I am looking at a picture of what appears to be a very nice model
Sheldon lathe:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72

The picture makes it appear as if the compound can be positioned
anywhere along the cross slide. In the 9th photo down you can see a
dovetail and what appears to be a gib. Is this actually a gib to
adjust the cross slide or is it a clamp to position the compound along
on top of the cross slide.

I was never sure how they worked and would like to know. (have never
actually seen one)

Bill D

In article , dot says...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72

The picture makes it appear as if the compound can be positioned
anywhere along the cross slide.

I would tend to agree. I've never seen a setup like this before.

I think that in this photo one can see one of the two vertical
clamping screws that tighten the clamp that holds the compound
to the slide:

http://www.reliableiam.com/OCTB3/b78j.jpg

It's the one at the extreme rear, right corner of the flat
base for the compound. The other one is hidden. I think
the thing that you say might be a gib is actually the
clamp, which would be gib-shaped and visible in that 9th
photo. The difference is it's not tapered, and tightens
by pulling upwards.

Jim

==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at yktvmv (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

Bill wrote:

I am looking at a picture of what appears to be a very nice model
Sheldon lathe:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72

The picture makes it appear as if the compound can be positioned
anywhere along the cross slide.

Yup, the Sheldon R-series lathes are quite sophisticated. This is not
a feature exclusinve to the Sheldon, however. The machine in question
is a pre-1968 R-series, with the open QC gearbox and keyed leadscrew.
The post-1968 machines had an 80-speed, closed oil-bath QC box and
a separate carriage feed shaft, so the leadscrew would only be used for
threading. I see the oil pump handle, so this model also has the apron
running in an oil bath. The post-68 machines had multiplate clutches
instead of gears to connect the carriage and crossfeed drives. These
clutches
could be adjusted to deliver just the feed force required, so they would
slip in the case of a crash. This machine looks like it probably has
that, too. Note the screw heads in the middle of the feed advance
handles' shafts. I don't see the auto cutoff that the later machines had,
though. The handles had detents that were connected by linkages inside the
apron, so when the carriage hit the micrometer stop, or the cross slide
brought trip lugs into contact with the cutoff button, the feed handle
dropped out of the detent.

The design of the R-series lathes were the just about the most advanced
available at the time. The headstock is belt driven, and the drive pulley
runs on it's own, coaxial, bearing set, NOT running over the spindle as
so many other machines did. This was to prevent vibration of the
spindle. The reduction gears are on the motor, to keep the gear vibration
out of the spindle. The headstock is lubricated by an ingenious system
that uses the bull gear to throw oil up into a trough hanging below the
top cover of the headstock. Oil holes drip oil to all the places that need
to be lubed. (Funny thing, they specify way oil in the headstock, but
gear oil on the ways!) The late R15 also had a pop-out threading dial,
so that the leadscrew sould not be worn by ANYTHING touching it,
except when threading. You swapped the dial for a blank plug that was
stored
in the side of the apron. I could go on for several thousand more words
describing all the neat engineering features I discovered while overhauling
mine!

In the 9th photo down you can see a
dovetail and what appears to be a gib. Is this actually a gib to
adjust the cross slide or is it a clamp to position the compound along
on top of the cross slide.

What you see there is the clamp that locks the compound swivel base in
position. 2 socket head bolts pull it up to clamp the swivel to the
cross-slide.
The cross slide uses a tapered gib that is positioned by opposing
bolts from the back of the carriage.

I have a 1972 Sheldon R15-6 (15 swing x 42" between centers), D1-6
spindle). It is an incredible machine. Mine had severe bed wear, but I
have fixed up the bed and now am finishing up the crossslide.
I bought it because of the 2.25" spindle through hole, and the high speed
(either 1250 or 2500 RPM depending on whether the dual-speed motor
option is installed). That makes it possible to use it as a completely
general
purpose lathe, many other 15" machines will not do high speed, so you
need a small machine, too. I want to only have one good one.
Note this is a roughly 3500 Lb machine. I cannot lift the tailstock
myself. Even the upper HALF of the tailstock is at the limit of what I
can move without lifting gear! The headstock is the size of a V-8 engine
block!

