Dean Smith & Grace Lathe Repair & Rebuild

[normspanners]

Looks like a new nut is in order have a lump of bronze but unsure of the flavour I am thinking this should really be aluminium bronze in this application.
But what is the TPI I was expecting 250 graduations but the dial is marked as 240?

I had a DSG with cross slide issues BUT one thing is--- that is a left hand thread and a guy I did a 'swapsy job' for him on his car he was a turner and he said no problem I can make all that for you, Itll take me a few weeks though so rather than take it and copy he made it from measurements,----- great meant I could still use the lathe whilst it was being done he rang for a few more measurements as the weeks passed and he came down and fitted it. All was fine and it fitted perfectly but when we turned the cross thread to screw it in----- it went out !! well I thought as he had made it and spent ages on it and seeing that it worked fine with no play, I thought ok a little change of automatic hand movement required, a little sticky arrow helped and I got used to it------ BUT------ it was hell when I went to use a 'normal' lathe my brain went into meltdown !!! and when I upgraded it was hell coz I couldnt then tell, what was 'normal'.
it cost quite a few TC tips and jobs.

 

[WorkshopChris]

Found time to do a bit more today, got the slides cleaned and ready to go back together.

All moves nice and smooth now screw is relatively straight and new nut in place.
This lathe has definitely been got at in its life. We have just found the slot for the key between the shaft and hand-wheel is off centre, so the slot is deeper on one side than the other resulting in more play.

So now re machine slot and grind up a new key.

Hope to get some more done during the week.

 

[Rob_DTS]

My dad has had one of these lathes in the shed for probably 25 years, unfortunately for the last 15 is has been un-used and sadly rusted up badly...
I'm trying to get it up and running, quite some work to do!
Regarding the the cross slide, I also found the same 0 to .240 on the dial confusing and similarly worn out screw/nut!

Rob

 

[WorkshopChris]

My dad has had one of these lathes in the shed for probably 25 years, unfortunately for the last 15 is has been un-used and sadly rusted up badly...
I'm trying to get it up and running, quite some work to do!
Regarding the the cross slide, I also found the same 0 to .240 on the dial confusing and similarly worn out screw/nut!

Hi and welcome to the forum, i have some more bits to update on this thread will try to get done this week.
Its tricky trying to sort photos and updates as i am working on bits in between jobs, some at home and some at work.

So far have machined up a new nut and reassembled thee cross slide, compound and just finished re building the apron.
Have just pulled the clutch apart to change a rumbling bearing.

Still got to get my head around what to do with the spindle, regarding the damaged cast bearing shield.
It still looks to be running true, but have found the the two disk attached to the spindle (one is free floating on dowls and springs ) are at the moment slightly forward and rubbing on the gear selector for altering the speed.

This one has definitely been got at in the past but its built so well it resisted abuse well.

Lots of little bits like split pins replace with short bit of wire, and paint in places it shouldn't.

Found the oil was a strange red/orange (Looked a bit like chocolate milkshake)colour couldn't work out why, till i cleaned and flushed the old oil out.
The casting had been painted with a red oxide type of paint and the oil had broken the paint down most of this came off with the de greaser.

Need to decide on a oil for a test run to see the spindle under power once the clutch is re built.

Hope you get your dads old machine up and running they are nice solid machines.

 

[mechman]

Used DSGs quite a bit when I was an apprentice, really good machines.

 

[normspanners]

Mine was ex raf or war office cant remember, one thing was the gearbox lid as I had a slightly noisey brg on high speed I wondered what the knob was for on the top of the gear box,the top of it had been painted and this knob was just stuck there I thought it must do something so got some grips on it and pulled and pushed nothing then tried getting a bar under it and saw something move a little, next minute with a plop it came off, i remember marveling at the lid it was about 12 x 8 ins and as it was hand finished rounded corner plate that fitted with just a tapered edge no flange or edge at all and was exactly flush with the top of the gearbox housing it was SOOOOOO accurate the combination of, the fit, the taper, and the paint had made it an invisible joint that was nearly 'welded there'!!! once off I could see into the gearbox it was all beautifully machined and that lid never leaked even though it had oil thrown at it when running, always will remember that lid I was amazed. with the vibrations of the running of the lathe it used to settle into its tapered edge and had to be taped to loosen it !!

 

[WorkshopChris]

Time for an update, so far i have now managed to get the lathe into it tempory position before it goes home>

It still amazes me even part striped just how heavy this thing is.


The casting surrounding the change wheels is cracked at the top will probably v out and tig braze.

The casting at the other end that supports the screw-cutting drive, power feed and clutch have also suffered from the over tightening of a cap head screw, so again will also require build up with the tig. (need to remember to get a price for some aluminium bronze rods as i am completely out of tig rods)


Have had to remove the drive pulley and clutch to replace a noisy bearing.
That's as far as i have got with this bit, will try to upload some bit from the apron rebuild when i get back from the dentist this afternoon.

