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Info on Fine Feed Handwheel for SBL 13?

cegreen

Aluminum
Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Location
New Jersey, USA
Many thanks to SBLatheman for identifying the components I have as parts from an SBL Fine Feed Handwheel, and thanks, too, to SWBrooks for the photo of the FFH catalog entry.

I was unaware that the Fine Feed Handwheel even existed, and now I’m intrigued and would like to learn more.

If anyone has any additional information, parts lists, installation instructions, or photos they can share, I would love to see them.

If anyone knows of a FFH for sale anywhere, I would be interested.

My sense so far is that these things are quite unusual. Is that true? Does anyone own one of these? Have you ever seen one for sale?

Many thanks for any info.

-Chris
 
I have one on my 13". I bought a couple of 16" at one of the SBL auctions, sold one and have one on the shelf. I'm hoping there isn't much difference between it and the 13" because mine has a problem that I haven't gotton around to fixing yet. The guy I sold one to put it on a 16/24 and loves it. When mine was working, it made it nice to sneek up on a face or indicating. I have instructions for it somewhere:crazy:
TED
 

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So friends that both have sb's looked at my apron and couldn't figure out why my wheel was different.

Turns out I have this fine feed adjustment.

Looks just like the pictures above exactly like sblatheman's, I mean exactly, with the warning tag etc. EXCEPT it doesn't have the "binding screw", nor is there a hole or anything like a hole etc.

What engages it?
 
Well maybe mine isn't exactly... I hope I haven't found something cool,neat,interesting just to have it missing a part :(

See Pictures Maybe someone can set me on the right path?

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Did you guys see this auction?
Looks like a fine-feed handwheel.

I'm not sure the 13" and 10" fine feed wheels are interchangeable (maybe Dennis knows), but even if they aren't this might be a nice little upgrade to a 10" owner.

Ryan

I don't think that is a FFHW. It looks like someones attempt at putting a graduated dial on the apron(Bridgeport dial??)
SBL didn't make a FFHW for the 10" that I know of. It is made for the machines with a heavier carriage(13', 14 1/2", 16") to help sneek up on a location without over-shooting, or moving small increments.
TED
 
Here are some pix of the 16" FFHW I got from Ted (SBLatheman) awhile back. The first one shows all of the component pieces (except for the pinion shaft), and the second shows the assembled mechanism, including the binder screw.

I have some additional pix if they would be useful.

Hope this helps.

-Chris

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So I think I'm missing the part that is on your second row (where there are 3 items) the part on the far right, guess this the part the binder screw goes into?

Seems that everything else is there?

Looks like a fairly simple part that could be made? Anyone have one they want to lend to me so I could make it??????

Wonder why they put the warning plate on my "gear box" instead of the binder screw part???
 
Hi Dave,

Yes, it seems you need that piece, which I'll call a backing plate for lack of a better term.

Whether or not you have everything else you need is not clear to me at this point.

Tomorrow, I will fish out the FFHW and take a few more pictures of the backing plate. I think that will provide sufficient information for you to make one.

Since mine is for a 16" lathe, not a 13", the measurements will be different. Also, since these things seem to be quite rare, I'm afraid I don't want to let any part of mine out of my sight.

Having said all of that, however, you should be able to derive the necessary dimensions from what you already have without much trouble. I will give you the dimensions for mine.

Meanwhile, take a look at the following picture, and note what I call a small square lug on the apron casting where the pinion shaft goes. This is apparently quite important to the proper operation of the FFHW, as it engages a slot in the backing plate and prevents the whole device from rotating.

If your apron does not have such a lug, you will have to improvise something to serve that purpose.

In any event, I will send more info sometime late in the day tomorrow.

Regards,

-Chris

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In your last picture, you show "slot for felt" indeed mine does have a felt in there. The "lug" mine has a hole drilled there and I can see a indention that a square piece was there at one time. My guess is the lug keeps the backing plate from rotating when the screw on the backing plate is engaged, thus engaging the planetary gear system.

Besides the backing plate and "lug" the only other thing I'm missing is if you reference you picture where you have all the parts the small round part above the first round part in the row of three. I have this part but it is missing the "pin" at 12 o'clock. It has the small pin. I think this must do part of the engaging.

SBLatheman sent me the technical specs of the ffhw so I should be able to replicate the backing plate part which doesn't look overly complicated.

Today I dissembled the entire unit and cleaned it up. Everything looks in good shape except for those missing parts.

My wild guess is the "forgot to disengage" it and it broke???

Don't rush as I'm rebuilding the entire machine and won't get to the apron for a month or so.

Thanks!
 
Hi Dave,

Apologies for the late reply -- I got waylaid by a case of the flu - UGH! (Not the swine flu, BTW).

It seems unlikely to me that neglecting to release the binder screw could have broken that thick piece of steel, but I guess anything's possible.

The binder screw simply engages and disengages the FF function by preventing the lower sun gear from turning (this turns the FF function ON).

While I could certainly be mistaken, my guess is that the reason for disengaging the binding screw when using power feed (i.e. FF function OFF) is that, when driven by the pinion gear instead of the handwheel, the planetary gear system would operate much faster than it was designed to do, which could cause the FFHW to fail (not to mention the handwheel spinning around at breakneck speed).

I notice that your warning label is attached with pan head screws. Mine is attached using drive screws (no slots). I wonder if somewhere along the line someone relocated your label for some reason.

If you have not already completely disassembled the FFHW assembly, note that each of the planet gears is actually two different gears, one on top of the other, and reassembling everything so all the gears mesh properly is somewhat tricky.

Look for a punch mark on one tooth of each planet gear. I'm afraid I don't recall the specifics at this point, but I do remember that the mark is an important key to reassembling everything correctly.

I'll be back with more info in the next day or so. Meanwhile, my neighbor is waiting for me to troubleshoot a problem with their tractor...

As far as the value goes, yours is only the third one I've heard of. None of the regular dealers I contacted had ever even seen one. The value, therefore is anybody's guess.

Obviously, most people have been able to get along just fine for many years without a FFHW, though, a fact which would also affect the potential value.

Hope this helps.

Best,

-Chris
 
SBLatheman, Do you still have the instructions for the fine feed hand wheel? Are they online anywhere by chance? A 13" followed me home the other day and it has one on it. Thanks
 
I'm looking for more (basic) info on the 13" fine feed if anyone has one or knows the answers to these questions your expertise would be most appreciated.

1. On the face/hub of the hand wheel is a knurled knob and pin protrusion. Is this knob a screw, or is it a spring pin engage/disengage mechanical scenario something akin to the way the quick change gear box spring pin knobs work, or even like the bull gear pin operates? Mine is pretty gummed up still and I don't want to force it, but even if I wanted to.. I don't know if I would pull it back or unscrew it.

2. Mine is missing the binding bolt. I have one of the right thread size, but any ideas on the length it should be to reach whatever it presses against to carry out it's binding function?

Thanks
 
I'm looking for more (basic) info on the 13" fine feed if anyone has one or knows the answers to these questions your expertise would be most appreciated.

1. On the face/hub of the hand wheel is a knurled knob and pin protrusion. Is this knob a screw, or is it a spring pin engage/disengage mechanical scenario something akin to the way the quick change gear box spring pin knobs work, or even like the bull gear pin operates? Mine is pretty gummed up still and I don't want to force it, but even if I wanted to.. I don't know if I would pull it back or unscrew it.

2. Mine is missing the binding bolt. I have one of the right thread size, but any ideas on the length it should be to reach whatever it presses against to carry out it's binding function?

Thanks

The pin pulls out like a bull gear plunger.
The binding bolt tightens against a brass shoe
 








 
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