Lathe modifiction

[jem]

[img src="live.staticflickr.com/65535/50360219072_76362a90a8_k.jpg" src="P1030744 by jeremy joel, on Flickr" alt=" "]


Hi,
this thread is really aimed at Roger, as I know that he once took out the throat piece of his lathe, and warned us not to do the same, as he said that it was very difficult to get it back perfectly.

However, I presume that Roger knows what is underneath this casting.

so My reason for asking is that this little trough fills up with cutting fluid, when used, and I wondered if it was reasonable to drill a small drain hole in the bottom of it? and if so where please.

I am not certain that this image will appear, if not I will have another go. thank you very much in advance

Jem

[uuu]

I'd go for a decent size - so you can poke any trapped swarf through. Is it all clear underneath?

Wilf

[ettingtonliam]

Presumably you want to avoid taking the gap piece out to find out?
I can't see that you'd do any harm drilling a 3/8" hole on an angle from the bottom of the recess towards the back of the lathe, using a hand held battery powered drill.

On the other hand, you could just fill the recess up with silicon sealant which would be easy to dig out if you ever did decide you needed to remove the gap piece. Presumably that cap head screw projecting into the recess is part of the fixing system.

Gap pieces are notoriously tricky to get back in. Scrupulous cleaning of all surfaces is essential, ease it back down over the dowels, tap down with a copper hammer, lightly tighten, tap down again, etc etc, and if you are lucky its gone back properly. The better the quality of the lathe, the better your chance of this working, because you can be more certain of the care that was taken when it was first assembled.
With some of the Far Eastern imports, I wouldn't be too confident that they didn't have bits of grit trapped in the joint when the bed was machined, and this you will never be able to replicate.

I've seen lathes where the gap piece has been taken out, and hasn't gone back properly, so the users resorted to filing the lip off so the carriage would travel over the joint.

[Roger]

Hi Jem,
I'm not sure you'll be able to drain the recess that way because there may well be a solid face to the main casint underneath it like there is on mine. I think I'd just live with it filling with cutting fluid. You're absolutely right about not taking the gap bed out. Mine's a right dog's dinner under there, there's no way it would ever go back perfectly.

[steamer5]

Hi Jem,
Just a thought as the guys seem to be indicating that drilling might cause issues, how about a nicely shaped tray / draining board that directs the coolant to where you want it? Made easy to remove if you so wish to check under it isn’t still filling up, or silicon it in to prevent ingress of coolant under it.

Cheers Kerrin

[92220]

One easy way to get over the problem of the small gap filling, is rather as ettingtonliam suggested, but instead of using silicon sealer, which might be difficult to remove, use plasticine. At least you know you would always be able to get it out. You could also make a little shaped metal cover plate that would stick to the plasticine and prevent swarfe digging into it.

Bob.

[jem]

Hi,

Thank you all for the information, Roger thanks for saying don't drill it, you know what is underneath, I certainly won't be taking it out, so I think that the best advice is either plasticine or a metal cover, or perhaps both.

Best wishes

Jem