Facing Cuts – Requires the Carriage to be Locked?

[mgjParticipant @mgj]

Dusaty – the chinaman came with a little hex head doodad for a lock – now it has a proper lever lock too.

 

In the same way that, in engineering terms nothing is truly rigid, so in machining terms nothing is truly solid – and the wise man fits a lock and uses it when its important. Or so I believe.

 

Every cut seems a bit of a PITA, which is why I’d rather use the Chinaman than the Myford, (its just a bigger and more stable and equally accurate machine) but if you have to use a lock you have to use it, and if the rest of the machine is turning true, then one just has, for my money, to accept things as they are.

 

One thing is for certain – I’d rather engage the lock than run the risk of losing a datum or refacing on a final cut!

[EtheAv8rParticipant @etheav8r]

Posted by Steve Garnett on 05/05/2011 16:52:26:

Ah, toothed belts – that makes a lot more sense. The awkward bit though, seems to be (as Tony puts it):

 

“Unfortunately, to reset the tumble reverse for neutral or left-hand threads, an inaccessible nut has to be released.”

 

Well I checked this out last night – and the lock nut is not unaccessible at all – access is not bad at all, however there is no ‘neutral or no-drive’ position for the tumble reverse it is either forward or reverse as there is not sufficient clear space in the central position – the teeth brush. So the only way to disconnect the leadscrew drive is to remove the drive belt (a 2 minute job).

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Hi Av8r,

 

glad your lathe arrived and that you are enjoying it. My new garage was commissioned just before Easter and I took delivery of my new Warco Chinese lathe (I couldn’t justify the cost of an Emco for a hobby) just afterwards. I think that it is a similar model to yours MGJ it is the WM280 V F with cross feed.

 

I must say that I was a bit apprehensive after some negative comments about Chinese equipment but I have been pleasantly surprised and am delighted with the quality, ease of use and accuracy so far. I poked in all the dark and inaccessible places but could find no sand the castings are all clean and reasonably fettled. The only work I had to do was clean the slideways (using alcohol and then carburettor cleaner) and re oil. I did change the gearbox oil even though the original appears clean and unadulterated.

 

The actions are all smooth and feel as if they are from a much higher priced machine. The gibs appear to be accurately set and like MGJ I have not had to lock the saddle to face off, but i haven’t parted yet.

 

As I said, so far I am delighted with the machine and with hardened bedways etc, it should last me out, after all many old lathes are still going strong after decades of hard work, and my latest appears to be at least as well made as my last 60 year old Boxford. Of course all that could change if the electronics start playing up, but that fun is for the future. I’m now off to set up my Chinese Milling machine.

 

Best regards

 

T

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

Hi Terry,

Glad you are getting back into action.

I think a lot of negative comments about Chinese machinery are based on “entry” level equipment. The bigger the machine, and price tag, the better the stuff seems to be. It costs only slightly more to create a bigger machine than a small one, but the price is much greater. Bigger machines are more often bought by users who know what they are doing, and would not put up with Tat in the same way that a newbie might.

I hope you enjoy your new “play-room” and its toys.

chriStephens

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I’m sure you will be happy with the 280 Terry, I too was a bit aprehensive going from an Emco to a far eastern machine but after 3 years use I still feel I made the right choice with mine.

 

Jason

 

PS if the chucks are tight to remove PM me and I’ll tell how I fixed mine

[blowlampParticipant @blowlamp]

Does anyone else on here own one of these Wabeco lathes, that is able to offer advice on their use?

Martin.

[MICHAEL WILLIAMSParticipant @michaelwilliams41215]

One of the things that affects the quality and accuracy of turning especially in lightweight lathes is the way that the operator turns the feedscrew handles . Sounds daft but how it is done makes a real difference .

 

Try the difference between :

 

(1) Cranking the handle with one hand only .

 

(2) Turning the handle smoothly with one hand while using the other hand to both apply a small amount of friction to the handle hub or dial and at the same time to lightly restrain the slide from moving sideways .

[Chris TriceParticipant @christrice43267]

Posted by David Clark 1 on 05/05/2011 16:54:41:

I use it all the time, it is now a habit.

The plastic handle came from J&L Industrial, it is the longer thread version of the 6mm threaded one.

You need a bush at the top to convert the 5/16in. clearance hole in the top of the carriage to 6mm clearance for the handle.

You also need to make a new eccentric nut but that is not a major job.

