Bullard 42" Turnmaster VTL

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Rwilliams
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Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:45 pm
Location: Central California

Bullard 42" Turnmaster VTL

Post by Rwilliams »

Recently I was tasked with a complete set of new rod bushings for a full size steam locomotive. Lots of heavy 660 bronze tubes and a Bullard 42 inch diameter chuck on the vertical turret lathe. Made about 1954, the monster machine tool has not seen that much use, but is showing some age after almost 70 years of life. When the project to make the new rod bushings was started 2 months ago, the rapid travel on the top head and the side head worked fine. Then the rapid travel on the side head was lost. Soon thereafter the rapid travel on the top head was also lost. The hydraulic oil levels on all of the glasses and petcocks are full up yet no visible reason for the loss of the rapid travel operation. The instruction manual does not give any clues to the reason for loss of the rapid travel which is a real luxury on the massive machine tool. Moving all that mass by the use of the hand wheels is not for the weak and takes extra time.

Anyone have experience with these machines and any ideas as to where one might be looking for resolution to the loss of the rapid travel on the heads?

Robert
pete
Posts: 2518
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:04 am

Re: Bullard 42" Turnmaster VTL

Post by pete »

On that machine no, but hydraulics are hydraulics. If other hydraulically driven functions are working normally and at the same usual speeds then the filter, intake screen and pump should be fine. Broken line or fitting is my best guess. Figuring out which one IF you can get to it shouldn't be hard to nail down. Maybe it will be easy, but I've seen lines and fittings require a whole lot of work just to get to them. It could also be in the control actuator. It all depends on how well the factory designed and added any access panels. Given the type of machine and when it was built it's my guess is most of the system will use a lot of hard lines. Due to normal vibration levels etc they and the fittings are not immune to stress cracking.
Russ Hanscom
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Location: Farmington, NM

Re: Bullard 42" Turnmaster VTL

Post by Russ Hanscom »

I would be concerned with old O rings and seals.
John Hasler
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Location: Elmwood, Wisconsin

Re: Bullard 42" Turnmaster VTL

Post by John Hasler »

Perhaps one of these documents might help. http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/de ... 2235&tab=3
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Bill Shields
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Re: Bullard 42" Turnmaster VTL

Post by Bill Shields »

Russ Hanscom wrote: Wed Dec 30, 2020 8:26 pm I would be concerned with old O rings and seals.
And corrosion...causing problems whereby simple seal replacement cement will not fix the problem.
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
discodan
Posts: 118
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2018 10:08 pm
Location: Annapolis, MD

Re: Bullard 42" Turnmaster VTL

Post by discodan »

We have two Bullards at Tuckahoe Steam and Gas Association in Easton, Maryland. One dates from 1903 and one from 1919. So I will be interested in what you find in case we run into the same issue in the future.
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4gsr
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Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 6:45 pm
Location: Victoria, TX

Re: Bullard 42" Turnmaster VTL

Post by 4gsr »

Look for a failed pressure relief valve, dumping all of the hi pressure oil to the reservoir. Stuck shuttle valves if any. If there is any electrically operated valves, could be a bad or weak solenoid.
Ken
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