Boxford 280 Tail stock

[Lee GouldingParticipant @leegoulding74917]

Hi Guys

Been using this Lathe for about 6 months and tails stock has been fine up to today it has just gone mega stiff all of a sudden and only been using wood no metal cutting

It literally went from drilling a 7mm hole very smoothly to not being able to wind it out

I have managed to wind it out to try and get the barrel out and have noticed a grove in the shaft

Any ideas how to fix it

[Lee GouldingParticipant @leegoulding74917]

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Groove in shaft? The barrel will have a groove along its length and a grub screw or pin will locate in that to stop it rotating. Perhaps this worked loose allowing bit of rotation when it jammed. Is the scale on the barrel normally on top – most are?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

As Baz says if you over extend the barrel then the pin disengages with the keyway and if not carful goes back crooked when you wind the barrel back in.

May also have end float adjustment on the handle which could have turned and tightened things up

 

Edited By JasonB on 09/10/2017 07:25:30

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Just saw the other photo, looks like something has got into the top of the barrel and galled the surface.

[Lee GouldingParticipant @leegoulding74917]

Hi Jason

Agree but really not sure what as ive only been turning wood and it was very smooth one second and really stiff the next

Im struggling to turn the handle now and have had the handle of and the screw out but cant see anything obvious.

Also cant find any screws etc that hold the barrell in and im sure it just locates on a ridge that the underside of the barrell fits into

How best do i go about getting the barrel out to see whats happening

Thanks

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Just take it apart and try each bit separately. Smooth movement of barrel in body, smooth movement of screw in barrel. diagram here

[Lee GouldingParticipant @leegoulding74917]

Hi Bazyle

Thanks for that but whats the best way to get the Quill out as i cant turn the handle

Cheers

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Lee

I have just done a quick visual on my 330 tailstock (same one as yours), using the same reference points, and your quili appears to have rotated about 20-30 degrees in the tailstock housing.

To double check, turn your tailstock upside down, the keyway in the quill should be at BDC (6 o'clock) position.

I am struggling to understand how it can have rotated as the keyway is 6mm wide, with a dirty great Woodruff key in the base of the tailstock housing.

[Lee GouldingParticipant @leegoulding74917]

Hi David

Hope you’re well

I will double check when I get home but I’m sure it is at the 6 O’clock position I looked last night sure of it

Is your defo the same as the 280 👍

[Lee GouldingParticipant @leegoulding74917]

This is one on eBay and the mm markings are the same alignment as mine

**LINK**

[mark smith 20Participant @marksmith20]

Do as Bazyle says it shouldn`t take long,remove everything on the hand wheel side and the barrel should just pull/slide out.

[Lee GouldingParticipant @leegoulding74917]

Hi Mark

There’s no way it will easily slide out I tried to knock it out last night with a wooden dowel to no avail

Thanks

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Lee

I'm good thanks, hope you are apart from your tailstock!

I don't believe the major components of the X10 tailstock changed by model, or throughout the life of the lathe.

The major reference will be the keyway at 6 o'clock.

If it hasn't moved on the key, then as there are no other openings in the tailstock housing, then the jamming might be one of three things:

Firstly, a foreign body inside the housing – swarf, or something like that – and the scoring on the quill, if it is recent, points to that as a possibility.

Secondly, the Woodruff key is somehow jamming against the quill. I do not know if you are aware, but the quill lock handle operates by rotating the handle shaft in the tailstock housing, which raises the Woodruff key on a cam ground into the cross shaft, and thus locks it against the back of the keyway. It is possible there is a foreign body in there locking it, but I doubt it, as you should still be able to turn the quill against the lock as it is only a friction lock.

Does the quill locking handle work ok, i.e. it has full travel fore and aft?

Lastly, can you confirm from your second post you have been able to totally remove the main quill screw?

If the keyway is indeed at 6 o'clock, I would first try and remove the quill locking handle shaft (there is a screw under the locking lever cross shaft) thus taking all pressure off the Woodruff key. If you can do this (and you may not be able to, as the key may be sitting in a recess in the shaft thus preventing it from being withdrawn), and the main quill screw is totally out, then there is nothing else that could be holding it, and I think then you will have to force the quill out, by getting a piece of tubing close to the bore of the tailstock, and drifting it out from the back end.

[Lee GouldingParticipant @leegoulding74917]

Hi David

Yes i can confirm the quill locking handle has been working but dont know if it is the issue as the quill is so tight now i cant tell if the lock is on or not.. if that makes sense

The main quill screw can be removed.

i will try to remove the locking handle screw and see if thats the problem

thanks again for your help and advice

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Lee

I've just had another thought, re the scoring on top of the quill.

It looks to be at 12 o'clock. That's where the oiler sits. I wonder if the oiler has broken up internally and that is what has caused the scoring and jamming?

[Lee GouldingParticipant @leegoulding74917]

will check that but i didn't see any bits last night when i removed the screw etc in the chamber

thanks

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

It looked from your photo that the locking handle etc had already been removed. Did you get the key out? If it was second hand a previous owner might have fiddled with it.
A possibility is that the rotational force on the barrel has actually sheered off the key from it's base. Looking at the diagram I'm not sure how it would have been assembled. It looks as though the key has to be put into place from inside the trunk, with the operating shaft already in place, before the barrel is inserted. David may be ale to explain from his.

[Lee GouldingParticipant @leegoulding74917]

Hi Bazyle

No.. the locking handle has not yet been removed and the handle can just about be seen from on the first picture.

I've never tried to remove it but will be trying later this evening

Thanks

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Did you over extend the barrel recently as that usually disengages the key.

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Baz

Totally dismantling mine to figure out at which point the key goes in is beyond my help level lol.

But, having looked at the key location in the flesh, I am pretty certain it wouldn't go in from below, and you would be right that it goes in from the inside of the tailstock, after the locking lever cross shaft is fitted.

If Lee's quill key slot sits at 6 o'clock where it should do, and I bet it probably does, then I am 99% certain that there won't be an issue with it. It is a really hefty key at 6mm thickness.

Lee

If part of the oiler has broken up, you wouldn't see it when you took the quill drive screw out. Remember it sits above, and is covered by, the quill. If it breaks up then the only way out would to be jammed between the quill and the tailstock housing, and travel along it – just like the scoring you now have.

Anyway, look forward to the next episode when you get home. Feel free to call me if you want, PM me and I will PM my number back.

[Lee GouldingParticipant @leegoulding74917]

Hi Jason

yes but ive used it a good few times since then it was fine

thanks

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Jason

It does, but, the design of the X10 is that you wouldn't get the quill back in without the key being located correctly – the key slot/key are substantial.

[Lee GouldingParticipant @leegoulding74917]

Hi Baz

Yes i did over extend TBH but it's been working fine for the last week or so.

Thanks

[Lee GouldingParticipant @leegoulding74917]

when i over extended it i simply tapped the quill and the lead screw engaged and all was fine

Cheers

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