Abene VHF3 Vertical / Z-axis spindle.

VW181 · Feb 23, 2018

Hi all,

Because of an oil leak in the knee of my "new" Abene mill I removed all oil out of it.
Then I found out there was no oil at all in the compartment for the vertical spindle.
Looking trough the oil plug hole with a small camera I saw grease on the spindle.
I just partially removed the outside cover of the spindle and indeed the spindle was full of grease.
I assume now that the oil seals between the telescopic cover-parts are leaking and that's why they used grease.

Any idea if this is simple to fix?
Or shall I also just grease this spindle once in a while, just like the last owner apparently did?

I couldn't find pictures of a dismantlement telescopic tube, but what I see in the parts-manual it are just o-rings, but those will damage on the damaged outsides of the steel tubes and start leaking again.

Any ideas?

pianoman8t8 · Mar 1, 2018

I've been itching to take the cover partially off, like you have, and see what is behind mine as well. I'll report back when I do.

cwilcox · Mar 1, 2018

I had mine all apart. You can lift the knee with a jack or something but you are a long ways away from being able to disassemble everything because you can't get the nut off the top of the shaft without removal of the table or the gearbox. You might be able to slip the shields down off the shaft with the knee in the highest position but I didn't disassemble mine in that manner. Whatever you do be careful if you remove the knee gearbox because it is a tricky removal process and gear damage is the result of not being careful. I wrote a procedure on my rebuild thread.

VW181 · Mar 14, 2018

Thank you for the answers.
(sorry for the late reply)

@ Pianoman: It's only 4 bolds to do that, like I did

@ cwilcox: Do you know if it's also possible to remove the lowest part of the spindle without removing the top-part? I'm not planning to get the whole gearbox out.
It looks like that when I loosen the bolts of the braze nuts I can take the lowest spindle part away.
I'm thinking about doing that because when the table is almost in the highest position (about 10cm / 4" to go)I feel a hard stop and then I have to turn very hard on the wheel to get the table higher. So it looks like something is wrong down there.

And did you polish your outer telescopic tube's? Or were yours still good enough to have an oil leak free seal?

cwilcox · Mar 15, 2018

The threaded portion is multiple piece and has some keepers to prevent unthreading. I didn't disassemble all of mine but only what was necessary to replace the o-rings. Therefore I can't say for sure but I'm guessing you could determine it by studying the parts diagram, I just don't have time to do that now.
Regarding the tubes. Several of mine were in rough shape. Right or wrong I used JB weld to fill the craters and smoothed it in a lathe working very carefully. I would apply the jb to select areas with a spatula to keep it smooth, then carefully sand on the lathe or by hand. The end result was very smooth and hasn't leaked yet. I don't have cash for new parts. I did buy new o-rings though.

VW181 · Mar 30, 2018

If I look at the parts diagram I think it can be disassembled, but I'm just sure when that's done. :-)
And what a great idea to use some filler to smooth the tubes. I'm gonna do that also!

And how are the horizontal (X and Y axis) spindles oiled / greased? My X-spindle is greased now. But I haven't seen it in the manual how to do it.
The X spindle is easy, that one is visible and can be greased by hand. But the Y-spindle is totally build in.

AlfaGTA · Mar 30, 2018

Strange design, if i understand correctly the outer dirt shield is intended to telescope as the knee moves up or down and it is intended to hold oil to lube the elevating screw?????

How do you check the level or fill ? What happens to the oil when the volume of the outer shield changes as the knee goes full down...(collapses)

Seems pretty spotty IMHO...

Cheers Ross

AlfaGTA · Mar 30, 2018

Interesting discussion here....Do i understand it correctly that the outer cover for the elevating screw is intended to telescope and also hold oil to lube that screw?

Funny setup. How is it filled and how is the level checked? What happens to the oil when the volume of the outer shield changes (shrinks) when the knee goes full down and the outer cover compresses?

Have yet to see a " serious" mill that did not provide positive lube for all the important moving elements...either by having direct lube fittings for grease or oil, or a system of "one shot" oil delivery plumbing. or at the least
oil reservoirs that fed moving elements through wicks or by splash,

Photos indicate that the elevating screw/nut is only accessible by taking things apart....

Cheers Ross

VW181 · Mar 30, 2018

When the knee is in de lowest position the oil reservoir must be filled through plug 3, and that's also the oil level.
So when going up there is some "spare" oil in the knee.

Only problem is that when the telescopic tubes got damaged that there is an oil leak.

cwilcox · Mar 30, 2018

VW181 said:
If I look at the parts diagram I think it can be disassembled, but I'm just sure when that's done. :-)
And what a great idea to use some filler to smooth the tubes. I'm gonna do that also!

And how are the horizontal (X and Y axis) spindles oiled / greased? My X-spindle is greased now. But I haven't seen it in the manual how to do it.
The X spindle is easy, that one is visible and can be greased by hand. But the Y-spindle is totally build in.

One-shot lube is what keeps mine oiled. Yours should be the same.
The brass tube on either side of the large central hole lubricates the nut that the acme screw turns in.

VW181 · Mar 30, 2018

I don't have a central lube system/pump.
I have multiple oil-nipples and haven't seen any tubes on my machine. But probably it will lube the screws to.
I see the oil mostly come out the sides of the guiding-rails (don't know the English word for it).

cwilcox · Mar 30, 2018

What is on the other side of the knee then behind the control panel? Do you just have a blanking plate? Post a picture of the other side, oppsite pic to post #9.

VW181 · Apr 4, 2018

This is the left side:

And the front with the 4 oil nipples.

cwilcox · Apr 4, 2018

Yours is a bit older than mine I think judging by the electrical box. About halfway between the knee gearbox and the knee up-down lever I have an oiler. Your knee is just smooth paint in that area. It makes me wonder what feeds the knee gib oil ports.
Do you have a parts manual covering your S/N? Serial Number is located on the top of that dovetail (above the knee lock lever).
I only have parts manuals covering 3558-4001 and also 5095.
Chris

jmbecker · Sep 30, 2018

It's an older VHF3. I don't know much about that type.
Look at this site :Abene Milling Machines.

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