New Member Hobbymat MD65

[David Humphries 1Participant @davidhumphries1]

Hello , I have been taking ME and MEW since the mid 1980's but this is my first posting or should I say cry for help.

I purchased my Hobbymat MD65 in 1991 and it has given me good service until last week when I found that I was unable to move the main carriage. my first thoughts were that the problem was the lead screw, but in my efforts to free it i only managed to draw the bronze nut out of the carriage. I Have tried hitting it with a copper mallet , applying shifting oil and applying gentle heat, but it hasn't shifted at all.

There is no sign of rust, it has been regularly lubricated and i am fully aware of the function of the forcing and locking screws.

Can any one help please

David Humphries

[David Humphries 1Participant @davidhumphries1]

[DiogenesIIParticipant @diogenesii]

Hi David, welcome to the forum.

Quite a perplexing problem – maybe worth removing all the screws from the back of the saddle to check that they are all 'free' and clean, and then re-fit the forcing screw(s) only and carefully apply a little pressure to see if this helps to free it off. ..it shouldn't take much pressure, overdoing it risks breaking the casting, I think the manual recommends 1/4 turn max.

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

After 30 years use there will be plenty of wear

Is it twisted into the bed?

Are you stuck fast at the tailstock end of the bed?

A picture could help

[David Humphries 1Participant @davidhumphries1]

Thank you Diogenes and Andy for your replies.

After posting I phoned Lathes.co.uk and spoke to Tony Griffiths to enquire about spare parts should things go badly wrong. He was extremely helpful and it soon became obvious that the little yellow operating instruction book that came with the Lathe was incorrect, and that the function of what they call the forcing screws is in fact a clamping one and that by screwing them in actually tightened it. Hence the locking screw is the forcing screw.

So much for me saying that I was fully aware of the function of the forcing and locking screws.

I am hopeful that this could be useful to someone else in the future

[DiogenesIIParticipant @diogenesii]

..!

 

Edited By DiogenesII on 10/09/2021 10:59:05

[egaParticipant @ega]

It's good to see Tony getting credit for his work.

Did he suggest how this stuck condition had spontaneously arisen?

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi David, the issue about the locking and forcing screws has been spoken about a few weeks ago and it depends upon whether yours is an early or or later model, the little yellow book will be correct for one of them. Look at the last few posts in this Hobbymat

Regards Nick.

[David Humphries 1Participant @davidhumphries1]

Thank you all for your replies. It does appear that this design change has caused problems over the years.

I didn't spend much time trying to find what had caused the problem in he first place but instead gave it a good clean and general service.

All is now well and the main lesson I have learned is that I should have explored past postings to this forum right at the start.

David

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