What's new
What's new

Restoring a 1943 14X30 Hendey Gear Head Lathe.....

KTapply

Plastic
Joined
Sep 25, 2018
Location
Denver
I recently acquired a 1943 14X30 Hendy Gearhead lathe. @hendeyman was able to tell me that it was built for the Linde Air Laboratory in Tonawanda New York and delivered in 1943. I acquired it from a local municipal airport where it had been left behind in a hanger and then moved outside, where it sat for 2 years. As you can imagine it was well covered in a coat of surface rust, and various surfaces were locked up. I've begun the clean up process; WD-40,Kroil,and a scotchbrite pad are my best friends right now. There is evidence of neglect in its later life but nothing (at least so far) that is terminal. At some point the lathe was dropped/bumped and the apron handwheel was destroyed, the cross slide housing was cracked, and the reverse lever on the right side broken. Seems to me that these parts can be replaced/repaired.

I will be posting pictures here of the progress I am making and questions as they come up. Any suggestions, observations, ideas, that you may have will always be welcome. No need to call me an idiot, my wife does that regularly and I am well aware :D.

Here are a few pictures to begin...

IMG_5536.jpg
IMG_5539.jpg
IMG_5557.jpg
IMG_5562.jpg
IMG_5600.jpg
 
With the feed handle housing I would remove that and braze it up then sleeve the journal to get it back into spec. was it tipped over at some point? I have a 12X30 I'm restoring at the moment.
 
Removing the Feed handle Housing?

With the feed handle housing I would remove that and braze it up then sleeve the journal to get it back into spec. was it tipped over at some point? I have a 12X30 I'm restoring at the moment.

Any suggestions for how the feed handle housing is removed? Does the feed handle and shaft have to be removed before the housing will come off?

The feed handle appears to be attached to the shaft with a pin has to be driven out but after 76 years its very solid.. I would assume it will have to be heated to get it to budge...

Thanks for whatever help you may be able to offer....

Kevin Tapply
Arvada, Colorado
 
Instead of attempting to explain it and likely failing I'm linking another thread where he does a great job of picturing the different components.
Refurbishing a 12X30 Hendey

@KimFab's apron is different from mine and he doesn't cover how to take the Feed Handle Bracket off or replace it.... I tried heating it and using the pressure created by backing off the feed clutch adjusting nut against the back of the feed handle bracket thinking that would force it off the shaft, but it didn't budge....

More research.....

I have attached a picture of my lathe apron incase anyone is interested...

IMG_5611.jpg
 
Last edited:
In his pictures it shows that the housing is keyed to keep its orientation in the bore of the apron so its likely lightly pressed in but I would remove all of the other components from it and the apron first as it may be binding on the handle shaft.
 
Update**

Got to spend a little time with the Hendey today. will be removing the Apron later this week. Thanks to C Clement for the advice..

First a quick walk around Video...

Here are some pictures...

The Gear Box...
IMG_5635.jpg
IMG_5636.jpg
IMG_5637.jpg
IMG_5638.jpg

BB Stamp on Spindle
IMG_5640.jpg
 
Hi. Your friend request brought me out of seclusion. I have other pics of the refurb that were not put out.
Unfortunately I stupidly sold the machine to a guy in San Diego in 2009 so I'll probably not be much help other than being able to supply some pics.
I'm getting too old and cranky to do much and am down to a lathe and 2 mills.

It's interesting to see another version of the apron, with mine the shifter thing unbolted from the front and just pulled out of the back.
 
Hi. Your friend request brought me out of seclusion.

That's awesome or terrible, not sure.. but I appreciate your response and look forward to learning whatever you have to offer

I have other pics of the refurb that were not put out.

Whatever you can share would be terrific. This is the very first lathe rebuild for me and I know I have a lot to learn

Unfortunately I stupidly sold the machine to a guy in San Diego in 2009 so I'll probably not be much help other than being able to supply some pics.

I would appreciate whatever you can do to help.

I'm getting too old and cranky to do much and am down to a lathe and 2 mills.
Yup, headed that way myself.....

It's interesting to see another version of the apron, with mine the shifter thing unbolted from the front and just pulled out of the back.

I have had a difficult time finding pictures of a rebuild exactly like mine, but I think there are enough similarities I should be able to figure it out.

Thanks....
 
Hendeyman is fond of writing that "all the drawings are available"

Might there be a related assembly drawing of that apron?

Here is the parts book page scan - not much use in figuring out how it went together
 

Attachments

  • scan 01.jpg
    scan 01.jpg
    90.4 KB · Views: 43
Last edited:
Kevin,

I looked through my videos and remembered that when I started tearing apart the apron I just thought I was going to be adjusting the half nut interlock. It wasn't until I got into it a lot farther that I thought about videoing the repair. I did find some video of putting the feed housings back into the apron. Here is a short clip of the process (YouTube) Watching the video jogged my memory a bit and I seem to remember getting those feed lever housings off by jacking them out of their holes with the adjusting nut that I show threading back on in the video. I did not have a hook spanner the right size back then so I used a brass punch on the notches in the nut. Obviously the nut on the front of the housing has to come off first. Also, the housing is keyed to the apron so do not try and rotate it. Take a look at the video and see is it helps, I realize it isn't much.

Good luck,

Craig
 
Kevin,

I looked through my videos and remembered that when I started tearing apart the apron I just thought I was going to be adjusting the half nut interlock. It wasn't until I got into it a lot farther that I thought about videoing the repair. I did find some video of putting the feed housings back into the apron. Here is a short clip of the process (YouTube) Watching the video jogged my memory a bit and I seem to remember getting those feed lever housings off by jacking them out of their holes with the adjusting nut that I show threading back on in the video. I did not have a hook spanner the right size back then so I used a brass punch on the notches in the nut. Obviously the nut on the front of the housing has to come off first. Also, the housing is keyed to the apron so do not try and rotate it. Take a look at the video and see is it helps, I realize it isn't much.

Good luck,

Craig

Makes total sense now..... I was backing the slot nut off when I should be turning it forwards.. HUGE Help..... Thank you Craig for taking the time to dig this up from the archives for me.
 
Cross Slide Feed Shaft removed ...

Update.......October 29, 2019

I did finally manage to get the Feed Handle Bracket removed from the Apron. I used the slot nut adjustment ring to "jack" the housing off (as C Clement recommended above and then used brass wedges to get it out the rest of the way. As expected the cross slide feed shaft is severely bent and the bracket/housing is cracked.

IMG_5692.jpg

I have a friend who is the most talented welders I know and he welded the housing up with silicon bronze.
IMG_5695.jpg IMG_5696.jpg

Next to bore the housing and make a bronze bushing and then to remake the cross slide feed shaft.

Another interesting (not) surprise is that these two gears are made from some form of phenolic material rather than what I would have expected would have been originally cast from the factory. ?? not going to mess with them for now.
IMG_5632.jpg
 
Last edited:








 
Back
Top