 

[WorkshopChris]

Just remembered as well as the clutch that disengages the drive it also operated a friction brake inside the gearbox.

 

[WorkshopChris]

Ok time for an update, I have huge admiration for people who have done some of the well documented re builds on this site.
I am struggling to take photos as I go and keep everything in some sort of order.

The 1st recent job was to repair part of the damaged clutch operating arm.

Decided to go with a mechanical repair for this bit.



Started out running a drill through to remove the bulk of the material, then went over to a milling cutter.

Once the material was removed I cut the last section off with a hacksaw.

First ground a profile on the end of the insert to match the casting.

Then profiled the opposite end drilled the new hole, secured with a couple of dowels and an M4 Csk head screw.
Job done, ready for another 40 odd years service hopefully.

 

[WorkshopChris]

Main and screw cutting gearboxes are now all cleaned and waiting to be re filled, have repaired one of the damaged screw cutting change geras, lots missing so will need to look into making a set.
Have cleaned up the old chuck just to see how it runs, am looking for a decent 4 jaw at the moment. Will have to make a new flange mount.
I was wondering about either finding a scrap lathe and grafting a camlock fitting on even macking a custom camlock back plate adaptor at some point.

Chuck parts,



Mabe new screws but forgot to get any photos,

Everything cleaned up ok will be interesting to see how it works,

 

[winchman]

Should easily last another 50 years

 

[Hood]

What spindle nose does it have?

 

[WorkshopChris]

This week I also found time to re fit the clutch, the friction plates were all fine just had to change one noisy bearing.



Decided to get some heat into the flywheel/pulley ?

I forget to get pictures of the friction plates going back in once the pulley was on.
The next job is to tackle the drip tray, some bright spark decided to drill a hole in each corner to let water out I can't imagine any other reason.
I will try and get this done this week, I want to make a slight mod to the suds tank as it on the small side, will also add a copper mesh filter.
This beast is getting easier to move now the bulk of the assemblies are off its still one seriously heavy lump.

 

[WorkshopChris]

What spindle nose does it have?

I think it is some oddball mound fitted to D s & G, haven't seen anything close to this before.
A couple of old images,


It's a flange with a short threaded portion with a slight taper. The thread is very coarse and according to some documents, I found as for fitting a collet chuck.
The chuck locates on the end of the threaded nose and is held in place by 4 studs protruding from the back of the chuck 1/2" bsw.
I will have to measure and do a drawing with dimensions.
The internal bore is parallel but looks to have enough meat to machine a taper to make a mt adaptor.

 

[WorkshopChris]

As I look at the pictures the bits look rustier than they are in real life, although we are basically just degreasing cleaning with a wire brush and scotch bright, then oiling.
So far the only bit I plan to paint is the drip tray, at the end of the day this is a machine that will be used and earn it keep hopefully.

 

[Hood]

I think it is some oddball mound fitted to D s & G, haven't seen anything close to this before.
A couple of old images,
View attachment 118529
View attachment 118530
It's a flange with a short threaded portion with a slight taper. The thread is very coarse and according to some documents, I found as for fitting a collet chuck.
The chuck locates on the end of the threaded nose and is held in place by 4 studs protruding from the back of the chuck 1/2" bsw.
I will have to measure and do a drawing with dimensions.
The internal bore is parallel but looks to have enough meat to machine a taper to make a mt adaptor.

It does indeed look an oddball, kind of like a short taper nose but the taper looks small in dia with relation to the bolt hole PCD.

 

[WorkshopChris]

Today we had a go at a gear repair, the gear had a big chunk to teeth missing so milled a section out brazed in new material turned down to size then profiled a grinding wheel and ground new teeth, I wasn't until I was shot blasting this I looks like it has had an arc weld repair in the past as I found bits of slag inclusion.

Went with a slow gentle propane pre heat with a 2" burner once up to temp I brazed with oxy acetylene, then slowly allowed to cool covered in more hot fire bricks. I was still hot an hour after we finished so wrapped it in a welding glove to the journey home
.
Once it had cooled i blasted it again to clean then hit the last few damage teeth with tig brazing, that was hard work as the rtech decided to play up again ( a story for another post) so went with the little yellow french box (gys e200), not ideal but got the job done. Needless to say just as I finished the rtech decide to work again.

243 not what you want to see on a 200a machine.
Anyway once prepped mounted it up on the surface grinder.

Managed to get a quick video.

 

[normspanners]

bright spark decided to drill a hole in each corner to let water out I can't imagine any other reason.

brightspark Yep those electritian types havnt got a clue

 

[normspanners]

Lookin good BTW

 

[Cuma]

It was me that rebuilt the machine originaly after I got this from an old engineer works in the lakes.
I stripped and rebuilt the whole thing besides the gearbox/head. looks like the guy I sold it onto let it suffer. it was gleaming when I finished with it and it ran like a dream. its the same electric motor butnthe 4 groove v pulley has gone for a 2 v pulley for some reason