Worth Looking at a centec 2A?

[Peter Morris]

View attachment 231154 View attachment 231155 View attachment 231154 Substantially better than the one I've agreed to buy - looks like a scrapingfest is on the cards.

hmmm, it might come good with a good dose of TLC and a lick of paint can substantially improve the appearance. The bed might be a bit more of a challenge.

Good luck with it - if I can offer any help, pictures etc let me know.

 

[Rannsachair]

View attachment 231154 View attachment 231155 View attachment 231154 Substantially better than the one I've agreed to buy - looks like a scrapingfest is on the cards.

brave man, hope the pictures make it look worse than it is. Unless you meant scrappingfest rather than scrapingfest!

 

[minimutly]

brave man, hope the pictures make it look worse than it is. Unless you meant scrappingfest rather than scrapingfest!

Thanks both. The one might turn into another once the initial cleandown is done @Peter Morris, long term project, need to get a cart to wheel it home and find somewhere to park it in the workshop.

 

[Peter Morris]

well I don't want to sound like a vulture, but if it turns into a scrapfest I might have a good home for the vertical head quill (if the head not otherwise serviceable) - the chuck in mine is simply un-moving in the MT2 taper and the damping ring on the chuck fails to move even the slightest amount - they might just as well have been welded together!

 

[minimutly]

Who knows, I reckon I'm the only one who used this in the last 30 years, and that was 30 years ago.

 

[Rannsachair]

Anyone got advice on what gearbox oil to use on a Centec?

The manual states Castrol CY2, I have seen folk recommending Shell Vitrea 100.

I got an immediate response from Morris:

"The closest alternative today would be something like our Liquimatic No7 Hydraulic oil https://www.morrislubricantsonline.co.uk/liquimatic-no-7-iso-100-hydraulic-oil.html

Or our Lodexol ISO VG 100 industrial gear oil https://www.morrislubricantsonline.co.uk/lodexol-iso-100-industrial-gear-oil.html


Both of these grades are 25 litre minimum!


You may get away with going slightly thinner with our Liquimatic No6 https://www.morrislubricantsonline.co.uk/liquimatic-no-6-iso-68-hydraulic-oil.html

This is a ISO VG 68 viscosity and is available in a 5 litre container but dependant on wear on the machine could be a little too thin!"

Ideally I do not want to buy 25 litres and would prefer a thicker oil - any suggestions?

 

[Agroshield]

Ideally I do not want to buy 25 litres and would prefer a thicker oil - any suggestions?

I keep saying it but the manufacturer's lubricant recommendations are based on industrial use, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. What fraction of this will you use it?

You could try EP90 gear oil but check as I think there may be some incompatibility with brass/bronze components. 220 weight oil is easily available on eBay in 1 litre bottles, so you can dilute to taste with a thinner oil.

 

[Rannsachair]

I keep saying it but the manufacturer's lubricant recommendations are based on industrial use, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. What fraction of this will you use it?

You could try EP90 gear oil but check as I think there may be some incompatibility with brass/bronze components. 220 weight oil is easily available on eBay in 1 litre bottles, so you can dilute to taste with a thinner oil.

Hobby use so likely a 2 or 3 hours a month.

I perhaps wrongly assumed that EP90 was designed for hypoid gears with very small contact areas's and high loads, so not necessarily best oil for gearboxes. I think the brass issue is with GL5 and Gl4 is ok.spec

 

[grim_d]

Stop agonising and put some iso68 hydraulic oil in it, it will be fine.

Most of my machine oils come from Smith and Allen, available in all sizes.

 

[Rannsachair]

I emailed Smith and Allan and bought what they recommended (cheaper for me to buy through amazon to save Highlands postage surcharge).

Decided it would be a good time to check the gearbox and reseal the covers as there were leaks:

Gears all good:

The sightclass was not lined up well with the horizontal, though could not get it apart, think loctited together:

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

Cleaned up gasket faces and smeared with hylomar blue, gears good from both sides and old oil was clean, no debris in bottom of box either:

Cleaned up drain plug and new seal:

All back together now:

Even polished the brass label:

 

[Agroshield]

...annoyed I could not adjust the line...

No, no, no. That is a factory special option that shows maximum and minimum oil levels.

 

[Rannsachair]

Just about finished cleaning it up, today i took off all the visible allen screws that had been painted and took the paint off them, also cleaned up the cast shaft fitting for the vertical feed lever and painted it.

also took the aluminium vertical head spring cover and steel guide ring below off and took the paint off and gave them a quick buff:

Am getting fed up shielding, even though i am working from home through the week, tough not getting out on the bikes.

 

[Agroshield]

Please, what is the mini T-slotted thing on the mill table? It looks to have the same spacing as the machine itself. Is it a Centec factory accessory or shop-made? Thanks.

 

[Rannsachair]

Please, what is the mini T-slotted thing on the mill table? It looks to have the same spacing as the machine itself. Is it a Centec factory accessory or shop-made? Thanks.

It looks like an apprentice piece: adjustable angle plate.

 

[Agroshield]

Thankyou.

So they had 'makers' in 1947. I wonder why he stamped it upside down.

 

[Rannsachair]

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

Hacksawed a piece of plate:

Milled 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!

 

[minimutly]

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

Hacksawed a piece of plate:

Milled 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!

Bah, now you're making me jealous...

 

[grim_d]

Those little jobs are always the most satisfying. Good job.

I'm glad you can still use the machines.

You say you won't use it but I think you will, I wish I had rapids.

 

[nick952]

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

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.

 

[minimutly]

@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.

That last bit lost me Nick