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3K Horizontal Plain Help

Ja_cain

Cast Iron
Joined
Feb 9, 2012
Location
USA, Virginia
So I picked up this mill a while back and I'm finally getting around to addressing/fixing it's issues. The handwheel was broken off while unloading. :( I was just thinking about making a new end piece and counter boring the leadscrew with my mag drill and a fixture bolted to the end of the table. Just wondering what kind of steel to use and what filler rod would be best? I am going to tig weld it on if that sounds ok? The other end of the leadscrew is pretty chewed up and I was thinking I would just create new splines with weld material and using a file to shape them. Don't really need them right now unless I get the low lead attachment in the future.

What would you guys suggest for flushing the lubricant from the column, knee and saddle? The manual says to use kerosene for the column and knee, but wondering if there is something better/safer these days. Would this also apply for the saddle? Also looking for replacement lubricant suggestions. The manual recommends CG. D.T.E. Oil Heavy Medium (S.U.V. 300-325 seconds at 100F). Should I also use the same lubricant for the saddle?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Justin

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This is what I have on hand. I assume the heavy medium doesn't have tye tackifiers like the medium vactra. I know I'm going to need way more than one gallon too.

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I use Mobil DTE 68, heavy medium for the knee and the column. You can look up exact quantity off the manual over at vintagemachinery.org. I have a 2K, and it's 7 gallons.

I used Vacuoline in the table for the ways. It is the old formula that still has the tackifiers in it. You will need to keep adding it in, as it does eventually leak out, slowly though. I check it before each use, and top it off.

Bummer about the broken shaft/handle. You can weld it up with mig/tig/stick......your preference. I have done shaft repairs with mig and stick/7018 with no difference in outcome.

Looks like you got the HD 50 taper vertical head, which would be standard on the 3K. I don't remember if that head takes grease or oil. My high speed head for my 2K takes oil, even though it has zerks. Some ham-fisted jackwagon pumped it full of grease in a previous life, and when I got it, I had to completely take it apart and rebuild it. I don't want to tell you how expensive the 7 bearings inside are, so it's worth a check to make sure which version you have.

I got lucky and found a Lincoln oiler gun for zerks at an auction last year for $20. It works perfect......:)
 
I use Mobil DTE 68, heavy medium for the knee and the column. You can look up exact quantity off the manual over at vintagemachinery.org. I have a 2K, and it's 7 gallons.

I used Vacuoline in the table for the ways. It is the old formula that still has the tackifiers in it. You will need to keep adding it in, as it does eventually leak out, slowly though. I check it before each use, and top it off.

Bummer about the broken shaft/handle. You can weld it up with mig/tig/stick......your preference. I have done shaft repairs with mig and stick/7018 with no difference in outcome.

Looks like you got the HD 50 taper vertical head, which would be standard on the 3K. I don't remember if that head takes grease or oil. My high speed head for my 2K takes oil, even though it has zerks. Some ham-fisted jackwagon pumped it full of grease in a previous life, and when I got it, I had to completely take it apart and rebuild it. I don't want to tell you how expensive the 7 bearings inside are, so it's worth a check to make sure which version you have.

I got lucky and found a Lincoln oiler gun for zerks at an auction last year for $20. It works perfect......:)

Thanks for the info! I am going to remake the end part of the leadscrew as it was kind of mushroomed/beat up. Probably just make it out of mild steel.

Pretty sure the head uses grease, but will make sure. Would love to get one of those Lincoln guns one day. Do you have a picture of your high speed head? Didn't bring the catalog home so not sure what they look like. It wold be cool to have one for milling aluminum.

Where do you purchase your Mobile DTE? Amazone has 1 gallon jugs for $50.99 I'm sure it is much cheaper by the 5 gallon pail.

I can't wait to get this guy up and running. First job might be making a torque plate for a 6.4 powerstroke. This beast should be up for the task. Then I want to use it to bore holes in fixture plates for the welding table I am going to make.

Thanks again for the info!

Justin
 
Hawkfan9,

Just saw your 2k high speed milling head thread. Alot of good info there!

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Hi Justin :)

What a stout looking mill !!!

I recently bought a L&S lathe that takes Mobil DTE Heavy Medium in the head stock gear box. I sourced it locally, in an industrial park in 5 gallon pails for $78.00 a pail. I googled "bulk oil" and found a source right away.

Brian
 
You might want to look at similar repair done by Keith Fenner here:
Broken Knee on my K&T - YouTube

A K&T tag on my vertical head says to use Mobile BRB Lifetime grease, but that is a sulfur grease that is no longer made. Mobile lubrication engineers say to replace it with Mobiltemp SHC 32, but to purge the system to get out all the old sulfur grease first. I don't know how to do that short of taking the head apart, so I am just going to squirt grease into it on the theory that any grease is better than no grease.
 
You might want to look at similar repair done by Keith Fenner here:
Broken Knee on my K&T - YouTube

A K&T tag on my vertical head says to use Mobile BRB Lifetime grease, but that is a sulfur grease that is no longer made. Mobile lubrication engineers say to replace it with Mobiltemp SHC 32, but to purge the system to get out all the old sulfur grease first. I don't know how to do that short of taking the head apart, so I am just going to squirt grease into it on the theory that any grease is better than no grease.
Thanks for the link and info on the head lube. I really appreciate it!

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Hi Justin :)

What a stout looking mill !!!

I recently bought a L&S lathe that takes Mobil DTE Heavy Medium in the head stock gear box. I sourced it locally, in an industrial park in 5 gallon pails for $78.00 a pail. I googled "bulk oil" and found a source right away.

Brian
Brian

That's a great idea! I'll call the local bulk oil company in the morning.

I also have the devising head and load of 50 taper tooling. I posted it up a while back, but will post up another pic in the morning.

Thanks!

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Looks like I can get both Mobil DTE HeavyMedium and Mobile Vacuoline 1409 (for the saddle) for $90 a pail.

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Here is a picture of all the tooling I have. There are some odds and ends in the buckets too.

Looked in my owners manual and could not find the column and knee volumes. After reading a few oil threads, I'm not 100% sold on running the heavymedium oil or just running the Vacuoline 1409 in everything. I assume the 1409 still has the tackifiers where as the Vactra 2 doesn't. Does everyone just lube the table lead screw thrust bearing with whatever way oil they are using?

Also, didn't get any comments about flushing with kerosene. Is this still advisable? I would like to get the insides as clean as possible before adding good quality oil.

Thanks again for everyones help!

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Made some progress on removing the table lead screw. After talking to Hugh at Hugh's Machinery, I think I am going to run some AW 68 first and then switch to the DTE after wards. 5 gallon pail will take care of the 3k. 1.5 gallon in the knee and 3.5 in the column.

He also said he can make me a new table leadscrew nut for $600. Mine has about .050 backlash. He said the nut is the part that generally wears the most and the screw will most likely be in good shape. I will get some measurments on this to confirm. May end up taking him up on this if removing the table isn't too bad. Hugh said if you get over .060" bl, then you run the risk of breaking the nut with big cutters and heavy cuts.

He also explained to me how to do the correct repair on the end of the lead screw. He uses drill rod when replicating the broken piece. He also likes to remove everything up to the shoulder or more until he gets back into solid part of screw. Then does a tapered fit and either pin or pin and weld. I'm actually thinking of going past where the needle bearing rides so I can have new material here. Mine is pretty pitted.

He is a wealth of knowledge and loves to share it too! Here are some pics.

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