Backlash on side slide

[littlerickParticipant @littlerick]

My lathe is a clarke cl500m. Only just started out so still learning…..

On my side slide when i move the rotating handle I have about a full turn and a quarter before the slide starts to move… All the others seem to be ok and move the slides with very little or no movement at all.

Is there a way to adjust this loose bit as it makes it difficult to judge size of cuts ect.

Rick

[littlerickParticipant @littlerick]

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

First a wee(big) caveat, I don't have your lathe and don't know it

An eighth or even a quarter of a turn is normal on a hobby lathe, anything more is an excessive problem which should be attended to immediately

It sounds like your nut is actually moving inside the cross slide, fix this immediately by whatever means necessary, make it a priority job 1

Eliminating backlash completely isn't worth the hassle, the best and simplest solution is to fit a digital DRO to your cross slide

Try and make or get a spare nut asap, before your current one fails

If it does fail you can use delrin or aluminium to make a quick simple emergency nut which will last at least a few weeks

GL

It was 2 years before I put a digital DRO on my cross slide

with hindsight I should have done it on day 1

Edited By Ady1 on 14/09/2013 10:10:21

[littlerickParticipant @littlerick]

ok i'm on it!

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

It could also be the leadscrew moving backwards and forwards. Does the handle move in and out as you turn it. I don't have one of these lathes either but on most similar machines you will find that if you can remove the handle there will be an adjusting nut behind it to control this movement. That could have come loose.

Russell.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Don't panic about the nut just yet. As Russell says it is more likely to be the end location of the screw which is set by some nuts or something around the handle & dial. the method is different on every lathe. A close up photo of this area might help us here.

Terminolgy.
First you have the BED of the lathe upon which a SADDLE slides left to right which has on its front hanging down an APRON and is moved by the big fat LEAD SCREW. The joint apron and saddle form a CARRIAGE. On top of the carriage the CROSS SLIDE moves towards and away from you. On top of this is the TOP SLIDE (also called the COMPOUND by Americans) which (mostly) is able to rotate on a vertical axis but is normally set to be parallel to the bed.
In milling machine mode left to right is called the X-axis and front to back is called the Y.

You have many many more important things for your money than expensive DROs.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

If the 500 is like teh 300 (mini lathe) then the feednut is screwed to the saddle from above by two cap hed screws with a grub screw between to adust its height*. If any of these are loose then a lot of lost motion (and trouble with repeatability) is introduced. Adjust the screws with the saddle wound fully towards the operator, as that allow the best alignment of nut and feedscrew. Don't overtighten as they can pull out of the PB nut (don't ask…) If not then like the CL300M then you will need further investigation.

Neil

*I once read someone's claim that the arrangement was to allow you to eliminate backlash by angling the nut. This might work, but I can see a number of gotchas.

[littlerickParticipant @littlerick]

Ok had a look and when it spins the whole scre on the handle seems to ove outward about 2 or 3mm before engaging.. It also moves the same distance in before re-engaging. I will romove handle and see if a adjuster nut is inside 1st.

May take a while has i got my grandson to contend with too atm.

Thanks for all info and help.

[littlerickParticipant @littlerick]

HEEEEELLLP!!! Just been looking at trying to adjust it… now instead of moving accross like it should the handle is just rotating out altogether and cross slide isnt moving on its own…

If i rotate to move slide towards back as in facing off… The cross slide is staying still and the handle c/w bearing and threaded bar is moving out towards me.

[littlerickParticipant @littlerick]

Phew… managed to find a locking screw for bearing… needed a lunar telescope to find it. I nearly cried.. thought i'd broke it. Still got the play in it though and cant find a way to adjust it… maybe its where the cheaper stuff gets it wrong… I will have to live with it for now i guess. Got a dial meter so can use it if i need the acuracy.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Ok, It sounds like the screw goes through a bearing block and that has come adrift. There is probably a screw to secure it and it might be underneath and out of sight.. It might even have dropped right out during transportation.

Are you able to take photos? You will be able to upload them using the 'my photos' option up at the top left of the page.

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

You can download a parts list with exploded drawings for your lathe here

The drawings aren't very clear but there is a set screw on the left hand side of the bracket fixing the handle/leadscrew assenbly to the front of the cross slide. It looks as if that might be holding the bearing bush for the leadscrew in place. Has that come loose?

Russell.

Ah. You beat me to it!

Edited By Russell Eberhardt on 14/09/2013 14:49:12

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Posted by littlerick on 14/09/2013 14:43:18:

Still got the play in it though and cant find a way to adjust it… maybe its where the cheaper stuff gets it wrong… I will have to live with it for now i guess. Got a dial meter so can use it if i need the acuracy.

If you're sure that the bearing is no longer moving then the screw is moving in the bearing. I can't see a separate adjuster for the end play so it's probably done by the handle retaining nut. Anyway, I would remove the handle and see if you can see anything that is supposed to hold the screw in place. If all else fails you could always make and fit a thrust washer to take up the play.

Russell.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Rick,

The manual is here www.clarkeservice.co.uk/manuals/metal_lathes/cl430_500m.pdf‎ if you don't have a paper copy.

Unlike the CL300M manual it doesn't include an exploded view though.

Neil

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Yes Russell on the money again. If you think this is crude it is actally way better than tens of thousands of Boxfords and Southbends which don't have the key for the handwheel nor the sleeve inside the scale drum. They actually used the scale drum as a washer so it turns if you don't do the screw up tight.

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