On Sun, 4 Jul 2010 16:43:36 -0500, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:

I'm making room for the big backhoe by parting out a couple boneyard
machines...

I moved the hardinge HNC into the shop and just got the headstock and
spindle motor removed.

Next chore is the carriage. I'd like one piece if possible. can the entire
unit slide off the dovetail? After a break I'm taking all the stuff off the
tail end hoping this will work. Suggestions appreciated.

Karl



Yes, you can take the carraige off by sliding it off the end of the
dovetail. If you have the coolant pump, you will probably have to
remove it first. Pull the gib wedge from the slide, then remove the
slide control box from the end of the slide (sometimes the wires may be
long enough to hang off the end of the tray..sometimes not) and simply
crank the slide off the end of the dovetail.

Be SURE to have a die cart/forklift or similar parked at the end of the
dovetail...because that slide weighs about 150 lbs with turret etc etc
and you will likely drop the heavy ******* if you try to remove it by
hand.

One step that will REALLY help..is to remove the bolts that hold the
front of the slide on..the portion that has the cranks/clutches on..and
pull the last two out but for 3-4 threads and tap them until the entire
assembly comes loose and drops loose, then carefully remove the last
bolts and drop it into the tray. The front controls under the slide
are bolted AND dowel pinned, so you may have to tap a bit, but its
obvious when it comes loose and wont take much tapping.

This also helps get the slide free as some..some of the HCs had stops on
the track under the dovetail.
As a matter of course..I always drop the front of the slide..get all
that stuff out of your way..then slide the rest off the dove tail.

Oh..slide motor wiring will need to be either cut, or disconnected from
the control box at the right end of the slide. Dont be surprised if the
wire is hardened to brass like rigidity. Simply cut the wire, as you
really should replace it later if reusing and its common multiconductor.


Id strongly recommend keeping the entire slide, or parting it out on
Ebay, if you are scrapping the machine. Btw...if the spindle bearings
are in good shape..the stripped HC is worth about $500 to anyone who is
looking to build an OmniTurn retrofit machine.

http://www.omniturn.com/bin/Attachments.htm

They are VERY accurate and very rugged and more than fast enough to make
money with.

Gunner





One could not be a successful Leftwinger without realizing that,
in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers
and mothers of Leftwingers, a goodly number of Leftwingers are
not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.
Gunner Asch