Rig Pig
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There's one laying in my workshop if your up for a project...
- Thread starter DAPPH
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Gritineye
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If it wasn't for the distance I might be tempted to have a look at it, but thanks for the offer...
DAPPH
as dyslexik as I'm daft
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( Re the use of grease in the brass cup turn 360 degrees once a week pots ... I was in contact with Tony Griffith " tony at lathes . co . uk , he's the guy who has produced some fantastic lath porn info
I sent him some pictures of the Sphere partially stripped down by me .
He interested in a lot more piccies from anyone who has a Sphere so he can built up the history for that nationally important bit of kit, as it helped win the second world war usually in the munitions arena .
I explained about the brass caps that I've seen in my life time on all manner of machinery normally being grease filled . Pointed out that the Atlas lathe manual that accompanied the late from new said oil them every day every day but the diagram only showed a tiny oil reservoir with flip up lid, not a screw cap .
Ha ha the penny dropped it has special taper roller bearings and no git seals .. ( leather oil seals ) or evidence of a recess for them so I sent him some pictures of things , here is what he said
" The headstock bearing oilers: like those on the Boxford lathe these would be grease-filled and given a single rotation weekly.
Initially I did try some gear oil for the thinner 3in1 just ran out the witness hole all over the lathe table top as fast as I could get it into the cup past the grease in it . The hypoid gear oil was marginally slower at escaping . The grease works .
The bearings have press fit crud deflector plates to keep muck out the bearings on each side so giving things a turn of grease each week of use would see centrifugal force from the packed bearing push out excess grease through the witness hole at the bottom of the deflector plates thus cleaning the bearings. Like I said, it's a quiet as a mouse now with the grease in the bearings .
I sent him some pictures of the Sphere partially stripped down by me .
He interested in a lot more piccies from anyone who has a Sphere so he can built up the history for that nationally important bit of kit, as it helped win the second world war usually in the munitions arena .
I explained about the brass caps that I've seen in my life time on all manner of machinery normally being grease filled . Pointed out that the Atlas lathe manual that accompanied the late from new said oil them every day every day but the diagram only showed a tiny oil reservoir with flip up lid, not a screw cap .
Ha ha the penny dropped it has special taper roller bearings and no git seals .. ( leather oil seals ) or evidence of a recess for them so I sent him some pictures of things , here is what he said
" The headstock bearing oilers: like those on the Boxford lathe these would be grease-filled and given a single rotation weekly.
Initially I did try some gear oil for the thinner 3in1 just ran out the witness hole all over the lathe table top as fast as I could get it into the cup past the grease in it . The hypoid gear oil was marginally slower at escaping . The grease works .
The bearings have press fit crud deflector plates to keep muck out the bearings on each side so giving things a turn of grease each week of use would see centrifugal force from the packed bearing push out excess grease through the witness hole at the bottom of the deflector plates thus cleaning the bearings. Like I said, it's a quiet as a mouse now with the grease in the bearings .
Gritineye
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Interesting....the Sphere makers had a different take on things when they tooled up to make a version of the Atlas, so whilst they were at it they improved the saddle and compound for more rigidity, they most likely reckoned grease was an improvement too, which it probably is as a packed bearing can't let any grit or chips in far enough to do any harm. Lack of maintenance wouldn't do so much damage either.
Atlas lathes don't have any seals either, I currently use 140 gear oil with felt in the cups, but my headstock and drip tray would be so much cleaner if I used grease, I may well give it a try.
There's most of a sphere on ebay that has modern type grease nipples fitted....http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/spares-or...489?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f3c9f77c1
DAPPH
as dyslexik as I'm daft
- Messages
- 7,012
- Location
- Near to Cross Hands Llanelli SouthWales GB
Cor that's a wee bit botched up , butchered and basic . There is no end of bits missing , it is also one of the earlier narrow seated slides . It would make a good fishing boat anchor though .
This show one of the grease caps for the bearing cap .. note how a wet core of the casting for the bearing cap caused the explosion of metal .
It's not quite so bad on the other cap .
But nedds must when the devil drives ..there was a war on after all and every penny saved was a valuable thing.
This show one of the grease caps for the bearing cap .. note how a wet core of the casting for the bearing cap caused the explosion of metal .
It's not quite so bad on the other cap .
But nedds must when the devil drives ..there was a war on after all and every penny saved was a valuable thing.
