What's new
What's new

Help identifying the version of my FP1 vertical head

Cycles

Plastic
Joined
May 21, 2020
I would like to spend some time on my Deckel FP1's vertical milling head. More specifically I would like to pull the vertical head apart, clean all parts and regrease/reoil all components according to the manual.

Can anyone identify, which version of the vertical head I have? It is definitely a replacement head, since my FP1 is an early change gear version with an eight thousand serial number and the serial number of the head is 31790.

Is this already the version with needle bearings? If so, I might think twice before pulling it apart, since I have read that these are a pain in the back to disassemble/reassemble?

One other question I have is whether anyone knows how to actually measure the offset between the horizontal and vertical spindle, which is stamped in the verticals heads nameplate?

IMG_20220302_205348.jpgIMG_20220302_205334.jpgIMG_20220302_205307.jpg
 
Based on your head serial # 3179* and mine which is 3718* I would suspect your vertical spindle has roller ball bearings similar to photo attached. I would suggest however that the spindle cartridge be removed from the head which is not too difficult and get some idea of what the bearings feel like first, also with the head removed from the ram the same can be done for the upper bearings and drive bevel gear.
The felt washer which sits on the drive shaft atop the spindle cartridge controls the oil flow to the spindle bearings, ensure this is clean and that no grease is evident. If you really have to get into the spindle bearings there are a number of things to watch out for which can expand on if you go that far. Alan.
 

Attachments

  • spindle.jpg
    spindle.jpg
    96.6 KB · Views: 77
  • spindle1.jpg
    spindle1.jpg
    89.8 KB · Views: 74
Hi Kevin,

Looks like the horizontal spindle is MT4?

Yes, but the OP "Cycles" said that the vertical head was a replacement with a much higher serial number than the machine. So my thought was that the vertical head could be a later SK40 one.

FP1 experts: does the form of the quill-clamping mechanism, visible in the second photo of first post, identify the vertical head as MT4? If so, does that mean it's a journal bearing? Perhaps it's my imagination, but if I look closely at that photo, I think I can see the exposed part of the MT4 socket there.

Cycles: a few more photos would lead to more helpful responses.

Cheers,
Bruce
 
I have a dumb question after reading the above, however on the FP-1 of the OP, did the serial number of the vertical head match the serial number of the body when it was new from the factory? Mine does not match. If so, then assume the plate indicating alignment of the head and body is not valid any more?
 
Hi Kevin,



Yes, but the OP "Cycles" said that the vertical head was a replacement with a much higher serial number than the machine. So my thought was that the vertical head could be a later SK40 one.

FP1 experts: does the form of the quill-clamping mechanism, visible in the second photo of first post, identify the vertical head as MT4? If so, does that mean it's a journal bearing? Perhaps it's my imagination, but if I look closely at that photo, I think I can see the exposed part of the MT4 socket there.

Cycles: a few more photos would lead to more helpful responses.

Cheers,
Bruce

Thanks Bruce, should have read the whole text!

It does look like it might be MT4 taper head looking at the quill clamping configuration?

Unsure when Deckel changed the quill clamping configuration, if it changed when the spindles changed?

Kevin
 
Thanks to everyone for replying so far. The vertical head has a MT4 taper, just like the horizontal spindle. Here are more pictures:

IMG_20220304_164423.jpgIMG_20220304_164330.jpg

@DJ2: I'm not able to answer that question, I bought the mill with that particular head.
 
Thanks to everyone for replying so far. The vertical head has a MT4 taper, just like the horizontal spindle.

I believe that the early FP1s vertical heads with an MT4 taper had plain (tapered sleeve) bronze spindle bearings for the radial loads, with the axial load taken via ball plate thrust bearings. Later FP1s vertical heads with an MT4 taper replaced the bronze spindle bearings with rolling needle bearings. Do you know which variant you have? This might be visible from the photos (oiling points) but I own an FP2 not an FP1 so do not know.
 








 
Back
Top