Hi all:
It's been some time since I've posted on my rebuild project. To be honest, much time has been spent over the past couple of months refurbishing the various parts and setting them aside, all to the neglect of posting my progress. I'm sure no one wants to see boring pics of once dirty parts looking all new again. Those will come shortly. So far, I've completed a collet closer and 15 5C collets, the entire tailstock, the QCGB with all new bronze bushings, bearings and felts, the apron and saddle (saddle is currently out to a machine shop to have the dovetails tweaked so I've just started on the headstock, which is now in pieces. Here's my question: Did South Bend use some sort of epoxy paint or heavy coating on the headstock base metal, prior to the finishing paint job? In stripping several coats of paint from this machine, I’ve come across a thick grey coating on the part of the headdtock casting directly below where the spindle sits. Could this have been put there as some form of protection against the perils of long term exposure to oil on the cast iron or the paint? This grey stuff just softens with paint stripper and takes much effort to scrape (more like chisel) the stuff off. Or is this just some heavy handed paint job? I suspect the former. Would very much appreciate comments from those in the know.
When the headstock is back together, what`s left is a flame hardened bed with absolutely no wear (a good cleaning and painting and we`re good to go) and the undermount drive assembly.
I hope to have the machine back together and in one piece by end of October. Will try to post some show and tell photos soon.
Thanks to all for your input.
Cheers,
Raydel.
It's been some time since I've posted on my rebuild project. To be honest, much time has been spent over the past couple of months refurbishing the various parts and setting them aside, all to the neglect of posting my progress. I'm sure no one wants to see boring pics of once dirty parts looking all new again. Those will come shortly. So far, I've completed a collet closer and 15 5C collets, the entire tailstock, the QCGB with all new bronze bushings, bearings and felts, the apron and saddle (saddle is currently out to a machine shop to have the dovetails tweaked so I've just started on the headstock, which is now in pieces. Here's my question: Did South Bend use some sort of epoxy paint or heavy coating on the headstock base metal, prior to the finishing paint job? In stripping several coats of paint from this machine, I’ve come across a thick grey coating on the part of the headdtock casting directly below where the spindle sits. Could this have been put there as some form of protection against the perils of long term exposure to oil on the cast iron or the paint? This grey stuff just softens with paint stripper and takes much effort to scrape (more like chisel) the stuff off. Or is this just some heavy handed paint job? I suspect the former. Would very much appreciate comments from those in the know.
When the headstock is back together, what`s left is a flame hardened bed with absolutely no wear (a good cleaning and painting and we`re good to go) and the undermount drive assembly.
I hope to have the machine back together and in one piece by end of October. Will try to post some show and tell photos soon.
Thanks to all for your input.
Cheers,
Raydel.