feed reversing lever not engaging

[manfromthemistParticipant @manfromthemist]

the little issue I’m having is the lever on the front of the head stock that changes the direction of the lead screw will engage a gear when rotated anti clockwise and the lead screw turns feeding th sadle into the chuck and the cross slide from the center out, but When I go to reverse the direction by turning the lever fully clockwise it rotates about half a turn and comes up against something solid but doesn’t engage any gear and does’nt drive the feed system,

I’ve removed the top of the headstock hoping to see whats in there for something that may be obvious, but I need to drain the oil to see whats under it. Any help or guidance would be very much appreciated.

[Grizzly bearParticipant @grizzlybear]

Hi,

Make and model of your machine please.

Crystal balls are bad for your eyesight.

[Taf_PembsParticipant @taf_pembs]

Hi Barry and welcome!

What model Student is it and how familiar are you with it and it’s workings?

Taf

[manfromthemistParticipant @manfromthemist]

Hi Guys thanks for the reply’s I know it was made 1961 it’s a student 6″   if you could point me as to where any other info would be found re mobel etc I nip and have a look

 

[manfromthemistParticipant @manfromthemist]

Hi Taf, I served an apprenticeship using these lathes back in the 70’s so have a reasonable understanding of them

 

[manfromthemistParticipant @manfromthemist]

Hi Guys thanks for the reply’s I know it was made 1961 it’s a student 6″ if you could point me as to where any other info would be found re mobel etc I nip and have a look

[Taf_PembsParticipant @taf_pembs]

61 so a Mk 1 roundhead. Do you have a manual for it, the manual has full parts diagrams.

I have a PDF manual (its a scanned image but usable) so if needed send me a private message and I should be able to email it to you.

The small feed reversing lever on the front of the head stock just slides a single gear inside, I’m trying to think if there is anything that could obstruct it.

It should be forward feed to the gearbox in the fully up (possibly slightly rearward of vertical) position then rotated anticlockwise to the fully down position for reverse, about 170 deg of rotation. There is also a reasonable amount of the lever swing that does not engaging either gear, effectively a neutral.

If this isn’t happening then there is only really an alignment issue between the lever and the pin that locates into the gear inside the headstock.

Could someone have been in there and not set it up correctly?

If there is nothing obviously impeding the lever on the outside then you will have to drain / suck some of the oil out to be able to see it.

[Taf_PembsParticipant @taf_pembs]

Not a secure site but here is a link to the manual.

https://manuals.chudov.com/Clausing/Colchester-Student-Lathe-Manual.pdf

[manfromthemistParticipant @manfromthemist]

cheers Taf, i’ve got that manual, on mine when the lever is at the bottom anti clockwise the sadle moves towards the headstock and the cross slide moves out towards the operator from the center. turning it clockwise is nothing, as you say about 170deg.

Would you know, the handle item no24 on Headstock ,main castings and lever assemblies, is that splined onto the shaft no25, just wondering if someone has been fiddling and not put it back correctly.

[manfromthemist]

On manfromthemist Said:

Hi Taf, I served an apprenticeship using these lathes back in the 70’s so have a reasonable understanding of them

 

More information the better please!  I think Taf is trying to gauge:

1. Is this lathe new to you, perhaps you’ve just come back to it after a long gap?
2. Are you familiar with the inner workings of lathes, especially one as full-featured as a Student?

Is the lathe in good condition, or did it work hard for a living?  Any recent incidents that might be relevant?  I’m thinking damaged shear pin, or misaligned selector arm after a bump.

If you’re unfamiliar with the controls, then might be something simple like an interlock.  That’s unlikely if you know the controls well.

If the innards are a complete mystery at this stage, best not jump in without getting clear advice from someone who knows the machine and its gotchas.

 

Dave

 

[manfromthemistParticipant @manfromthemist]

Hi Taf, I think I’ve got it sorted, the screw securing the handle was loose, some has been in there, i removed the handle,  repostioned it and with excess turning about 220deg it engaged and the feeds work in both directions, this leads me to think the gear shifting pad26 is missing from the end of the shaft25 creating the excessive rotation, When I drain the oil i’m expecting to find it or bits of it in the bottom

I’ll have a look in a week or two after my hols

many many thanks your guidance was very much apprecaited

[manfromthemistParticipant @manfromthemist]

Hi Dave, thanks for the nudge,

the lathe is new to me, I bought it from Scotland two weeks ago, the story behind it is, it belonged to a elder guy who passed away and the lathe was then moved to a body repair shop in Haddington where it stood for three year and was never used in anger as they didn’t know what to do with it, they changed the oils and poured straight cutting oil into the coolant tank but never diluted it. Although I’ve operated themin the past I’ve never worked on one to repair so all this is new to me. With the kind help of people like yourself and Taf and others I’ll get this sorted and have many hours of fun with it.

Many thanks Dave

Barry

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

On my Mk 1.5 roundhead when the saddle feed is towards the headstock the x slide feeds towards the rear surely that is the right way or you would be forever having to use the rev dir lever?

[manfromthemistParticipant @manfromthemist]

thats what I would have expected, so you can turn and face in the same operation, I don’t know why anyone would or could change it,

something else to look into

[Taf_PembsParticipant @taf_pembs]

Hi Barry,

That was the only thing that made sense, the lever has been re attached ‘kift’ as we say down here. If you have a lot of slop in it then yes, the pad may be missing.

I just had to re read what you were saying about the cross slide after Bernards comment.

So in normal operation, gearbox feed from headstock in forward gear (headstock lever), lead screw disengaged and power shaft speed suitably selected and rotating normally,  the turning / facing plunger on the apron is in the fully pulled out position –  when you engage the power feed worm box the carriage travels towards the headstock (as it should).

With nothing else changed except the turning / facing plunger on the apron is pushed all the way in through neutral to facing, your saying the cross slide travels Outward towards the operator?

That I cant get my head round, I cant see how that is possible on that apron. Very odd.

Possibly daft question time, sorry,  but you aren’t using 2 different levers on the apron for turning and facing are you?

 

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