Sakai ML-360 Lathe Carriage Handwheel not turning/coming off

[lancecx]

Hi all, I recently received a Sakai ML-360 lathe. I stumbled upon this forum while I was doing research on it and I've been looking through this forum for pointers since I am new to lathing. This lathe has a power feed that moves the carriage but the carriage can also be moved manually with the handwheel.

The handwheel threads onto the end of the lead screw and there's cap nut that goes on after the handwheel.

The issue I am having is that the carriage handwheel comes off as I rotate it counterclockwise and does not turn the lead screw when I rotate it clockwise. I also have the same problem with the handwheel that moves the cross slide.

Would anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

[whateg0]

That looks similar to the way the old 6" Craftsman lathes worked. So, if I understand correctly, the if you rotate the handwheel CCW, it backs the nut off? And if you rotate it CW, it just spins on the screw?

If that's what is happening, I would call it a bad design. From the pictures, it looks like there is nothing to key the handwheel to the screw. There needs to be some sort of registration, such as a key, or a flat and a set screw, to keep the handwheel oriented on the screw.

Dave

[pete]

Does your user manual show you have all the parts your supposed to in that area? That hand wheel threads onto the end of the lead screw right? If it does you thread the hand wheel onto that threaded end of the lead screw until it's almost but not quite touching the end of the bushing the lead screw rotates in. A few thou will be enough. You then tighten the nut against the hand wheel. That sets your end play on the lead screw and reduces your back lash to the minimum. It's not a great design, but a lot of the smaller lathes used the same general idea. The nut basically locks the hand wheel at the depth you chose for the clearance between the back face of the hand wheel and the face of that bushing. The Emco Compact 5 lathe uses pretty much the same design. It works but as Dave mentioned keying the hand wheel to the shaft would have been better. If there's no parts missing then tightening that lock nut well should keep the hand wheel locked to the shaft.

[liveaboard]

The power feed is disengaged I hope?