Newbie gets a lathe!

[shazzbat]

Hi, I'm Steve, and I recently acquired a lathe. I've always wanted one, I'm a mechanic, rather than an engineer by trade, but the number of times I've wished I could make a spacer or a bush, turn a bit off something or drill down the centre of something doesn't bear thinking about.

Anyway, I've got a Viceroy TDS 1/1 G.B.L. It's serial No is M15224. Can the lathe be dated from this?

I have fixed a couple of problems involving the centre pulley and motor mounting, I shan't bore you with the details.

The main problems I have involve the screwcutting and feedscrew functions. The shafts to drive these do not turn, even though all the gears in the end casing do. I understand from reading other posts that there may be a shear pin which has sheared. Is this likely to be the problem, and where is this pin located?

But I believe that the most serious issue is that the gear case front cover has been removed, and refitted incorrectly. I think I have managed to get the gear engagement lever and selector dial to engage properly, but the two levers above the gear case do not feel right to me, and it is clear that the relationship between the various parts has been lost. Is there an instruction to reset these parts, or is it a case of trial and error?

I'm attaching a few pics, and you will notice that the spindle lock lever is missing, I am expecting if I make a half decent C spanner, that will suffice. You may like to spot the problem with the pulleys.

Any advice or help will be gratefully received.

Steve

[Pete.]

Hi Steve.

You machine might well have a shear key, but it might not be sheared. Hope it's not because on mine it's been put in the least accessible place in the gearbox - right in the top right back corner.

Firstly you should know the relationship between the large lever on the lower left and the silver knob above the screwcutting chart. A good photo of the pair together would be good but it looks like they are set up similar to the later lathes.

You have to match the knob position to the lever position. Move the lever to the top (Neutral) then turn the knob to a number. After that, move the lever to the same number, and you have your gear selected. You have to go via neutral every time to disngage the cluster before turning the knob. Only do this with the lathe stopped.

Make sure those are set and you might have drive through the gearbox.

The top left lever on the gearbox should be a 3-way ratio change and the top right selects between feed rod and screwcutting. These selectors should be moved with the lathe running and again might not be selected if you engaged them with it off.

[LesT]

Hi Steve,

Thats an excellent looking Viceroy you have there. Very similar to my one, except mine is blue.
It might help you to know that the knob moves the selector along the shaft to line up the different gear ratios.
The lever swings the gear cluster into engagement with gear shaft. So thats why you must only select another ratio with the lever fully up.
If you can't find the shearpin I have various drawings I can send you. There are some available on here as well.
On my lathe you can turn the shafts by hand easily, (off power-obviously).

Cheers,
LesT.

[shazzbat]

Thanks both of you. I have been at it again today, and I have definitely made some progress. The shear pin is not gone, I have seen the shafts turning. It powers along, and it powers across. I hope I have got the relationship right now, between the lever and the dial, although the lever and its splines may not be perfect yet. I had to stop to go to work today, but I shan't give up. Incidentally, how is the coolant tank removed? I took out a self tapper from the back of the cabinet, and the tank is now loose and wobbling about, but I can't see what's holding it. I don't want to resort to brute force and ignorance just yet.

Steve

[shazzbat]

The other thing I meant to mention is that the left-right lever to engage the shafts is supposed to be engaged with the lathe running, but when I tried it it made the most hideous noise, obviously something amiss there. I can engage it by hand without the lathe running, just a manual turn of the chuck gets it to engage.

Steve

[Pete.]

The other thing I meant to mention is that the left-right lever to engage the shafts is supposed to be engaged with the lathe running, but when I tried it it made the most hideous noise, obviously something amiss there. I can engage it by hand without the lathe running, just a manual turn of the chuck gets it to engage.

Steve

In that case it must be a sliding-gear rather than sliding dog engagement and you should move the selector with the spindle stopped, as you say, turning the chuck to align the meshes.

[LesT]

. Incidentally, how is the coolant tank removed? I took out a self tapper from the back of the cabinet, and the tank is now loose and wobbling about, but I can't see what's holding it. I don't want to resort to brute force and ignorance just yet.

Steve

Drawing ML100/200B shows three self tappers, two at the top, one at the bottom. There is a fitting ML100/205 shown on the drip tray area, can't see from the drawing what it does. Its a poor arrangement anyway. I might refit my one the other way round, on the rear of the lathe, for easier access.

LesT.

[shazzbat]

Hi again Les. I'd be grateful for a look at any drawings you may have available, what form are they in? If they can be downloaded or emailed to me "shazzbat3<at>yahoo<dot>co<dot>uk, that would be great.

. Incidentally, how is the coolant tank removed? I took out a self tapper from the back of the cabinet, and the tank is now loose and wobbling about, but I can't see what's holding it. I don't want to resort to brute force and ignorance just yet.

Steve

Drawing ML100/200B shows three self tappers, two at the top, one at the bottom. There is a fitting ML100/205 shown on the drip tray area, can't see from the drawing what it does. Its a poor arrangement anyway. I might refit my one the other way round, on the rear of the lathe, for easier access.

LesT.

[LesT]

Hi Steve,

I have attached a couple of A4 scans of the drawing requested, I don't have an A3 scanner so you will need to stick them together either electronically or with sellotape.

Regards,


LesT

[shazzbat]

Hi again,

Thanks for your help. I found that the coolant tank was being held in place by a self tapper with no head! I thought it was missing when I reached down the back and couldn't feel a head. Anyway, I got it off and removed about two inches of treacly sludge from the tank. I was surpised to find no form of baffle or anything to stop swarf getting into the pipe which goes to the pump. There is now. I asume there would once have been some form of mesh over the drain in the bed.

Incidentally, there is just a 1/4" BSP fitting going from the drain into the tank, I'm not totally convinced it's original, as it appears to be meant to take flexy pipe.

Steve

[Pete.]

My lathe has a little perforated pot that sits in the drain outlet in the tray.