Richard King
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2005
- Location
- Cottage Grove, MN 55016
I was thinking we should share idea's on preventing downtime on your machine tools. We have many experienced machine builders, rebuilders, maintenance men. machinists with tips we can share to avoid the expense of rebuilding.
I see so many people who buy a used machine and automatically assume they have to rebuild the machine. Here, We are asked about how to repair this and that after the machine breaks. The majority of our work could be saved if the machine owner or machine owners maintenance men followed some simple rules or a scheduled maintenance.
I just saw this on the Home Page of Practical Machinist that can get us started.
6 “Healthy Heart Exercises” for Your Spindle | Oku
Another simple trick on Machine Lubrication on older machines is to install a pressure gage in the lube line so you can watch it. No pressure means? A broken line or pump issues. To much pressure means something is plugged.
On most older machines say for example a Bridgeport Mill, It has a lubrication manifold under the saddle left side that has Bijur Metering (jets) that get plugged up and limit the lube oil that goes to the ways. Depending on the hours on the machine they need to be replaced because they can get plugged. Lets share those types of things.
Another simple trick is to check the level and alignment at least once a year on production machine. If a machine is not aligned properly the ways wear faster then they should and they machine out of square / parallel.
I had a shop with a CNC VMC call me a few years ago, saying the machines ways needed scraping and it was not cutting square anymore. The first thing I did was ask them "when was the last time you checked the level / alignment?" They had a dumb look on their face and said "never". I put 2 precision levels on the table and started to check travel and one corner was low. I crawled under the machine and that leveling screw was loose.
Took me 1 hour and the machine was cutting straight.
Another time, a guy called me and said his lathe needed rebuilding because it was cutting a taper. Same thing the machine had not been aligned in years and the bed was twisted. Lets share those types of stories so when someone Googles an issue they will be brought to our forum. :-) Rich
I see so many people who buy a used machine and automatically assume they have to rebuild the machine. Here, We are asked about how to repair this and that after the machine breaks. The majority of our work could be saved if the machine owner or machine owners maintenance men followed some simple rules or a scheduled maintenance.
I just saw this on the Home Page of Practical Machinist that can get us started.
6 “Healthy Heart Exercises” for Your Spindle | Oku
Another simple trick on Machine Lubrication on older machines is to install a pressure gage in the lube line so you can watch it. No pressure means? A broken line or pump issues. To much pressure means something is plugged.
On most older machines say for example a Bridgeport Mill, It has a lubrication manifold under the saddle left side that has Bijur Metering (jets) that get plugged up and limit the lube oil that goes to the ways. Depending on the hours on the machine they need to be replaced because they can get plugged. Lets share those types of things.
Another simple trick is to check the level and alignment at least once a year on production machine. If a machine is not aligned properly the ways wear faster then they should and they machine out of square / parallel.
I had a shop with a CNC VMC call me a few years ago, saying the machines ways needed scraping and it was not cutting square anymore. The first thing I did was ask them "when was the last time you checked the level / alignment?" They had a dumb look on their face and said "never". I put 2 precision levels on the table and started to check travel and one corner was low. I crawled under the machine and that leveling screw was loose.
Took me 1 hour and the machine was cutting straight.
Another time, a guy called me and said his lathe needed rebuilding because it was cutting a taper. Same thing the machine had not been aligned in years and the bed was twisted. Lets share those types of stories so when someone Googles an issue they will be brought to our forum. :-) Rich