11" Rockwell Lathe Apron Handwheel Issue

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69eliminator
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Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 5:01 pm

11" Rockwell Lathe Apron Handwheel Issue

Post by 69eliminator »

Hopefully someone can shed some light on this for me. My 11" lathe apron handwheel is not working properly. The mesh with the handwheel gear and the gear rack is terrible. Everything else seems to be correct. I can see no way to adjust the saddle or apron to correct this mesh. What am I missing?

I will supply pics if anyone needs to see something specific. Thanks in advance for any help.
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Bill Shields
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Re: 11" Rockwell Lathe Apron Handwheel Issue

Post by Bill Shields »

No adjustment.

Something is worn out.

If the tack looks ok ..then it is time to take the carriage apart and look
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
69eliminator
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Re: 11" Rockwell Lathe Apron Handwheel Issue

Post by 69eliminator »

I have had it all apart. The gears have some wear, but nothing that should be causing it to not move the carriage back and forth.
69eliminator
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Re: 11" Rockwell Lathe Apron Handwheel Issue

Post by 69eliminator »

20220326_181332.jpg
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Bill Shields
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Re: 11" Rockwell Lathe Apron Handwheel Issue

Post by Bill Shields »

Pin broken on the handwheel gear?
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
jcfx
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Re: 11" Rockwell Lathe Apron Handwheel Issue

Post by jcfx »

In you last photo of the pinion gear, could be artifacts from resizing, it looks like there is some heavy burrs on the small gear,
is your leadscrew parallel to the rack ? looks like it slopes down towards the tailstock.
69eliminator
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Re: 11" Rockwell Lathe Apron Handwheel Issue

Post by 69eliminator »

Leads Leadscrew is loose in that picture. I removed the apron from that end. That small gear has some wear on it, but it is around a 1/4" from being fully engaged in the rack when assembled.
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Bill Shields
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Re: 11" Rockwell Lathe Apron Handwheel Issue

Post by Bill Shields »

Is the center pin of the dual gear straight or maybe bent down?
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
John Evans
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Re: 11" Rockwell Lathe Apron Handwheel Issue

Post by John Evans »

Is this lathe new to you ? If so that may be the wrong part someone has installed. If you have owned it and this issue is something that just came up or has been getting worse that equals wear somewhere. But I can not
conceve the gear missing the rack by 1/4 " due to wear . More info needed . Assuming no clearance issues elsewhere coild you shim the rack down?
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armscor 1
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Re: 11" Rockwell Lathe Apron Handwheel Issue

Post by armscor 1 »

The bed is low, wear on the ways and saddle?
Has the bed been reground?
If so you need to machine off the top of the apron to achieve an acceptable mesh with the rack and pinion.
Turcite on the saddle might be another option.
69eliminator
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Re: 11" Rockwell Lathe Apron Handwheel Issue

Post by 69eliminator »

It appears that the pin the gear sits on may be angled slightly down. U have had the lathe for a while, but the problem came with it when I got it. I just tried to deal with it by using the auto feed.

I am going to try to straighten the pin, but there may be wear on the saddle as well. I am very inexperienced and trying to learn so it makes it difficult when I don't really know what I am looking at. The manual doesn't off much in the way of how to know if the saddle is worn. The wipers look to be in horrible shape and all of the feed screws need cleaned and adjusted. I wanted to fix the handwheel first before moving on to the rest since if I couldn't fix it, I was going to sell this lathe for parts and buy a different one.
69eliminator
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Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2022 5:01 pm

Re: 11" Rockwell Lathe Apron Handwheel Issue

Post by 69eliminator »

It was indeed the pin was bent. Straightened it out, disassembled and cleaned all the screws and ways on the saddle. Reassembled and lubed everything. Works like a champ now!

Thanks for the help. It's amazing how we can overlook the simple stuff when diagnosing these issues.

Now I just need to replace that old tool holder with a nice quick change holder and start watching some YouTube videos to learn how to make things. Any recommendations on tool holders?
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