about it"!

I’m totally not worried about it at all, it would make zero difference at all on a lathe of my class.

I was just curious if very high end machines (like say a Monarch 10EE or Hardinge) were scraped / fitted under torque.