Rebuilding an HLV

This web page might be of interest to anyone thinking of rebuilding one of the toolroom lathes:

http://www.csparks.com/hardinge

This site has been a big inspiration to me. I have an HLV lathe that I've been slowly but surely been restoring ... tons of great info here.

Thanks for the effort.

We have rebuilt Hardinge lathes for over 65 years. You can read about what we do to rebuild Hardinge lathes at our website:
www.iversonandco.com

Hugh- thanks for taking the time to post your information. Have you had any luck getting parts for any of the quick release mechanism on the cross slide?
Mark Fulmer

"Quick Release"

Do you mean the mechanism that disengages
the whole carriage motion when threading?

Or do you you mean the lever that you rotate
to back out the top slide?

In either case, I have not had to replace
any parts. Your best be would be to look up
the HLVH numbers and order what you need.

If they don't work on the HLV, you can send
them back. This seems to antagonize the parts
people less that asking about compatability
with the HLV or worse, trying to use HLV part
numbers.

Good luck!

If you do have success getting a part for
you HLV, let me know about the new/old
part numbers and I will update the table
on my site so others can benefit.

Thanks,

Hugh Sparks, [email protected]

I mean the tool post slide. The hardinge drawing is hard to decipher, but inside the tool post slide is a cylinder with a helix groove around its outside diameter. This is what is partially destroyed.

Mark

That might be tough to fix.
Is it cracked? What exactly is broken?
Maybe you could post a picture of the problem?


-Hugh Sparks, [email protected]

Originally posted by hsparks:
This web page might be of interest to anyone thinking of rebuilding one of the toolroom lathes:

http://www.csparks.com/hardinge

Click to expand...

Hello Hugh, Thanks for posting all the info on the lathe. I got my HLV running and now would like some help in taking out the play (Backlash) in the carriage. I see 4 socket head screws holding on the main traverse wheel but I have no idea how to make adjustments to take out the right to left backlash. Could you help me with advice?
Thanks djmaxham


[This message has been edited by djmaxham (edited 11-22-2002).]

The carriage is driven by a pinion that engages a rack under the dovetail. There is no adjustment and no easy fix. The handwheel is is not intended to be a precision adjustment. Even on a new HLVH there is some backlash in the carriage handwheel. It drives the pinion through an intermediate gear train.

If you need precision lateral adjustment, I'd add a dial indicator (Hardinge sells a braket for this) or one of those Trav-a-dial things that measures the carriage displacement with a roller.

My advice would be to try and live with the the backlash unless the lathe is unusable.

BUT
Before you get too excited about all this work, go look at another (newer) Hardinge like yours and see if the backlash is comparable.

If you really must have a fix, first try to see if the rack, pinion or both need replacement. If you have an HLVH, both are available from Hardinge.

I don't know about the availability for the HLV lathe. The part you want is the "6655 Pinion with Gear". That is the old HLV number.

It would not be impossible to make the pinion, although as I recall, it is cut out of a solid shaft that is part of a larger gear wheel.

If you want to make the pinion, you might be able to turn off the teeth of the old one and make a press-fit pinion shell to go on the shaft. This would probably hold up pretty well and save you from having to cut the big gear. If both the pinion and rack are worn, you could design the new pinion to make up for some of the rack wear.

If you need help making the pinion, send me an e-mail and we can talk about it on the phone. You will need another lathe, a milling machine and a dividing head.

Good luck,

Hugh Sparks, [email protected]

I certainly agree that Hugh's site has been an treasure for all of us who have worked to restore an HLV of any vintage. On the carriage backlash, I had a humongous amount on my 1967 HLV-H when I bought it - something like .100". Peeking at the rack gear that engages the linear rack under the bed, I could see it tilting back and forth when the handwheel was turned, so a new oilite bearing was obviously in order. I ordered a new one from Hardinge, but if I had to do it over again I think I'd just get one from McMaster-Carr. I had to do some machining to make it fit anyway. The backlash improved remarkably with that simple bearing and seal replacement, but the journal on the rack gear was worn .006" under and it still tilted slightly, so I broke down and bought a new gear. I still have the old gear (LH6655) if you can use it - I suspect a metal spray buildup of the journal would bring it up to quite reasonable standards. The new gear brought the backlash down to .010", which is about what I witnessed in the newer lathes I've tested.

Best wishes,
Mike Hanz
[email protected]

For the earlier HLV's, I notice that there is a pinion (rack gear) and rack on the bay at the moment - # 3108143439. I have no relationship to the seller - just the first one I've seen on the auction block.

Best wishes,
Mike