Yes. The key/pin is still in tact and they seem to seat nicely and release easily with a tap on top of the draw bar.
The table feed is just like my Index 645. I just have x-axis feed though.
I think I've used the other axis feed once.......it was pretty handy for that set up but I don't think I'd miss it.
Looks like you’re missing this handle:
Yah, it has a few minor issues but other than the quill feed they're all easy fixes which I'll attend to in time, except the handle on the quill clamp is missing and the shaft is garfed up because the PO had a pair of vise grips clamped on it......I'll need to fix it or make another one because that is annoying.
No identifying marks on the machine of any kind except the Index name cast into the machine pedestal. Looks like the PO welded on a mounting plate for the DRO arm where the name plate usually resides.
I went to the Wells Index website and looked at the available manuals. I downloaded the manuals for the for Model 745 and the single manual that covered the 555, 645, and 660 because they seemed to bear the most similarity to my machine. They had similar power feed system but all illustrations showed heads with turret and dovetail arms.
However, the second seems to describe the 555 as essentially being a 645 minus the turret and dovetail ram/arm and the head is just mounted to the machine body/pedestal…….which seems to fit my machine. But, the position of the spindle feed/speed controls and the fact it has back gears match the 745 manual, not 645, but my machine features is not totally consistent with either manual. Could just be the manuals are not 100% accurate......dunno.
I poked around Vintage Machinery Forum but not much there, except the registered machines seemed to make the production era for 555 a good candidate based on what the PO told me of the machine’s age and history…..later than a Super 55 but seemed to be too earlier than a 745. Practical Machinist also has some threads on Wells Index machines I may take in.
Anyway, the downloaded manuals are OK. Not great, but better than nothing. For some things there is great detail but for other obvious topics, like the positions of the paddles for drive ratios on the power feed system are completely absent.
The only thing I really wanted was an illustrated parts reference for the quill feed, controls, and kick-out/stop mechanism. The section drawings in the manual must have been E-size Mylar of Velum because they have a huge amount of detail on a single sheet, but I think I can clip the areas of interest and enlarge them enough to read.
I could probably manage without, I usually do, and did find one thread here on an earlier model, but if any of you have done repairs to the quill feed of an Index machine near this model and have any tips as far as order of assembly/reassembly, and finessing parts, that can usually save a lot of time so that would be much appreciated.
Best,
Kelly
