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Clock Spring "hanging up" - vertical mill

qualitycustom

Plastic
Joined
Dec 6, 2010
Location
Sturtevant, WI (USA)
I have an Atrump K2V vertical mill I purchased new in Sept. 2002. Unfortunately, personal reasons have kept me from using this mill until December 2009. So, I’ve been using this mill for about one year now and probably have 200 or so hours on it. However, one thing has really been bothering me about what I “feel” in the upper part of the quill travel since day one. I have read through some posts about “sticking” quills, but I’m not sure I have that condition. With the quill at the bottom of it’s travel and letting it return to the top, I can both “feel” and “hear” what I believe to be the clock spring… it seems as if it’s either “hanging up” or “snagging” on itself at about 2-1/8” and again at 1” from returning to the top. I have taken the spring cover off at the top, bottom and two “hanging up” positions to have a peek at things, but have not made any adjustments at this point. I should note this mill is equipped with an 8 hole spring cover (is there a spanner wrench available in which to control the spring, or am I just better off making my own?). It just seems to me that perhaps the spring may not have enough preload in it and is contacting the outer wall of the bore in which it is contained as the quill is being returned to the top. Does this seem at all logical? I’m sure these clock springs have their limit as to preload. Again, I haven’t liked this condition since day one and for whatever reason it’s gotten worse in the past week. This is the first and only new machine I’ve owned and truly have no idea what this clock spring should even feel like. Any ideas or input would certainly be appreciated. Thank you - Todd
 
The quill return spring on most small mills is there as a counterbalance more than a return spring. Theres too much weight there for that kind of spring to be able to pull the quill and a tool all the way up. It should just hold the quill and a tool in the full up position.
On a bridgeport, I only wind the spring about 1 turn when the quill is retracted. YOurs should be similar to that.
My guess is that the spring is dry. Pull the spring housing and drip enough oil on the spring to cover all of the windings. You will have to reassemble it and run the quill up and down a few times to get the oil in between the layers of coil.
DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE THE SPRING FROM THE HOUSING
 
Another thing to look for, is the sliding dust shield at top of quill.

If a tab has broken off, or the shield is bent/deformed, it can catch inside quill housing..

Damaged quill rack teeth or pinion, are other things to look at.
 
I began with J Henricksen's idea early this morning. Simply removed the quill handle hub from the pinion shaft... decided to leave the spring cover in place as I'm going to machine up my own spanner this weeked for controlling the spring. Anyway, oiled the spring up real well with spindle oil and cycled the quill up and down a number of times. With the spring real "wet" there is a noticable improvement and I am covinced the issue has to do with the spring. I have always kept the machine very well lubricated with all of the proper oils, grease, etc. including warming the machine at least once a week even all that time I hadn't been using it. It had power to it within 30 days of having it in position. Part of my problem is we have an early 70's Bridgeport in the shop that I have been using for over 20 years which is so used up that I am basically completely lost as to how something new should (or maybe shouldn't) feel. However, I do have a fairly decent intimate feel for things and I have never felt a mechanism of any sort (in this case the clock spring) feel so horrible. I made a call to Atrump this morning and they were very nice and very helpful and had a different opinion as to what the clock spring should do. I'm going to make up the spanner tool first (in the Bridgeport) this weekend and see just where the preload is set first before making and adjustments/other decisions.
 








 
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