11-11-2011, 07:51 PM
Hi,
Well done so far Alan. I would suggest introducing this chassis to your sledge hammer and explaining to it that if it doesn't behave it will be going to landfill.
The adjusting screw and lock nut appear familiar and I believe this adjusts the end float?
I have trouble remembering what I did five minutes ago but pictures will be most welcome Alan and please add them to the forum as this seems to be a common fault on the MM.
Take it very carefully because it's like a house of cards; it's easy to make a mistake or damage something but difficult to put right. Not only take pictures Alan but make plenty of sketches and at all costs avoid ambiguity trusting absolutely nothing to memory. Take note of how the fingers are mounted and their orientation; I think I had to machine a circlip groove into the new spindle and this was a fiddly job as I had my large Colchester Triumph lathe at the time and had to grind a lathe tool to suit the circuit slot; if I'm correct it is important not to cut too deeply whilst adding the slot and the slot has to be in the correct position.
I further think that I was able to machine the flats in the lathe using an end mill in the three jaw and mounting the spindle in such a position on the tool post that I could gain access with a micrometer to ensure just enough material was removed by constantly measuring the remaining thickness and checking against the original. By mounting the spindle in the tool post it needs very careful setting up. Under a decent light the tool post can be adjusted allowing the blank spindle to just "kiss" the end mill as the cross slide is operated. If you have a carriage lock then lock it. You are used to lathe work Alan so it will then be easy enough to limit the cross travel to suit the length of the flat and the tool post can be advanced in say ten thou increments until the correct flat is achieved.
I've done similar work many times so remembering the actual MM spindle is difficult. I can file to a thou (0.001") but using the accuracy of the lathe once set up is quicker but can also be quicker to destroy the spindle.
Once you send pictures of the original spindle I'm sure it will come back to me. Getting the spindle out is another story as you now know Alan and it's like playing around with a meccano set with all the machine screws.
Keep at it Alan; good luck and above all enjoy yourself. Any chance of making a dozen whilst you are set up as I'm sure others will be needing a new spindle?
Kind regards, Col
Well done so far Alan. I would suggest introducing this chassis to your sledge hammer and explaining to it that if it doesn't behave it will be going to landfill.
The adjusting screw and lock nut appear familiar and I believe this adjusts the end float?
I have trouble remembering what I did five minutes ago but pictures will be most welcome Alan and please add them to the forum as this seems to be a common fault on the MM.
Take it very carefully because it's like a house of cards; it's easy to make a mistake or damage something but difficult to put right. Not only take pictures Alan but make plenty of sketches and at all costs avoid ambiguity trusting absolutely nothing to memory. Take note of how the fingers are mounted and their orientation; I think I had to machine a circlip groove into the new spindle and this was a fiddly job as I had my large Colchester Triumph lathe at the time and had to grind a lathe tool to suit the circuit slot; if I'm correct it is important not to cut too deeply whilst adding the slot and the slot has to be in the correct position.
I further think that I was able to machine the flats in the lathe using an end mill in the three jaw and mounting the spindle in such a position on the tool post that I could gain access with a micrometer to ensure just enough material was removed by constantly measuring the remaining thickness and checking against the original. By mounting the spindle in the tool post it needs very careful setting up. Under a decent light the tool post can be adjusted allowing the blank spindle to just "kiss" the end mill as the cross slide is operated. If you have a carriage lock then lock it. You are used to lathe work Alan so it will then be easy enough to limit the cross travel to suit the length of the flat and the tool post can be advanced in say ten thou increments until the correct flat is achieved.
I've done similar work many times so remembering the actual MM spindle is difficult. I can file to a thou (0.001") but using the accuracy of the lathe once set up is quicker but can also be quicker to destroy the spindle.
Once you send pictures of the original spindle I'm sure it will come back to me. Getting the spindle out is another story as you now know Alan and it's like playing around with a meccano set with all the machine screws.
Keep at it Alan; good luck and above all enjoy yourself. Any chance of making a dozen whilst you are set up as I'm sure others will be needing a new spindle?
Kind regards, Col
Happiness is a wreck of a cabinet to restore.
