Boxford Model A – Dismantling

[David Hunt 5Participant @davidhunt5]

Hi Folks,
I am trying to repair my lathe of the above make and model (Non Under-drive) The backgear won't engage, and upon inspection it turns out that this is because the dowels fitted to the face of the bull wheel(?) in the headstock are bent.

To this end I am trying to remove the main spindle, in order to install new dowel pins but I am now stuck. It appears to be fitted in taper bearings- I don't want to go applying force in the wrong place and wreck it. There are no obvious circlips or retaining collars.

I assume its a one-piece shaft- How can i release it and will it only come out one way?

Thanks in advance

Dave

[David Hunt 5Participant @davidhunt5]

[RobboParticipant @robbo]

Dave,

This is one of those topics that has been well covered on the Yahoo Boxford User Group, so would suggest you join in there.

see **LINK**

[Bob Brown 1Participant @bobbrown1]

I think A, B, C, AUD, BUD, CUD, are similar in construction.

This may help **LINK**

I think you need to remove the two lock nuts on the rear of the spindle and the shaft should come out towards the chuck end but it is probably not that easy in practice.

Bob

Edited By Bob Brown 1 on 03/01/2015 18:58:18

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Yes as above just undo the two nuts. Make some decent pin spanners first to avoid bodgineering the pin holes. Also remove the selector on the front first, and probably best to get the layshaft out of the way too for good access.
Then the two aluminium bearing retainers come off and the rear race comes out leaving the spindle dangling.. The spindle comes out from the front with all the gears and pulley sliding off.

I can't remember any problems or gotchas but it is quarter of a century since I did mine.

You will probably want to make a new brass slider (part 109 shoe)  to run in the selector groove while you are in there.

Check the manual for the way to set the preload on reassembly.

Edited By Bazyle on 03/01/2015 19:34:59

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Keep an eye out for the bull wheel key else it will be nicked by teh key fairey under the bench.

[Steve PaveyParticipant @stevepavey65865]

I've just dismantled my spindle, and reassembled it, with no problems. As said above, there are drawings and instructions in the Files section of the Yahoo Boxford discussion board, which were invaluable for me.

Best to use a couple of C spanners for the locknuts on the back end of the spindle. Also you'll have to dismantle the sliding gear lever first so you can take out the bronze key which fits in the groove on the bull wheel. I tapped mine out using a lead block (tap the back so the shaft comes out towards the tailstock) and have some clean rag to spread over the ways to lay the shaft on when it comes out. You need several pairs of hands to catch the bits inside the headstock as they come off the shaft. Some suggest a length of threaded studding and big washers to draw the shaft out rather than tapping it.

My reason for removing the shaft was to get rid of all the old dried grease in the bearings, and to fit a decent vee belt instead of the horrible link belt that someone else had previously fitted. Re-assembly was ok, except that it was difficult on mine to get the sliding gear lever assembly – I used a dollop of grease to stick the bronze key in position and had to carefully 'feel' the pin on the shaft into its' hole in the key. Setting the pre-load on the bearings with a bit of string and a spring balance was hit and miss – just a case of fiddling until it feels right, and checking again over the subsequent few days of running.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Welcome to the forums Steve and Dave.

Many lathes have a similar arrangement. Would it be an idea to have a dowel or a steel rod poked through the spindle bore before pulling it out? The various gears and pulleys would then drop onto it rather than into the depths of the headstock, to be unthreaded one by one later.

Neil

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

You would actually find that a good quality link belt is better than an ordinary V belt, even if only the fact that you would not have to strip the lathe to replace the belt.

Ian S C

[Steve PaveyParticipant @stevepavey65865]

Not in my experience. The link belt that was fitted was clearly good quality and not very old (Nu T Link), but the improvement in noise and smoothness when I fitted a new vee belt was very marked. When it wears out I will have no hesitation in stripping the spindle out to fit an identical replacement. I am also sure that a proper vee belt will give much less wear on the aluminium pulleys as well.

[Bob Brown 1Participant @bobbrown1]

I think a non linked belt is only possible on a rear drive Boxford, on the under drive ones it passes through the bed or at least one side of the belt does.

Bob

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