In article , Ned Simmons
wrote:

In article dvandam-2107040942070001@sdn-ap-
006tnnashp0217.dialsprint.net,
says...
Steve,

Thanks for the reply.

That you have the same arrangement tends to indicate that this is not a
one off but something the factory introduced and then didn't cover with an
update to the service manual.

On mine the depth of the hex key socket is much less than 0.1", maybe only
0.030" to 0.040" . I tried pressing the hex key into this shallow recess
and carefully turning but the key just smears the recess and climbs out.
Not only is it unclear how to get the plug out as configured, how the hell
did they get it in?

Thanks again for the reply.

Dennis van Dam

PS

You ever notice the bottom of the quill warming up?

Maybe I'm worried for nothing and this was just a one time thing because I
ran the spindle at 3400 rpm when usually I'm only running it at 250 to
725.

(Still, I ought to be able to run the machine at 3400 rpm without
overheating the spindle bearings.)





Look at McMaster-Carr p/n 10595K14. Does that look like
what you've got? If so, and the fitting is still OK, you'll
need something like p/n 1090K54.


Ned,

That's basically what it is only instead of being Style 3 your part number
indicates it would be more like style 1 or style 2 which are round at the
OD instead of hex shaped.

Only thing that still confused me is in the catalogue on the style 1 and
style 2 type flush grease fittings, there are "dimples" on the fitting
perimeter so that it can be engaged with a flat screw driver to install it
into a threaded hole . These dimples are not in evidence on my fitting.


Without some way to thread the fitting into a tapped hole in the bottom of
the hex socket in the plug I couldn't figure how the fitting was installed
into the plug and further with the fitting entirely occupying the the hex
socket in the plug I couldn't figure how the plug was installed into the
quill.

I could just leave the whole arrangement as is and, as you suggest, get a
special narrow coupler to get lube through the fitting to the spindle
bearings but that won't address removing the plug in the event that I need
to adjust the preload on the spindle bearings.

Accordingly I finally decided to drill the fitting out so that I could get
a hex key in and remove the plug.

This took place without any complication and only took a few moments.

Once I had it out I examined the back side of the plug and the remains of
the flush grease fitting and discovered the fitting wasn't threaded into a
tapped hole it was pressed into a plain hole. That explains the lack of
screw driver dimples on the fitting..............and possibly all that
might have been required was with the plug still in the quill, give the
face of the fitting a light rap with a hammer and punch thus (if there was
space behind it) setting it further into the hex socket in the plug
allowing a hex key to fit into the socket.

Either that or a predrilled plug was threaded into the quill and then the
flush grease fitting was set all the way in to the predrilled hole in the
plug but since the plug is already installed it doesn't matter that you
can no longer get a hex key in (thus a one way trip unless you drill the
fitting out).

Oh well live and learn, this is why I hesitated and posted to the group as
I frequently miss salient details like this one until after the fact.
(-8



Do you have any way of measuring how hot does the spindle
actually gets?

Actually I do. After I sorted out the business with the plug and got
some oil to the bearings (the manual describes obscure type of grease but
my guy at DC Morrison says "straight 30 weight oil") I attached a nice
little magnetic surface temp thermometer to the quill and turned it on at
full spindle speed (3400 rpm).

Within 30 seconds I could feel the quill starting to warm. Within 2
minutes it was acutely warm and at between 4 or 5 minutes the thermometer
was indicating and stable at 130 degrees. The way this thermometer works
it measures temp just above the surface it's attached to. That means the
quill is actually hotter and the bearings hotter still.

If 200 degrees is within allowable operating parameters maybe this is
perfectly normal (normal enough) and I just have to get used to it when
ever running at full spindle rpm.

Other wise the next thing to fiddle with is bearing preload or possibly
consider replacing the bearings.

Ned, thanks for the reply it helped to explain what was going on right at
the quill plug.

Dennis van Dam




Even 200F isn't likely to harm anything
unless the bearing preload changes drastically due to
thermal expansion. If it's getting tighter I'd expect the
temp to run away (hotter-tighter-hotter still- even
tighter-....), if too loose, accuracy and/or finish may
suffer.

Ned Simmons