Ram extention

J

jabingb

Plastic

Joined

May 23, 2007

Location

Greenbare, CA

• Apr 29, 2020

• #1

I'm in a bit of a jam, cranked the ram back almost to the limit of back travel and now the ram will not budge, either forward or back. I've forgotten which way to rotate the handle to extend it back and don't want to break the handle or damage the worm gear that I presume converts the rotary motion to linear. I believe the dovetail was not well lubed, my bad, and that's caused the stiction.

 

Last edited: Apr 29, 2020

P

PegroProX440

Hot Rolled

Joined

Mar 7, 2012

Location

Ormond Beach

• Apr 29, 2020

• #2

Are we talkin farm animals?

 

rons

Diamond

Joined

Mar 5, 2009

Location

California, USA

• Apr 29, 2020

• #3

jabingb said:

I've forgotten which way to rotate the handle to extend it back and don't want to break the handle or damage the worm gear that I presume converts the rotary motion to linear.

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The two locking bolts have to be loose first. Then rotate the handle clockwise to make the ram move to the rear.

 

M

Modelman

Titanium

Joined

Sep 12, 2007

Location

Northern Illinois

• Apr 29, 2020

• #4

I've had mine stick back from time to time if I neglected to clean the old oil and grunge off before running it back. A block of wood, a lead hammer, and someone pulling on the handle always gets it moving.

Dennis

 

A

AdamC

Cast Iron

Joined

Jun 16, 2011

Location

SE PA

• Apr 29, 2020

• #5

I’ve had a few ram problems and the solution was always patience, not hammers. Not contradicting Dennis. He’s probably not suggesting wailing on it. I greased my ram. I think others oil them. They get sticky. WD-40 left to soak over night helped me once.

 

M

Mark Rand

Diamond

Joined

Jul 9, 2007

Location

UK Rugby Warwickshire

• Apr 29, 2020

• #6

I don't know if it's a longer term fix on a Bridgeport, but when I rebuilt my Beaver milling machine, I added four oil zerks to lubricate the ram ways. Gets the oil where it's needed and works very well.

 

J

jabingb

Plastic

Joined

May 23, 2007

Location

Greenbare, CA

• Apr 29, 2020

• #7

Just to be clear, the ram/head was moved very close to the column and I want to extend it away from the column. The locking bolts are free, I then rotate the lever in a clockwise direction to achieve that? I will also apply some liberal amounts of WD-40 tonight and give it another go tomorrow.

 

M

Modelman

Titanium

Joined

Sep 12, 2007

Location

Northern Illinois

• Apr 30, 2020

• #8

AdamC said:

I’ve had a few ram problems and the solution was always patience, not hammers. Not contradicting Dennis. He’s probably not suggesting wailing on it. I greased my ram. I think others oil thethem. They get sticky. WD-40 left to soak over night helped me once.

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That's exactly what I was suggesting, within reason. On a Bridgeport the ram is the least likely thing to get damaged. There is no gib on the ram dovetail, it's scraped to fit at the factory. If dried oil varnish gets pushed in it it''ll lock up. So long as the locking studs are loose and someone is keeping tension on the ram pinion handle (counter clockwise to extend the head away from the column) some sharp raps should get it moving. Just remember, in the future, to clean and oil the exposed part of the ram before cramming it back in.

Dennis

 

A

AD Design

Stainless

Joined

Jun 27, 2012

Location

Tennessee USA

• May 3, 2020

• #9

jabingb said:

The locking bolts are free, I then rotate the lever in a clockwise direction to achieve that?

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NO, the lever rotates CCW to move the ram out. The lever rotates a gear that's under a rack on the ram. Also check the pinch bolts, they can sometimes be tight at a different place on the ram. I've loosened them to move the ram and got "stuck" on a different section of the ram, needing another 1/2 turn to loosen sometimes.