Just bought a Fortis lathe

[GraemeVW]

One of the few plaques that survive on this lathe is this nice little npl one that sits in the center of the cabinet.
I didn't know what it was, but some searching showed this up on everyone's favourite lathe resource page.
This is from a different lathe, but seems the same applied to this lathe

"The leadscrew (1-inch diameter by 4 t.p.i. or 6 mm pitch Acme-form) was known to hold true to within 0.0005" over twelve inches - and, if necessary, a lathe could be provided with a N.P.L. certificate guaranteeing the accuracy of the screw to within 0.004" over its full length of thirty inches"

Not sure what ship(1) refers to though, must be code for the specific test.

 

[GraemeVW]

Cabinet has had 2 coats. Doesnt look too bad. It say 80% of the result for 50% of the effort.

Always a kamikaze fly! More of an issue with a slow drying enamel

Oil blackening all the hardware as it goes back together

Wouldn't want to be doing any job with oil based paints without a Brushmate box!
All the brushes, rollers and trays are stored in this and as long as the fluid doesn't run out, they never dry. Just take them out, continue to use, and when done hang them back in the box. I only clean them out when the whole job is completely finished.

 

[GraemeVW]

Really struggling with this red for some reason.
It doesn't brush as well as the grey. First coat seems to go ok, finish is nice, but not even as it's red on grey primer.
Keye it back a bit, second coat, and it goes on horrible and doesn't settle out.
I added some more brushing additive but the third pay has pretty much done the same.
I'll add the last of my additive, but I'm pushing it with how much I should be adding.

I don't like doing it, but may try warming the paint a bit too.

Problem is, I'll be done by the time I've worked out how to make this red brush properly!

It's just a lathe, it's just a lathe, it's just a lathe

This coat was rolled. The red REALLY doesn't like being rolled! I'll see how it settles.

 

[God mode restorations]

Really struggling with this red for some reason.
It doesn't brush as well as the grey. First coat seems to go ok, finish is nice, but not even as it's red on grey primer.
Keye it back a bit, second coat, and it goes on horrible and doesn't settle out.
I added some more brushing additive but the third pay has pretty much done the same.
I'll add the last of my additive, but I'm pushing it with how much I should be adding.

I don't like doing it, but may try warming the paint a bit too.

Problem is, I'll be done by the time I've worked out how to make this red brush properly!

It's just a lathe, it's just a lathe, it's just a lathe

This coat was rolled. The red REALLY doesn't like being rolled! I'll see how it settles.
View attachment 403140

When I get that happen I use a foam roller.

 

[GraemeVW]

When I get that happen I use a foam roller.

I tend to prefer mohair over foam, foam can cause more bubbles.
These paints are so different though! The grey rolls lovely with mohair, the red is just a sea of foamy bubbles!
I'll see if I have any foam to try.

It's only really the covers that will show anything, the castings are all small enough to get a decent finish.

I'll probably wait till all the red is done so I know how much paint I have left, then do the covers with as thin a paint as I dare.

 

[GraemeVW]

Fresh paint, cleaned fittings, blacked hardware.

It came with no handles for the doors, I chose these T bar ones. I figured they are simple looking and easy to grab with oily hands

 

[GraemeVW]

Leaving it bolted to the wheels for now untill it's all built up, then it can be moved out the way while I remove the bench behind it, wheel it into place, then back it up and set it on its raising blocks.

 

[GraemeVW]

Couldn't resist putting a foot on it.
The red is a little darker in real life, but its lighter than I had in mind.
It's a nice colour though so I might just leave it.

This lathe is probably more like I had in mind

They probably aren't as far apart as the photos make it look, the lighting is very different.

 

[minimutly]

Couldn't resist putting a foot on it.
The red is a little darker in real life, but its lighter than I had in mind.
It's a nice colour though so I might just leave it.
View attachment 403337

This lathe is probably more like I had in mind
View attachment 403338

They probably aren't as far apart as the photos make it look, the lighting is very different.

Very nice but it won't be any more accurate for all that paint...

 

[GraemeVW]

Very nice but it won't be any more accurate for all that paint...

Nope, but it is now clean enough to actually be able to use it!
It was absolutely caked in grease filled with swarf. I wouldn't have even turned the spindle by hand, let alone run anything under power!
It may not have improved it's accuracy, but it has made it usable.

