What's new
What's new

Sight Glass Help Needed - Yam Lathe

dalmatiangirl61

Diamond
Joined
Jan 31, 2011
Location
BFE Nevada/San Marcos Tx
The sight glass on my Yam lathe has been seeping oil, I'm working on a list of little stuff to order from McMaster and thought a new sight glass could be 1 more thing on the order. McMaster has lots of sight glasses, but nothing that matches, just looked at MSC too and not seeing what I need there either, looks like they are all threaded.

Hole in casting measures approx 1.125" smooth bore/no threads, a rubber grommet goes in first, then the plastic sight glass 1.010" dia presses into that.

I thought this would be a common part, looks like I'm wrong, does anyone know where I can find this type of sight glass?
 
I saw the press fit ones on McMaster, but hole diameter is not correct at 1.25", and it states max wall thickness of 9/32" whereas wall thickness on lathe is closer to 3/4"-1" by the eyeball micrometer. Re-check bore diameter and getting 1.123, but can't quite get a straight shot at it, pretty sure its 1.125".

Couple pics below of the old one
 

Attachments

  • sg 1.jpg
    sg 1.jpg
    98.2 KB · Views: 38
  • sg 2.jpg
    sg 2.jpg
    87.9 KB · Views: 40
  • sg 3.jpg
    sg 3.jpg
    89.6 KB · Views: 39
  • sg 4.jpg
    sg 4.jpg
    90 KB · Views: 40
Called Webb this morning and emailed them the pics and dimensions, did not sound too hopeful, hard parts they can get, soft parts is a maybe.

Exploring my options, tap to 1"npt is possible, but there is the chip issue and its kind of tight inside that gearbox. Other thought is just turn a bushing with a 25mm id, press or locktite (I'll have to turn it on the lessor lathe) in place, then use a press in 25mm sight glass. Any other ideas?
 
Spin up your own from "lucite", plexiglas etc.

I've done so on my Mazak, It's been years, no crazing or yellowing.
 








 
Back
Top