lathe carriage lock

[Kram]

Mine has stopped working, it has a cap head bolt in the saddle. Im not sure how it works - I guess the bolt pulls a clamp up against the bed/saddle from below. Assuming it is, there might be a better way to lock the carriage? How to fix it?

I set up for milling, leadscrew was not engaged (as no handwheel, yet) so it easily moved and chipped a cutter, and threw my work out

 

[penfold]

That's pretty much it, at least I've never seen a saddle brake that worked any other way.

 

[Kram]

I have to pull bench and lathe away from wall to get the saddle off (which also means shifting everything underneath and around the bench!). Any idea whats wrong with it?

 

[penfold]

What are the symptoms? Is the bolt spinning freely or does it lock up tight(I'm assuming quite tight using an ordinary hex key by hand, not abuse using extension tubes etc) but still allow the saddle movement?

 

[Kram]

Yes with bolt tight the saddle moves easily, no noticeable difference any more.

 

[MattF]

Can you not stick the camera down the back of the lathe and get a photo of the locking area?

 

[penfold]

On mine the brake clamp is a casting with fingers that press up on the underside of the front edge of the bedway, overtightening and/or poor casting metallurgy might cause the fingers to break off.

 

[dobbslc]

It's not a cap head screw used to lock another one underneath is it?
They normal tighten on the gib to lock everything in place. Worth a look with the phone camera or a small mirror.

 

[Kram]

Warco WM240.
It has carriage lock on the front of carriage and seperate gib adjusters at back of bed. Im not sure if theres a spare adjuster for locking.
pic of sieg C6 is very similar

h
ttp://www.mini-lathe.com/C6_lathe/C6/cs04.jpg

Thanks

 

[Kram]

 

[rikrobson]

I'm gonna make a guess now. The screw hold a plate or fitting that clamps to the bottom of the bed. This has bent and is now not clamping. Could push down too. Still something has bent. Looks like a saddle strip down

 

[Kram]

I got the part off, its worn a bit as you see in right side of pic - not sure how I hardly use it, and not while moving.. I filed it square so with the two bolts tight, there is no play and larger bolt does not need to be tight to lock carriage.