Accuracy assessment will be done when it's back in one piece. Still possible that it's completely worn out!

 

[minimutly]

Nope, but it is now clean enough to actually be able to use it!
It was absolutely caked in grease filled with swarf. I wouldn't have even turned the spindle by hand, let alone run anything under power!
It may not have improved it's accuracy, but it has made it usable.

Accuracy assessment will be done when it's back in one piece. Still possible that it's completely worn out!

Well, anythings possible and its not that big it couldn't be scraped back straight. That's when you know what patients is...
Hopefully it will be Ok

 

[GraemeVW]

Well, anythings possible and its not that big it couldn't be scraped back straight. That's when you know what patients is...
Hopefully it will be Ok

Would be quite nice to learn how to scrape.

 

[smashweld]

for the gears...you could use a vernier/digital caliper to measure between the top of the good teeth, lock it and use it as a scribe to get a line for the top of either side of the 'new' tooth, then attack it with an angle grinder to get some of the brazing removed so it's not as much work with the file, same idea with the bottom to get a mark on the side to follow

 

[GraemeVW]

for the gears...you could use a vernier/digital caliper to measure between the top of the good teeth, lock it and use it as a scribe to get a line for the top of either side of the 'new' tooth, then attack it with an angle grinder to get some of the brazing removed so it's not as much work with the file, same idea with the bottom to get a mark on the side to follow

That's a good idea.
So far Ive just cleaned up the bits where I'd repaired chips, not taken on the complete missing tooth rebuilds yet.

 

[zzr1200]

This coat was rolled. The red REALLY doesn't like being rolled! I'll see how it settles.
View attachment 403140

It's red, it'll get dirty, oilly, scratched and have cutting tools, chuck keys, parts made, metal stock and loads of other things/parts/tools dropped, possibly thrown at it.

It's not a Rolls Royce, just set it up adjust it and use it...

 

[GraemeVW]

It's red, it'll get dirty, oilly, scratched and have cutting tools, chuck keys, parts made, metal stock and loads of other things/parts/tools dropped, possibly thrown at it.

It's not a Rolls Royce, just set it up adjust it and use it...

That's what I keep telling myself

 

[GraemeVW]

Are we allowed to swear on here?

There is a broken tooth in the gearbox. I've been trying (and failing) to get the gearbox apart.
The intent for the gear lever in the position with the broken gear always looked a little worn.

While trying to take the gearbox apart I investigated. Found 2 screws. Found fiberglass! Dug deaper, found the casing is broken. Probably during a crash that broke the gear.
A piece is missing too.

This is bad.

Not sure what to do about this.
Try and make the missing piece then braze it all back up?
Not really many other options part from hope to one day find a spare.

I was just considering cleaning and painting the gearbox in one piece as I can't get the shafts out. I can probably remove just the broken gear.
But it deffinately all needs to come apart now!

 

[Seadog]

That was a major crash, or damage in transit.

 

[God mode restorations]

Are we allowed to swear on here?

There is a broken tooth in the gearbox. I've been trying (and failing) to get the gearbox apart.
The intent for the gear lever in the position with the broken gear always looked a little worn.

While trying to take the gearbox apart I investigated. Found 2 screws. Found fiberglass! Dug deaper, found the casing is broken. Probably during a crash that broke the gear.
A piece is missing too.

This is bad.

View attachment 403600

Not sure what to do about this.
Try and make the missing piece then braze it all back up?
Not really many other options part from hope to one day find a spare.

I was just considering cleaning and painting the gearbox in one piece as I can't get the shafts out. I can probably remove just the broken gear.
But it deffinately all needs to come apart now!

It's bad yes but it's repairable.

 

[GraemeVW]

That was a major crash, or damage in transit.

Crashed I'd guess. The missing piece is where the broken gear tooth is. The tooth is there, but bent, so the selector arm would have been forced down, presumably breaking the casting.
The broken piece was fixed lack on with the aluminium angle, the missing area crafter from fiberglass and the whole lot backed up inside with fiberglass too.


Edit...

However, they could be unrelated.
Maybe it fell over, broke the gearbox casting and the compound slide.
Maybe that's Why it has a colchester compound slide.
Maybe the bad location of the selector arm let the gears seperate a little and that's what bent the gear tooth.