On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 17:56:10 -0800, "Greg Deputy"
wrote:


I'm not sure what to do, can anyone suggest a course of action? I'm willing
to take it apart, but I cant seem to get it disassembled beyond pulling the
bolt out.


As others have indicated...there is broken stuff. Loosen the two
nuts on the tailstock hold down lock, and using a dead blow hammer,
tap the tailstock upwards after removing the bolt and what appears to
be a gib. The picture of the smaller holes show that there used to be
a pair of bolts that push/pulled on the gib to tighten it on the cross
bar. I would take a brass drift and gently try to tap out the gib, to
the left, (looking at the spindle nose). If no movement, try the
opposite direction. That is a tapered gib so will only come out, in
one direction. Pehaps you can measure or eyeball the gib on both sides
to determine which is the bigger end. Thats the end the gib will come
out. You MAY have to drill out the gib adjustment bolts as they have
been both sheared off over the years. The clue was the picture from
the back side..where you can see the gib (the trapazoidal piece) has a
flat shoulder a small distance inside the hole. That flat shoulder
is where the gib adjustment bolt head pushed..there is one on the
other side as well, but some clod with a hammer has damaged things.

You MAY be able to slip a good screwdriver between the top casting and
the cross bar (the square piece of key stock) and lever the casting
upwards, after you remove the cross bolt and the two hold down nuts.
Alternate sides. Once you get it apart..you will be able to see
clearly where everything goes, and what needs to be cleaned up with a
file, retapped etc.

The large bolt head on the back side may or may not be used to adjust
the cross travel. It may have been simply the two busted gib bolts
that did the work. You will only be able to find out once you
seperate the top and bottom of the tailstock base.

Interesting design.

Gunner

Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
H. L. Mencken