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13 inch spindle bearings

Charlesc

Aluminum
Joined
Mar 4, 2020
Browsing some previous threads but didn't find anything except complete restorations. Looking for members thoughts on my 13inch SB. This morning thought it a good time to check the headstock bearing. Dog plate on. Blocks of wood and bar. I can get as much as .0015 deflection on dial gauge depending how much force applied. How much is tolerable? What about thrust?
 
Blocks of wood and bar.
Please tell me you aren't stacking wood on the bend and using that as a fulcrum for a prybar! A piece of broomstick or similar sticking out about 12" and pulling up with your hand is the proper way to check.
See p. 15 of attached.
You either have solid cast iron bearings (less likely) or bronze bearings with an adjuster (more likely). If there are two small screws in the tops of your bearing caps, please read and understand the procedure for adjusting them and understand how you will damage the bearings if you just try to pull the caps off without releasing the adjusters.
South Bend Lathe Works - Publication Reprints - Keep Your Lathe in Trim // Bulletin # H-4 | VintageMachinery.org
 
bearings

Blocks of wood and bar.
Please tell me you aren't stacking wood on the bend and using that as a fulcrum for a prybar! A piece of broomstick or similar sticking out about 12" and pulling up with your hand is the proper way to check.
See p. 15 of attached.
You either have solid cast iron bearings (less likely) or bronze bearings with an adjuster (more likely). If there are two small screws in the tops of your bearing caps, please read and understand the procedure for adjusting them and understand how you will damage the bearings if you just try to pull the caps off without releasing the adjusters.
South Bend Lathe Works - Publication Reprints - Keep Your Lathe in Trim // Bulletin # H-4 | VintageMachinery.org

Thanks for the link. Too bad they didn't mention the use of a broom stick on the plate on the inside of the cover. There is nothing in SB book either. :( Probably don't have to touch the bearings according to these instructions. I will reexamine again tomorrow.
 
bearings

Blocks of wood and bar.
Please tell me you aren't stacking wood on the bend and using that as a fulcrum for a prybar! A piece of broomstick or similar sticking out about 12" and pulling up with your hand is the proper way to check.
See p. 15 of attached.
You either have solid cast iron bearings (less likely) or bronze bearings with an adjuster (more likely). If there are two small screws in the tops of your bearing caps, please read and understand the procedure for adjusting them and understand how you will damage the bearings if you just try to pull the caps off without releasing the adjusters.
South Bend Lathe Works - Publication Reprints - Keep Your Lathe in Trim // Bulletin # H-4 | VintageMachinery.org

Thanks for the link. Too bad they didn't mention the use of a broom stick on the plate on the inside of the cover. There is nothing in SB book either. :( Probably don't have to touch the bearings according to these instructions. I will reexamine again tomorrow.
 
Remove *all* tooling from the spindle and touch the indicator off on the spindle right where it emerges from
the headstock. The up and down force are only there to overcome the oil film. Lift until the indicator stops
moving, a few pounds at most. Zero the indicator and the push down until it stops moving. Read the TIR
at this point.
 
Thanks for the link. Too bad they didn't mention the use of a broom stick on the plate on the inside of the cover. There is nothing in SB book either. :( Probably don't have to touch the bearings according to these instructions. I will reexamine again tomorrow.

The procedure for checking play on spindle bearings is on p. 15 of the document I linked.
 








 
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