Boxford restoration

penfold · Aug 6, 2016

mr migwire said:
incidentally the vfd has had no problem running the hacksaw which has a start and auto shut off switch.

It will work, it's just not a good idea as if the switch is used while the motor is running there's a definite risk of mischief being done to the power output components in the VFD.

Bill Edwards · Aug 6, 2016

Pete. said:
I shimmed tools on my first lathe, you get used to it but it's still a pain. Buy a few sets of cheapo feeler gauges and cut some different thicknesses of flat bar and you'll do ok.

Excellent tip, thanks!
£1.36 now spent...

RichardM · Aug 11, 2016

Pete. said:
I also used steel banding but when you snip it you get REALLY sharp corners

I use steel banding as well, just run it lightly over a grinding wheel to take the edges off

Turbo · Aug 13, 2016

pdg said:
Can't remember if it's been said here or not yet, but hey...

Hassle your postman for a handful of elastic bands

Once you've shimmed a tool, keep the appropriate shims with it by wrapping an elastic band around them - saves searching for random bits when you need multiple tools on one part.

An alternative is to use insulating tape.

RichardM · Aug 16, 2016

pdg said:
Can't remember if it's been said here or not yet, but hey...

Hassle your postman for a handful of elastic bands

No need to hassle them, just walk behind them and pick them up when they drop them!

mr migwire · Sep 5, 2016

i thought i might as well post this here as its part of the same project i suppose,
so as i mentioned earlier in the thread i was offered a second boxford which i gladly accepted

the chap that owned it had it stored in a shed at the bottom of the garden, unfortunately the roof had leaked directly over the lathe. his son repaired the roof but neglected to dry out the shed contents
anyway we dragged it out and got it down to my place where i have started the resto, first was to follow the advice of the sage members on here, out with the diesel and lash it on a plenty. i left it a couple of days and what do you know... everything is freed off, the bed was looking a bit touch and go but after a bit of a clean with some diesel and 2000 wet and dry it has cleaned up spotless, no pitting whatsoever. the tooling and drills etc are all just surface rust that is rubbing off with a bit of wire wool,
the chucks are better than they look as they have both been greased before storage, even the live centre is working ok and running nice and smooth. ive checked all the gears and they are in fine form with all teeth, present and correct. i tried a wee test cut with it just to see what it was like before i go to the same extent as the other one and to my surprise it actually cuts realy well with no play in the carriage or cross slide so it looks like its worth a paint job. once done i will be moving on one of the machines as i dont have room for both

more to follow soon.......

skotl · Sep 5, 2016

Good work, and a good find :thumbup:

Austin · Sep 5, 2016

looks like you have a screw cutting gauge on you want to keep that for yours hard to come by and not cheap,i have made a stat on mine but its slow going at moment due to other stuff anyway keep up the good work

rikrobson · Sep 5, 2016

I'm halfway through making a metric thread gauge. I need to do some milling on it and there's the rub, i've only got a small vertical slide and no way to hold the workpice on. A an original metric one went for iro £150 last week on ebay

rikrobson · Sep 5, 2016

I just checked ebay again the imperial tread gauge didnt sell at £70 but the metric on went for £170

penfold · Sep 5, 2016

Seems a bit daft; altering one to work as the other would only need swapping the pinion.

rikrobson · Sep 6, 2016

penfold said:
Seems a bit daft; altering one to work as the other would only need swapping the pinion.

if you are on about swapping the gear on the thread dial. its a double gear on the metric 20 and 21 teeth and has a different indicator too, with letters on at variuos angles. there should be also an adaptor with it so it can be moved betwwen the 20 an 21 toothed gear. its just doesn't work the same as an imperial one

mr migwire · Sep 6, 2016

a wee bit more done today, i managed to get the tool post cleaned up and the T slot on the compound slide cleaned out, i ordered an aerosol can of plusgas from amazon last thursday and it arrived this morning, how did i manage without it??? anyway it got the tool post nut free where WD40 failed. i also managed to get the tray cleaned up too, it will need another few passes with diesel just to clean off the rest of the muck but is most definatley looking better than when it arrived.