MW/Logan gearbox problem

[bikr7549]

HI,
I have a Montgomery Ward/Logan 2136 lathe. After a period of time of not using the powered feed I engaged it today as I needed to cut a thread, and it makes a 'clunking sound'-same loudness and speed in either drive direction-sounds like something is loose. With drive not engaged it sounds fine. An external inspection shows nothing, and it did not do this last time I used the drive. Before I try and open it up to take a look see is there anything else I should try/check, and any advice on the disassembly and inspection?

Bob

 

[awake]

Bob, I wish I knew an answer. Maybe this will bump your thread back to the top so that someone else sees it ... or maybe you've already dug into the lathe. If the latter, what did you find?

 

[bikr7549]

Problem solved Andy, thanks for asking. Turns out to have been a really simple issue, small aluminum chips had gotten into one of the change gears between the spindle and the gear box causing the clunking sound-brushed the gears out and lubed them and now it runs and sounds like it should! What a relief. That area of the lathe is pretty open (as are most I suppose) and this task is now added to my maintenance chores for the lathe. Fortunately for me this was an easy and cheap 'fix'.

 

[awake]

Always nice when it turns out that the fix is simple. Sometimes I get lucky, and all of my anticipation of how hard the job will be dissolves into a five-minute fix. And then there are times when I think it's going to be quick and easy, and ...