Jon

jim rozen wrote:

In article , dot says...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72

The picture makes it appear as if the compound can be positioned
anywhere along the cross slide.

I would tend to agree. I've never seen a setup like this before.

I think that in this photo one can see one of the two vertical
clamping screws that tighten the clamp that holds the compound
to the slide:

http://www.reliableiam.com/OCTB3/b78j.jpg

It's the one at the extreme rear, right corner of the flat
base for the compound. The other one is hidden. I think
the thing that you say might be a gib is actually the
clamp, which would be gib-shaped and visible in that 9th
photo. The difference is it's not tapered, and tightens
by pulling upwards.

Jim

==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at yktvmv (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

Thanks Jim

Yes, I had spotted that little fellow and imagined that there might also be
a third screw in the center but there is yet another photo that dispels that. (I
think) In any case that setup provides such superb wedging action that the two
screws are plenty to lock that well enough to stop a freight train. (^:

Seems to be a quality machine! Love that 60 speed gear box as well.

Tks again!
Bill

Thanks Jon. That's a winner of a response. I have no need for another lathe but
I so admire the Sheldon that I do an ebay search on them daily. (Must be nuts!)

Thanks again
Bill

Jon Elson wrote:

Bill wrote:

I am looking at a picture of what appears to be a very nice model
Sheldon lathe:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ategory=12 72

The picture makes it appear as if the compound can be positioned
anywhere along the cross slide.

Yup, the Sheldon R-series lathes are quite sophisticated. This is not
a feature exclusinve to the Sheldon, however. The machine in question
is a pre-1968 R-series, with the open QC gearbox and keyed leadscrew.
The post-1968 machines had an 80-speed, closed oil-bath QC box and
a separate carriage feed shaft, so the leadscrew would only be used for
threading. I see the oil pump handle, so this model also has the apron
running in an oil bath. The post-68 machines had multiplate clutches
instead of gears to connect the carriage and crossfeed drives. These
clutches
could be adjusted to deliver just the feed force required, so they would
slip in the case of a crash. This machine looks like it probably has
that, too. Note the screw heads in the middle of the feed advance
handles' shafts. I don't see the auto cutoff that the later machines had,
though. The handles had detents that were connected by linkages inside the
apron, so when the carriage hit the micrometer stop, or the cross slide
brought trip lugs into contact with the cutoff button, the feed handle
dropped out of the detent.

The design of the R-series lathes were the just about the most advanced
available at the time. The headstock is belt driven, and the drive pulley
runs on it's own, coaxial, bearing set, NOT running over the spindle as
so many other machines did. This was to prevent vibration of the
spindle. The reduction gears are on the motor, to keep the gear vibration
out of the spindle. The headstock is lubricated by an ingenious system
that uses the bull gear to throw oil up into a trough hanging below the
top cover of the headstock. Oil holes drip oil to all the places that need
to be lubed. (Funny thing, they specify way oil in the headstock, but
gear oil on the ways!) The late R15 also had a pop-out threading dial,
so that the leadscrew sould not be worn by ANYTHING touching it,
except when threading. You swapped the dial for a blank plug that was
stored
in the side of the apron. I could go on for several thousand more words
describing all the neat engineering features I discovered while overhauling
mine!

In the 9th photo down you can see a
dovetail and what appears to be a gib. Is this actually a gib to
adjust the cross slide or is it a clamp to position the compound along
on top of the cross slide.

What you see there is the clamp that locks the compound swivel base in
position. 2 socket head bolts pull it up to clamp the swivel to the
cross-slide.
The cross slide uses a tapered gib that is positioned by opposing
bolts from the back of the carriage.

I have a 1972 Sheldon R15-6 (15 swing x 42" between centers), D1-6
spindle). It is an incredible machine. Mine had severe bed wear, but I
have fixed up the bed and now am finishing up the crossslide.
I bought it because of the 2.25" spindle through hole, and the high speed
(either 1250 or 2500 RPM depending on whether the dual-speed motor
option is installed). That makes it possible to use it as a completely
general
purpose lathe, many other 15" machines will not do high speed, so you
need a small machine, too. I want to only have one good one.
Note this is a roughly 3500 Lb machine. I cannot lift the tailstock
myself. Even the upper HALF of the tailstock is at the limit of what I
can move without lifting gear! The headstock is the size of a V-8 engine
block!

