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Willson Lathe advise needed.

Kingnath

Plastic
Joined
May 30, 2017
Hi everyone. I'm a total novice but brought myself a willson slanted lathe with the intention of wood turning. However some how it's stuck on screw (feed) mode and I can't work out how to set it so I can move the bed manually. Are there any willson users on here I can befriend and have help me? I just want to pick your brains with a few questions.

Many thanks in advance.
 
Pending better advice from someone with longer / more recent experience and with reference to http://www.lathes.co.uk/willson/index.html what I recall from inspecting a late-ish one with the sector covers over the speed controls several years ago is:-

Right most pointy knob on the screw cutting gearbox engages or dis-engages the power feed and screw cutting drive.

Lever at the bottom of the apron moving left and right operates feed drive clutch.

Lever at top right on the apron operates the half nut for screw cutting. Said to be stiff to disengage.

Lever in the middle of the apron with the spring loaded pull knob detent selects screw cutting, longitudinal or cross power feed.

Dial at right of apron is the threading indicator, lever engages or disengages it.

Aha. Remembered where there was an annotated photo this page http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/threads/44200-willson-slant-bed-lathe/page4 about halfway down.

Limy will be along in a minute no doubt.

Clive
 
Pending better advice from someone with longer / more recent experience and with reference to http://www.lathes.co.uk/willson/index.html what I recall from inspecting a late-ish one with the sector covers over the speed controls several years ago is:-

Right most pointy knob on the screw cutting gearbox engages or dis-engages the power feed and screw cutting drive.

Lever at the bottom of the apron moving left and right operates feed drive clutch.

Lever at top right on the apron operates the half nut for screw cutting. Said to be stiff to disengage.

Lever in the middle of the apron with the spring loaded pull knob detent selects screw cutting, longitudinal or cross power feed.

Dial at right of apron is the threading indicator, lever engages or disengages it.

Aha. Remembered where there was an annotated photo this page http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/threads/44200-willson-slant-bed-lathe/page4 about halfway down.

Limy will be along in a minute no doubt.

Clive

Clive, many thanks for your kind reply. I'll have a look at these suggestions now. However, I'm not 100% sure I completely follow you, as the lathe was dropped whilst being delivered and I'm not totally sure all the lever she are working properly. This may be a bigger problem. With hope your advise will work. Again, thanks :)

Nathan
 
Nathan

Drop damage can be hard to quantify. If its gone over on its front various things will have been bent. Its almost certain that the feed clutch lever will have been badly bent and, probably, the mechanics behind it.

I'd start by pulling the retracting covers over the feed drive rod and leadscrew off. Then disengage the feed dog clutch using the rightmost lever on the screw cutting box and see if either or both the feed drive rod and leadscrew will turn independently. Can't remember if there is a nut on the ends or not. If there is a nut you can use a spanner. If not hafta be careful with grips. If the screw doesn't turn then play with the half nut lever. If the feed rod doesn't turn play with the clutch lever. If neither turn you probably haven't disengaged the drive dogs so turn the knob the other way. So long as the main drive clutch is disengaged so you aren't trying to turn the motor you should be able to turn the chuck by hand and drive through the screw cutting box to verify that both power feed and screw cutting drives are disengaged.

If its still jammed up with feed drive rod and leadscrew turning freely you will need to investigate deeper by removing the apron and other parts. Way beyond anything I can recall.

Clive
 








 
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