Square-dial 10EE Threading Gearbox disassembly question

Most of the shafts in my gearbox are spinning in their bearings, so I plan to remove and replace all the bearings, and if the shafts are worn a bit of judicious Loctite use to secure the shafts to the bearings. The iron plugs that are secured with the setscrews in the gearbox casting are tight even when the setscrews are removed. From looking at the gearbox and gearbox drawings each shaft has one bearing cover plug with a setscrew hole in the middle and one plug without the center hole.

My best guess disassembly procedure is that the center plug is removed and a piece of aluminum rod used to tap out the opposite bearing and shaft, and then once the cap without the center hole is pushed out then the shaft can be tapped on to push out the bearing and opposite cap. Is this the procedure or is there something I am missing?

That sounds correct. One thing I do is take a razor blade, Xacto and scribe a witness line across the edge of the plug and hole to aid in re-fitment. Also label the plugs so you don't confuse them. If some of the other plugs might benefit from a removal hole, I will do it for the next owner. When reassembling all those shafts and bearings, it is all done by feel. There should be no drag or tightness on the shafts when you turn them by hand. Usually a few taps are all it takes to relieve any misalignment. I found on mine, and it was a very well used machine, that except for the bearings, the gears , shafts were in excellent condition and required no adhesive assistance. If you have access to a bead blaster, it really cleans up and deburrs the gears nicely.

When you start a new thread, please remind us what model lathe you have. (That's best put in the title, so others can find it during a search.) If it's a 10EE, let us know which version (i.e. square-dial or round-dial) and if applicable to the question, what drive.

There are a couple of good threads out there that go through 10EE gearbox rebuilds.

Cal

I spent over an hour searching for a rebuild thread before I posted, unfortunately the PM search function is not very effective, and comes up with way too many results when words like "gearbox" are part of the search. Maybe a good sticky topic for the monitor would be links to threads for rebuild of each component.

Cal, I will write better titles from now on, PM won't let me go back and modify my titles on previous posts, thanks for pointing out my omissions.

bll230 said:

I spent over an hour searching for a rebuild thread before I posted, unfortunately the PM search function is not very effective, and comes up with way too many results when words like "gearbox" are part of the search. Maybe a good sticky topic for the monitor would be links to threads for rebuild of each component.

Cal, I will write better titles from now on, PM won't let me go back and modify my titles on previous posts, thanks for pointing out my omissions.

Click to expand...

Google does a better job on search try that instead.

Before you start taping on anything be sure to check for a second set screw below the first. Double set screws are often used to lock the screws from vibration.

bll230 said:

I spent over an hour searching for a rebuild thread before I posted, unfortunately the PM search function is not very effective, and comes up with way too many results when words like "gearbox" are part of the search. Maybe a good sticky topic for the monitor would be links to threads for rebuild of each component.

Cal, I will write better titles from now on, PM won't let me go back and modify my titles on previous posts, thanks for pointing out my omissions.

Click to expand...

Apparently I can change the thread title by editing the first post. You probably can too, but only for the first 24 hours.

This Google search will search only this forum for the words like "gearbox":
The "site:" is what limits the search. Due to limitations with the forum software, you'll have to add "gearbox" or whatever to the end of the Google search string yourself.

Try looking through Harry's "Wreck" Update thread. I know he had to replace gears in the apron, I don't recall what he did with the quick-change gearbox. I know that there's another thread out that the deals with square-dial gearboxes. But Google isn't finding it for me. Tragically, photobucket is a total mess and Harry's photos are now gone.

This Google search will search only the Wreck update thread for words like "gearbox":
Cal

A while back I saved this excellent thread by Gernoff on quick change gearbox rebuilding. Fortunately the photos are hosted on PM. Even more fortunate, I don't think my gearbox needs to be torn apart.

If you haven't started already, when you see an excellent thread, save at least the link for future reference.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...are-dial-quick-change-gearbox-rebuild-269296/