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Warner Swasey 2A Turre lathe turret adjustment

RustyRedneck

Aluminum
Joined
Feb 17, 2016
Hey fellas, I;m working with a Warner Swasey 2A Turret Lathe my boss bought a while back. I'm supposed to be tapping some shafts to 7/8-14 but the turret alignment to the chuck is off by quite a ways and looks like trying to tap this part is going to break the tap and nobody wants that. So, I'm coming to you guys asking if you know how to adjust the turret side to side. From what I can tell, there is no slide adjustment for the carriage. My only hope might be adjusting the stop for the turret. I haven't spent a lot of time on this project yet but figured I'd ask to possibly save some time. Let me know what I can do if you know. Thanks!
 
On my .020 out 3a there are gibs on both sides of the turret slide but that wouldn't get you very far and I don't see any practical way to adjust the turret rotation stop
So I made adjustable collet chucks /adapters20171130_075413.jpg
Can move it up down left right on the allen bolts and tilt with the set screws in the face
 
I'm hoping it doesn't come to that on this end. If it does I might just end up chucking a boring bar and boring the mounted sleeves on the turret to make sure the alignment is true. Either that the actual bores on the turret and putting a sleeve in them. I'm not sure how but this unit is at least an 1/8 inch towards the operator side of the bed.
 
+1 on the level
Check the turret base were it sits on the ways there are 2 bronze tip set screws with jam nuts that pull it to the left Screenshot_2017-11-30-08-55-39.jpg
 

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Is that on your rear turret or the cross head slide? Mine doesn't have the turret on the cross slide, just on the rear. Found out when we got the thing, it came with feet to put it on so the level screws weren't just grinding into the floor, but nobody put them under it when we put it in the shop. I put those under it and it's level without any adjustment but the misalignment hasn't changed. If mine has the same adjusters your's does, I might just turn it sideways a bit. It is definitely turned somehow. I ran a dial indicator along a straight surface on the turret with it locked in and it moved about 0.01 every 8 inches. Hope this works.
 
I took the cover off of the inside center of the hexagonal turret and a bunch of bolts and a center cap that appears to require a spanner wrench to take off.
20171130_145219[1].jpg
20171130_145226[1].jpg
I'm assuming these keep the hexagonal turret mounted to the base. Is this correct? I tried to turn the turret on the base but wasn't able to move it at all after loosening the 6 perimeter bolts. Is my next step to take the hexagonal turret all the way off and examine the lock pin and other components? Also attached is a picture of the tap and the part to be tapped and the alignment of the two with chuck jaws tight and the turret locked down. No slop in either.
20171129_173047[1].jpg
 
On my #3 that plate covers a bearing that holds up the turret when it's unlocked and the index recesses are machine directly in the bottom of the turret
Your 2a looks different
 
I thought A series machines all had cross slides on the saddle turret. Can you post a clear photo of the whole rear saddle?
 
Here's the rear saddle without the hexagonal saddle on it
20171201_081031[1].jpg
Here's the underside of the turret
20171130_164637[1].jpg
The lock for the turret
20171201_081039[1].jpg
And the lock adjuster
20171201_081043[1].jpg
Mine's different from the diagrams in the book I have too. Seems like every time I start to work on something around here, a difference arises in that particular piece of machinery that no other living human being has experience with. But I usually get something figured out.
 
It's been a while close to 40 years I think since I had one of those apart. I have a bunch of books for them but they are 2000 miles away. LOL It looks to me from the tap picture the side to side is way off and low. Did you have the correct tap holder? As one of the others said. Check the bed alignment with a level. Now that you have the turret off place it on the turret flat and and move the saddle up to the chuck and set the level 90 deg to the bed travel. If the machine is not earth level, shim up one side of the level so it reads level. Then crank the saddle to the tailstock end. Then if its out adjust the bed so there is no twist.

If you want to check the alignment of the turret holes. Measure the bore and on that machine or another lathe turn down a thick walled or aluminum spud so it slides snugly into the hole and sticking out about 4" and inside the bore as far as it will go, only snug up the lock. Then turn another spud in the chuck the same diameter of the other test bar. Then set a mag base and test indicator on the cross 2 bars on top and sside of the 2 test bars.re still must be some used machine dealers with tooling for that machine. Please do not sweep the hole as you will get indicator gravity sag.

You could also buy a floating tap holder. Or adjustable tool holder In Detroit there must be several used machine dealers with tooling for that old bugger. Rich

Warner & Swasey Lathe, Automatic, SC & CNC Machine Tooling

WARNER & SWASEY Floating Tool Holder 1-1/2” Shank Model M622 | eBay
 
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Thanks Rich. I'll have to check that out sometime. We were needing the parts done by the end of the day last Friday so I put it back together and finished them up. This was probably dangerous practice but, I started drilling the ends of the shaft with the drill bit locked in on the turret. Then once I had it started, I unlocked the turret and drilled the rest of the way, letting the drill bit center up. Then tapped it without locking the turret in at all. The boss does want this machine set up correctly so we have the capabilities of drilling and tapping on center. I hope I can get back to it sometime soon. Thanks!
 
I know who will know....GAHR Machinery in cleveland.

Call them on the PHONE, they are very helpfull.
 
OK, when you said "off by quite a ways", I was thinking about 0.005", not 0.125" . Ouch. You might still find a floating tap holder, or maybe an adjustable drill holder would be better, with that much accomodation, but still...

Possibly silly question: are all turret positions similarly misaligned? If it's just the one position, you may have a bent toolholder or a chip under the toolholder cocking it on the turret.
 
OK, when you said "off by quite a ways", I was thinking about 0.005", not 0.125" . Ouch. You might still find a floating tap holder, or maybe an adjustable drill holder would be better, with that much accomodation, but still...

Possibly silly question: are all turret positions similarly misaligned? If it's just the one position, you may have a bent toolholder or a chip under the toolholder cocking it on the turret.

At least 3 of the 6 are misaligned like this one. That's why I'm trying to adjust it. I'll get back to it sometime soon...I hope. Thanks!
 
Followup to my possibly silly question: Any chance a previous owner/operator removed the pilots on the toolholders so the holders simply aren't positioned correctly on the turret faces?
 
Followup to my possibly silly question: Any chance a previous owner/operator removed the pilots on the toolholders so the holders simply aren't positioned correctly on the turret faces?

It's possible but I'm not sure why or how. As far as I can tell, the tool holder pilots are machined to slip into the turret bores and bolt on in one position only. I'm not sure if they've ever really been off but it's worth looking into.
 








 
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