To position the metal one, I just skimmed the washer thickness until it was positioned correctly.

regards David

Edited By David Clark 1 on 05/05/2011 16:56:13

I did the same David but used an M8 metal handle from Arc Euro Trade. That way you only need to make up the eccentric lock pad for the underside. The 5/16th bolt and 8mm studding are so close diameterwise as makes no odds and it all fits fine. These handles are repositionable by lifting and turning so no need to skim the washer either in order to get the handle in the right place. Definitely one of the simplest and best mods I’ve made.

[EtheAv8rParticipant @etheav8r]

I should like to thank everybody for their help.

 

The DRO encoder has now been moved to the front of the cross-slide, so I can easily access the carriage lock and the tail-stock now has full forward travel.

 

This means I will not be able to use a travelling steady (which I do not have anyway) – but I figure I can live with that and I do have a fixed steady.

 

It also means I cannot use the vertical slide and associated bits for milling on the lathe, but I will arrange for a return of those items and put the money towards a sepatate mill.

 

I will fit a indexable handle to replace the M8 capscew for the carriage lock to make it more convenient to operate.

[jomacParticipant @jomac]

Hi whats wrong with holding the carridge feed handle firmly with your left hand and cross feeding with your right hand, it OK for a reasonably good face cut.

Ian, why dont you swap the allen key bolt for a square headed one, same as the Hercus/Boxford type, my spanner also fit the toolpost bolts, so its always near to hand, ie mixed with the swarf.

John Holloway

PS still cannot put smilies in the post.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

jomac, don’t think I’v got any metric square head bolts, might end up making one, or I might be able to modify a standard hex head bolt, even if I have to build up the hight of the head with the welder. Ian S C

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

If your scale is now on the chuck sideof the cross slide make sure it is well protected from coolant and swarf. You may also find it restricts how close you can get to larger dia work without excess tool overhand.

 

I would have kept it on the tailstock side but placed it towards the back of the lathe so it does not affect the use.

 

Jason

[EtheAv8rParticipant @etheav8r]

John

 

Probably nothing wrong for some, but I like to use both hands when turning the wheel (carridge/crosss-slitor top-slide) so I can keep smooth, slow, consistent travel, which is how I have recently been taught as the way to do it. Plus holding the carridge feed handle would possibly be a little awkward and a bit tiresom and not guaranteed to be accurate. Much easier to simply pull the lever (I have one on order) to lock and unlock the carrige in a second with no fumbling for a spanner or hex drive.

 

Jason

 

We did look to having it overhang the back of the lathe…. but it would have had to pass through the rear splash guard so was not feasible.  It is the carbon fibre type scale, not a delicate glass one, so has greater inherent protection, but additionally has an aluminium angle cover boxing it in.

 

Edmund

Edited By EtheAv8r on 12/05/2011 12:58:41

[jomacParticipant @jomac]

Ian. when I made my 4 way tool post I got the 12 bolts from Specialty Fasteners , dont know what they are called in NZ, and its so long ago iv’e forgoten wether mine are metric or imperial, brobabley the later as Hercus was originaly imperial

John.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

jomac, the head shape does’nt matter, the tool post spanner is a T spape key, and would not fit where the sadle lock srew is. A normal 8 m bolt, with a little spacer to fil the counter bore for the cap head screwshould do it, I have a 13 mm spanner at hand any way, needed to adjust the angle of the top slide. Ian S C

[Terry KirkupParticipant @terrykirkup37827]

I haven't made a great deal of use of my Warco 290V lathe since I got it last November and thought it was about time I tried milling something. Having read this thread and a good many others I came down on the side of locking the cross slide but the lock screws for both slides are hemmed in by the cross slide itself (depending upon its position) and the DRO gubbins. With only a 9mm gap under the DRO scale I was going to weld up a very short hex bar but as I was in a hurry to take advantage of the 5 degrees outside today (Tyneside) I figured a quicker route. Took me five minutes with the grinder to knock up a gender changer as in the pics.

it's a bit rough and ready but a lovely tight fit. May make a mk2 shortly.

here it is in place on top of the original hex bolt

and it works, so all ok for today at least.

HOWEVER while I'm here could any of you good folk tell me what the screw indicated by the red arrow in this pic does please?

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

The arrowed screw stops the tailstock smacking into the DRO scale.

Tony

[Terry KirkupParticipant @terrykirkup37827]

Dear me, thank you Tony. No idea how I missed that!

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

I habitually lock the saddle when facing off; & especially when parting off, I also lock the compound slide when parting off having substituted one of the 4 gib screws on the compound with a locking bolt. The saddle lock is still the original SHSS & so far have not had the need to change it, may be later, for aesthetics …

Compound slide lock screw…

George

[Terry KirkupParticipant @terrykirkup37827]

That's a super little lever, great idea George.

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