Worth Looking at a centec 2A?

[Rannsachair]

@Rannsachair Please re-mount your cutters in the Autolock as per these instructions:-

View attachment 245856

It does make a difference, I used to regularly burst the centres out of the 1/4" shanks, before using the above instructions (was shown the wrong method during my apprenticeship at Rolls-Royce in the late 70's)

Not mentioned in the instructions is the Screwed Ring on the top/back of the body. This should be screwed hard up against the spindle nose, using a Peg type C-Spanner after tightening the drawbar, to again help the rigidity.

Nick.

Thanks @nick952 the autolock never came with instructions, I will use that method.

 

[northwest]

Buffed up the brass, annoyed I could not adjust the line:

Right, this is what you need to tell yourself: The top of the line is full and the bottom of the sloping line is "minimum". That way it can be left alone, as is. If you do not (If I do not) convince myself this is the case in these scenario's my OCD takes over and that's it. Mission starts to "put it right" consuming my time and costing far more in both time and money than the job will ever be worth. This is both a blessing and a curse, I get work because people know it will be right, I spend way more time than the job is worth making it "perfect". I am happy though so win/win.

The fast traverse lever/handle was missing, so decided to machine one today:

Hacksawed a piece of plate:
square then cut out section:
Drilled and tapped 3/8 BSF and crossdrilled for mounting screws:
turned up grub screws and made a brass nut:

Unlikely I will use it but did not look right with it missing!

Big ask: My Centec is missing this whole piece and I look at it every time I am in the workshop. If there is a spare on one of the machines that @steviec_lj bought I would be really keen to buy it because making one is out of the question at the moment, I just don't have time. What, with obsessing about everything else n all!

 

[nick952]

@minimutly, @Rannsachair

I've dug out my Autolock with a 2MT and the info about the ring.

 

[minimutly]

Ahh, now it makes sense - my fritz has a 40 int taper - no stability rings needed or present. I can see why they would be a good idea with the smaller tapers.
As Benny Hill would say "learning all ze time"

 

[Rannsachair]

@minimutly, @Rannsachair

I've dug out my Autolock with a 2MT and the info about the ring.

View attachment 246000

Much appreciated, my previous experience of manual mills has all been on Bridgeports.
Sorted:

 

[Rannsachair]

The old vice I picked up the other day in " I have just acquired" has been stripped:

Derusted:

Really impressed by the design with adjustable jib strip.
I decided to just oil it rather than paint it:

Much better size than the vice i was using, and will just use a tommy bar on the handle.
Just the size to suit the Centec, so delighted:

 

[Seadog]

That looks like a really well made apprentice piece, Tom.

 

[Rannsachair]

That looks like a really well made apprentice piece, Tom.

Aye, well worth the £20.80 I paid for it, am delighted with the size, just what I wanted.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Aye, well worth the £20.80 I paid for it, am delighted with the size, just what I wanted.

You obviously broke out your mask and stripey jumper for that deal, Tom

How do you secure it to the mill table, I can't see any hold-down slots?

 

[Rannsachair]

You obviously broke out your mask and stripey jumper for that deal, Tom

How do you secure it to the mill table, I can't see any hold-down slots?

I can just use clamps to the t-slots, though I think I will either slot it or drill as there is plenty meat.

The one advantage of being knackered with chemo is trawling ebay for bargains. Though at times it is a punt on what could be rubbish. I have been lucky of late: nothing worse than buying something based on the pic on your phone, yet on a proper sized monitor you see all the faults you missed.

 

[RichardM]

As you don't have to go back to work yet, feeling much better - apart from a headache maybe and may want a little project to keep you out of trouble while recovering

Aluminium, Ali billet 212mm x 100mm x 108mm grade 6082 | eBay

Item for sale on the platforms.

www.ebay.co.uk

Just big enough for a "short" riser block, Steve assures me it's 6082T6

 

[Rannsachair]

As you don't have to go back to work yet, feeling much better - apart from a headache maybe and may want a little project to keep you out of trouble while recovering

Aluminium, Ali billet 212mm x 100mm x 108mm grade 6082 | eBay

Item for sale on the platforms.

www.ebay.co.uk

Just big enough for a "short" riser block, Steve assures me it's 6082T6

£22 postage

I suspect I will be called in for the transplant in the next week or 2 then at least 4 weeks in hospital, perhaps when I am back out

 

[RichardM]

£22 postage

I suspect I will be called in for the transplant in the next week or 2 then at least 4 weeks in hospital, perhaps when I am back out

Has Scotland left the UK already, it was only £12 to me

 

[Rannsachair]

Managed to pick a genuine Centec vice today. Looks well made and handy having mounting slots that match the table.

 

[RichardM]

looks like you'd better make a riser block!

 

[Rannsachair]

looks like you'd better make a riser block!

I was thinking of it until a priced a billet of aluminium big enough! I always have my Tom Senior for bigger jobs.

 

[Agroshield]

The vice almost looks like it needs a keeper over the screw. I guess it is quick release (lift out of the half nut for speed) but I'd be worried about knocking it and dislodging it in use.

Years ago I bought a piece of maybe 120 x 10 square hollow section (don't remember the exact size - the overall size was in proportion to the top of a Centec and the thickest wall available in that size) that I was going to use for a riser. Bolted on dovetails to be made from plate. Fill the whole thing with concrete when finished. We once did a job where it needed baryte (extra dense) concrete and somewhere in the shed I have a sack of the stones from that.

 

[Dieselman 63]

Your Wera drivers are cleaner than mine. The green bits remain sludge brown here… excellent screwdrivers, won’t use anything else

 

[Agroshield]

Your Wera drivers are cleaner than mine. The green bits remain sludge brown here…

One trip through the ultrasonic cleaner just with dish soap and warm water will make them like new. Dish soap and a nail brush is the manual alternative.