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Schaublin 53N - £500 - Blackburn, UK

Hi All,

Sorry about this off piste trip down memory lane!

The Wickman plate on the Shaublin mill reminds me of my apprenticeship at Matrix (Coventry Gauge & Tool co ltd) which was situated next to the Wickman factory on the Fletchamstead highway in Coventry.

Sometimes at lunchtime, rather than eating in the Matrix canteen, we apprentices used to buy sandwiches at the adjacent newspaper shop on the corner between the factories which faced the Standard Motor Company exit and watched the Triumph TR2`s being driven out for testing down the highway which in those days did not have a speed limit.

The TR2`s had their windscreens removed and were tested up to 100 mph along the highway which was one of the few dual carraigeways in Coventry back in the 50`s. The test drivers were like gods to us they wore reversed flat caps and pilot`s goggles just like the drivers at prewar Brooklands.

Happy Days, or were they?

Alan
 
Still awaiting delivery - looking like Monday or Tuesday now. Had a bit of a runaround with moving companies - think the bigger ones didn't really want the job. But found a good one now I hope. Luckily the seller is patient.

Meanwhile, any ideas what these mystery bits are that came with the mill? I can't see anything resembling them in any of the literature I have:

unknownbits45.jpgunknownbits46.jpgunknownbits47.jpgunknownbits43.jpgunknownbits44.jpg
 
Threaded bit is a dog driver for a dividing head...threads on to the spindle...dog is clamped to the work and the tail of the dog nests in the notch...and is secured via the set screws, allowing no
play ....(required when cutting )

Part with the "Vee" notch is a center support for long parts setup on a dividing head with tail stock...Supports the part to take the force of'
the cutter running on the top of the work..(Horizontal setup)
Cheers Ross
 
Bikepete,

I have similar items that came with my 53. Don't quote me on this. I think the jack is a support for work pieces going between the dividing head and it's tail stock. The threaded item is also I think for work driving on the dividing head.

My 53 was seriously damaged by the "professional" shippers. On high value (to me) items before that I had crated before transport. Much safer but I took a gamble to save time and money and the shippers repaid me with idiotic behaviour. Proceed with caution if its a keeper for you.

NB I've sent you a PM.

Thanks,
Steve

EDIT: I got beat to it.
 
Thanks both - that was quick!

Steve - PM reply sent...

I will take maximum care - the chances of a deal like this coming up again in my lifetime are probably rather low. I will be there both for loading and unloading.

Cheers!
Pete
 
Does anyone want a free Schaublin 53N coolant tray complete with pump? I don't tend to use coolant and if I do, I can use something a lot smaller. It's a bit bent up from some previous move. Shame to scrap it but it might have to go that way... Could get the pump off, perhaps...

53narrival48.jpg

PM me if you're interested. Could secure it to a pallet easily enough.
 
Hi Peter
As i can tell you prefer import machines(HLV...). Is there anything UK made on your shop?
thx for pics and wising long and trouble free working hours on your machines.
Kyriakos
 
The HLV was actually made in the UK :-). Also the Meddings drill... and the power hacksaw (not in the pictures...)
 
Reputation for the "53's" is that they are noisy...Lots of gearing to make the corners for the spindle...
Not deemed to be an issue...just noisy. Best of luck with the overhaul....Photos of progress please.
Cheers Ross
 
Yup have heard that too. We'll see...

Electrician coming in a few days to upgrade the available supply :-) but might still be a while before I can get it under power. The electrical cabinet has some damage from a previous move...
 
Just a few pictures of the move and a huge recommend to Myles and Dan of A&S Plant Services (based in Morley area of Leeds) who did a fantastic job getting the mill safely down a narrow alley and through my only-just-wide-enough shed door before skating it into place on a far from even floor.

Arrival:

IMG_20160802_122852680_HDR.jpg

The forklift was then lifted off by Hiab:

IMG_20160802_125111573.jpg

And that then lifted the mill off, with the mill strapped in place on the forks.

IMG_20160802_130340216.jpg

The forklift then moved it carefully down the alley before swinging it into the shed door as far as possible, then skated from there. Do have a few more pics but I'm afraid I'm going to be a bit paranoid and not post them: with the ones above they would allow anyone familiar with York to identify the exact door which my workshop is behind...

Cost of the move was £1000ish and worth every penny IMO. A&S were equipped with all of the gear - hydraulic toe jacks, various different skates - and knew exactly how to use it. Great to work with too. Would use them again without hesitation.
 
Reputation for the "53's" is that they are noisy...Lots of gearing to make the corners for the spindle...

The Schaublin 53 had normal (straight, is that the correct word?) bevel gears in the head which are noisy, while the 53N is fitted with spiral bevel gears which should run silence.
 
Hi @bikepete .
Martin here who recently made a 53N post on the yahoo group.
On your post here (post #26) , the 4th pic showing the control panel. I may be an idiot but I just can't figure out what the lower left switch does.
(looks like an eye).
Anyway I did found out how to run the spindle counter clockwise =), it took a week =)
Cheers /Martin
 
@dominus164 .
That was my thirst thought but the ligth turns on when I start the machine and when I try this switch it doesn´t turn the light on or off. Maybe you are right but my switch is out of order.
It´s just a bummer having a switch without knowing what it is =)
 
Hi @bikepete .
Martin here who recently made a 53N post on the yahoo group.
On your post here (post #26) , the 4th pic showing the control panel. I may be an idiot but I just can't figure out what the lower left switch does.
(looks like an eye).
Anyway I did found out how to run the spindle counter clockwise =), it took a week =)
Cheers /Martin

Hi Martin,

Glad you made it here :-)

That switch turns on the 6V outlets above the feed motor, at the back left of the knee. I think they were intended to power the lamps on an optional optical readout system...

I'm now just waiting for my friend with a rotary converter to come over so I can try mine under power. I've spent ages cleaning it up, have rinsed and refilled all oil baths, have (more or less) straightened the bent sheet metal of the electrical cabinet, and have tested the control circuitry as far as I can with mains powering the control transformer. The only thing I'm worried about is that I can't hear the spindle drive electromagnetic clutch operate... but before digging more deeply into it I think it's worth just connecting it all up and giving it a go...

Do have a small Schaublin-related gloat to report - spotted a vice on Ebay that is the spitting image of the "High pressure production vice" shown in the 53N catalogue (or here via lathes.co.uk), and couldn't resist. It's one size smaller (100mm jaw vs 125mm) than the Schaublin catalogue one (which is clearly a rebadged Gressel MHS vice) but does look the part :-). Seller forgot to pack the handle, so still waiting on that...

IMG_20160928_163411998.jpg
 








 
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