Q for Crusader type lathe owners

[Robin GrahamParticipant @robingraham42208]

Hi. I have what is (I think) the Axi version of the Chester Crusader lathe, aka the Grizzly 'gunsmith's lathe'. I want to turn a 30 inch long bar down – no problem, I seem to hear you say, your lathe is 36 inchs between centres, plenty of room there. But the trouble is the saddle can't get close enough to the tailstock end to cut anyhere near this length because of the blasted telescopic lead-screw cover arrangement. It looks like I can just take the pillow block off at the tailstock end and slide the offending items off – if I didn't have recourse to this forum I guess I'd just try it, but as I do I thought I might ask if anyone else has done this and knows of any pitfalls I might encounter. I seem to be spending as much time fixing this machine as making stuff on it

[Robin GrahamParticipant @robingraham42208]

[Andrew EntwistleParticipant @andrewentwistle]

Hi, we have the equivalent Warco GH1236 lathe at work and I removed the headstock end leadscrew cover to be able to get close enough to the faceplate and collet chuck by just unwinding and removing the spring around the leadscrew. There was no need to remove anything else. I guess it is the same story for the tailstock end.

Andrew.

[Robin GrahamParticipant @robingraham42208]

Hi Andrew, I've done the same at the headstock end for the same reasons, but the collar which the telescopic bit contracts into is longer at the tailstock end for some reason. Think it has to be removed, just nervy about keeping the leadscrew etc aligned. Probably straightforward, but I'm still feeling my way in these things.

Regards, Robin

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Robin,

Removed mine by unbolting it after unwinding the spring then wrapped a bit of alloy sheet round the leadscrew wedged the bracket with a couple of old screwdrivers and sliced the bracket off with an angle grinder and those thin wheels.

The design of these machines is based on a Harrison M300 which was originally designed without any guards and to meet requirements they have fitted the spring guards but the original design didn't allow for them.

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

I seem to be spending as much time fixing this machine as making stuff on it

Thats a good thing IMO

Eventually, you will be the master of your universe

Until then, you will be playing at catchup

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Today I managed to break a hacksaw.

The blade was fine, the hacksaw broke. My impossible to break hacksaw broke.

Tomorrow I will fix my hacksaw. I will fix it.

It's kinda strange. In the old days when I was young and feisty I used to challenge people

Now I challenge myself and people can go whistle

Live long and prosper

[jim’Participant @jim11037]

I just unwound mine, put some leather gloves on though, if you do!

Not bothered with the brackets, one day, when there is nothing to do, I'll chop them off!

So many things to improved……

[Robin GrahamParticipant @robingraham42208]

Points taken – didn't know that the guards had to be fitted for safety reasons. I don't like making irreversible mods to machines, but that's probably irrational – think I'll follow JS's method and just take the angle grinder to it.

John / Bogs – wasn't intending to decry the machine in general, just had a frustrating day with it – apart from the issue with the leadscrew covers I had discovered that the travelling steady supplied was unusable and opening a box from Axi found they had sent me a fixed steady as a replacement. So was in a Bad Mood as I have a deadline to meet!

Thanks for all your replies, Robin.

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