Jon

Thanks Jon -

I was beginning to think I missed something in the words.

I have a Sheldon 11x44 myself and don't see anything unique.

The knobs are larger and generally all is scaled up.

The Buck is a standard production chuck. Nice.

Martin
--
Martin Eastburn, Barbara Eastburn
@ home at Lion's Lair with our computer
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder

Eastburn wrote:

Thanks Jon -

I was beginning to think I missed something in the words.

I have a Sheldon 11x44 myself and don't see anything unique.

The 11" Sheldon is a fairly pedestrian lathe. It is in no way comparable
to the R series, especially the post-1968 R's. 80 threading feeds and 80
different cutting feeds should give a hint. The 80-speed QC box is
so innovative they have a raft of patents on it. Getting 80 different
ratios
in a 10 x 10 x 6" box is quite a trick.

The headstock and apron are quite innovative, too. Any lathe that has
FOUR separate oil-bath gearboxes (requiring a DIFFERENT lube
in each one, too, wouldn't you know!) has got to be a bit different.

You might take a look at my site on the machine, at
http://jelinux.pico-systems.com/sheldon.html

for some of the story. By the way, I am finally done spotting and scraping,
and am putting the machine all the way back together! It only took 22
months to fix all the wear! I still have a few small things to fix,
like the
bolts that held the DRO onto the cross slide were rusted out. 3 came out
easy, but one has a stub seized hard in the crossslide. I may have to just
chisel it off.

Jon

YOu sound a bit to smart to be I get 48 threads in mine from 4 to 225
IIRC.
There are many 11" types from smaller than mine to twice as heavy.
No comparison - I didn't see anything new to speak of - just bigger.
I have a qc-box back gearing, end lever gearing and gear drive in 2
axis.

I remember yours and the overloaded side yard - nice recovery.

Martin
--
Martin Eastburn, Barbara Eastburn
@ home at Lion's Lair with our computer
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder


Jon Elson wrote:

Eastburn wrote:

Thanks Jon -

I was beginning to think I missed something in the words.

I have a Sheldon 11x44 myself and don't see anything unique.

The 11" Sheldon is a fairly pedestrian lathe. It is in no way comparable
to the R series, especially the post-1968 R's. 80 threading feeds and 80
different cutting feeds should give a hint. The 80-speed QC box is
so innovative they have a raft of patents on it. Getting 80 different
ratios
in a 10 x 10 x 6" box is quite a trick.

The headstock and apron are quite innovative, too. Any lathe that has
FOUR separate oil-bath gearboxes (requiring a DIFFERENT lube
in each one, too, wouldn't you know!) has got to be a bit different.

You might take a look at my site on the machine, at
http://jelinux.pico-systems.com/sheldon.html

for some of the story. By the way, I am finally done spotting and scraping,
and am putting the machine all the way back together! It only took 22
months to fix all the wear! I still have a few small things to fix,
like the
bolts that held the DRO onto the cross slide were rusted out. 3 came out
easy, but one has a stub seized hard in the crossslide. I may have to just
chisel it off.

Jon

replying to Jon Elson, Adam kenaio wrote:
Hi, John, I have the same Sheldon lathe as yours, it is r15-8, and my question
to you is, do you know how to cut metric threads with your lathe and what does
it take to configure the lathe to do so, thanks for your help and prompt reply.

--
for full context, visit https://www.polytechforum.com/metalw...ys-288374-.htm

Adam kenaio wrote:

replying to Jon Elson, Adam kenaio wrote:
Hi, John, I have the same Sheldon lathe as yours, it is r15-8, and my
question to you is, do you know how to cut metric threads with your lathe
and what does it take to configure the lathe to do so, thanks for your
help and prompt reply.

There are apparently two versions of the drive to the QC gearbox. Mine has
a toothed belt drive. But, apprently, there was a version that had a gear
train instead, so that you could slip in a set of transposing gears (like a
100:127 tooth gear) to get metric threads. I suppose you could cobble up
a set of a few idler gears such that you could do the same.

Jon