Thread: Bridgeport mill quill lock problem

Good day
I recently saw a video where the guy used a different approach to stop the quill lock from tightening itself, but now of course I cant find it. he remade the shaft and the rear threaded brass shoe and threaded the shaft and shoe using left hand threads which reversed the direction of locking from clockwise to counterclockwise. Has anyone done this or heard of this being done?
Thanks
Ray

Originally Posted by 1mondo

Good day
I recently saw a video where the guy used a different approach to stop the quill lock from tightening itself, but now of course I cant find it. he remade the shaft and the rear threaded brass shoe and threaded the shaft and shoe using left hand threads which reversed the direction of locking from clockwise to counterclockwise. Has anyone done this or heard of this being done?
Thanks
Ray

Don't know about that, but you should be able to adjust the handle so it is not putting pressure on the mechanism ie -adjust it so it is loose, then re-position handle so it is hanging straight down? Maybe I am misunderstanding what you want?

I just use a rubber band

On my Lagun and bed mill I just pulled the units out and installed them so the handles are in the back of the quill casting. Gravity is on my side now and the handle is out of my way.
I do not think this is a new solution.

I use a small neodymium magnet on the head that holds the lock handle tip in the up position

Originally Posted by jmanatee

I use a small neodymium magnet on the head that holds the lock handle tip in the up position

Same here - works well.

O-ring groove and small o-ring on the locking shaft. Provides enough friction to hold the little handle up.

I just put a spring on the threaded shaft that pushes the clamp blocks apart. This holds the handle wherever you put it and spreads the lock blocks so they don't drag on the quill.

My rubber bands deteriorated fast. Tried reversing the blocks with the handle in the back. It was odd and the other guys didn't like it, so I put a magnet on.

Dave

I've considered some solutions to the drifting quill lock.

Seems to me the rooster magnet (aka "cock-up) works well enough, but attracts undesirable elements in exchange (i.e. chips)

I've heard of threading the shoe and shaft left-handed. That would seem a good solution I suppose.

For my part, a little friction is all that's needed, like a spring between the two shoes, or perhaps an Oring.

I ended up buying a couple new shoes w/ a spring in between off Fleabay. I normally don't like buying Chinese stuff, but it was a small item and super cheap. Plus I liked the longer handle. I think it cost me something like 13 bucks.

I haven't put it in yet because I've been too busy with other things, but here is a pic.

I have had the magnet on for years and there are only a few chips bigger than dust. If it ever became a problem, it would not be hard to clean

Good to know.

Here's on other idea I haven't seen. It uses a little weight to counter balance the lever.

It's on the end of the thread. Also is a link in the thread for how somebody machined their own lever and shoes, although he used right handed threads.

Aftermarket Parts for Sharp LMV

Originally Posted by Randalthor

I've considered some solutions to the drifting quill lock.

Seems to me the rooster magnet (aka "cock-up) works well enough, but attracts undesirable elements in exchange (i.e. chips)

I've heard of threading the shoe and shaft left-handed. That would seem a good solution I suppose.

For my part, a little friction is all that's needed, like a spring between the two shoes, or perhaps an Oring.

I ended up buying a couple new shoes w/ a spring in between off Fleabay. I normally don't like buying Chinese stuff, but it was a small item and super cheap. Plus I liked the longer handle. I think it cost me something like 13 bucks.

I haven't put it in yet because I've been too busy with other things, but here is a pic.

That's fine if you are starting from scratch.

With the stock shoes the inside holes are too large and a correctly sized spring will rub on the spindle introducing a new wear pattern.
And the wear will be created by a steel part rubbing on the spindle, not the brass shoes. I suspect that the diameter of the thread in the
picture is less than the stock diameter of the thread.

Originally Posted by rons

That's fine if you are starting from scratch.

With the stock shoes the inside holes are too large and a correctly sized spring will rub on the spindle introducing a new wear pattern.
And the wear will be created by a steel part rubbing on the spindle, not the brass shoes.

Rons,

You wrote about a wear pattern on the spindle. I assume you mean quill?

If so, I hadn't heard of the spring wearing on the quill, but could see that as a possibility. The shoes are drilled off-center to move the tensioning bolt away from the quill, but maybe that's not enough with a spring around the bolt. I'll look for that when I install the new shoe assembly on mine. Thanks for the heads up.

If the spring does rub on the quill, I'll just make new shoes when I get time.