Overhaul of a 9" SB model "A"

[steamer]

Oh, by the way, SB wants $340 for a new TS base. Had to ask.

I would have to agree that the price..considering the work involved , is fair but It's way more than I want to spend at the moment.

It's also is not scraped but just machined, and they said it didn't need to be scraped, which I don't really believe.

The original was.

What I wanted was an original casting....I suppose a winning lottery ticket would also have been a fair request!
:

Dave

 

[Dan Rowe]

Hi Dave,
I have been watching this with interest as I have a very old 13" Young lathe. I bought a copy of "Machine Tool Reconditioning" many years ago. At that time I realized that I did not have the time to make a proper job of it so I did a cosmetic clean and paint with minor repair.

Now watching your progress with the SB is making me think that I might start with some scraping practice.

Dan

 

[steamer]

If you don't mind work, it can be very relaxing....This is a scraping master I made for the Waltham re-build...No I haven't counted spots....

Dave

 

[steamer]

Got some finished stuff put together....so I can get it out of the way!

That looks better

Before:

After: Amazing what some cleaning up and paint can do!

The Steady had 4 coats of paint on it when I got it....I think I striped about a pound off the weight.

Dave

 

[steamer]

Based on the serial number card, I believe it looked like this when new

Dave

 

[steamer]

Well, I made up my mind today. I am going to make a new TS base for the SB. I cut some stock, and starting blazing away on old "Norm" made great progress until the end mill pulled out .03 and scrapped the part
:wall: :wall:

Well...At least I'm back to where I scrapped the first one.....I took some pictures, but got honeydo's todo.
I"ll post later

Dave

 

[steamer]

Here's some pictures. The set up will be the same...just a little less aggressive this time :

Here's the piece of stock

Hogging

All vacuumed up

About the time the end mill pulled...

Oh well...I'll repurpose the scrapped part as the base for a scraping master to scrape the top surface for bearing.

Dave

 

[maverick]

Too bad about the problem. Those Van Normans are known for this tendency. Had a go getter foreman years ago
that cranked up the feed on a guys setup to show him "how it should be done". You guessed it, the cutter pulled
out and grooved the table. He never did live it down. Better luck on the next one.

Mike

 

[ttrikalin]

this will turn great.

maverick or dave,
what do you mean by "the endmill pulled"?

it snags the part and lifts it, even if it's clamped?? because of too aggressive a cut?

take care,
tom in MA

 

[maverick]

Tom,
If the chip load high enough, the end mill can be pulled out of the collet due to the helix angle.
I've done it myself a time or two. I hope this explains it.

Mike

 

[steamer]

A drawback of the VN12 "C" collet is that the mill is really far stouter than the holding force of the collets it uses. They have a tendency to have the end mill get pulled down out of the collet. In this case about .03".

The effect is to deepen the cut, making the part undersize and scrapping it.

I should know better as I've had "Norm" for about 15 years....but you get greedy sometimes :

Dave

 

[ttrikalin]

thanks both

this explained it.

 

[steamer]

Here's what I had energy to do today.

Finding the edge of the part with some smoking paper....YES smoking paper. It's a very consistant .0008-.001 in thickness...when it's grabbed out of your fingers, you know where you are.

cutting the top relief pocket

Cutting the clamp bolt pass through hole

Here is where it is so far compared to the original part

The tailstock fits nice!

Nice and snug. Picks up the base with a wringing fit.

Next I'll flip it over and carve out the pocket on the other side. Then I'll cut the tapered end and offset indicator.

Dave

 

[ttrikalin]

impressive.

it would take me a full weekend of cutting on the sherline to never get this close

it's nice to have a big mill...

tom in MA

 

[mgbrv8]

"

"


What model Van Norman mill do you have? I have a 22L. How do you like yours?

Dave

 

[steamer]

It's a VN 12. 1951-53 vintage.

I put a new electrical system in it. It was from the factory 220 single phase.
still is, but I moved the controls up onto a boom and seperated the feed from the spindle start.

Dave

PS Thanks to Steve Huck and the forum for the electrical help!

 

[steamer]

I've grown fond of old Norm. He's a little past his prime, but still does good work to a couple thou or so.

For fussy stuff, I use my little mill, but it's too small for this job.

Dave

 

[steamer]

Too bad about the problem. Those Van Normans are known for this tendency. Had a go getter foreman years ago
that cranked up the feed on a guys setup to show him "how it should be done". You guessed it, the cutter pulled
out and grooved the table. He never did live it down. Better luck on the next one.

Mike

HI Mike,
Thanks for the interest and support!
Only 1 scar of shame on my table.....and yes I know how it got there.... : :big:

Dave

 

[mgbrv8]

Im not trying to get too off topic but one of my long term projects for my Van Norman mill is mounting a small Bridgeport head on my horizontal mill arbor support rod like the one in the picture I have attached. I wonder if you could do the same on the VN 12?

Dave

 

[steamer]

Probably could, I do miss the lack of a quill. However, it does do somethings better than a Bridgeport...but I do miss the quill..and the cheap tooling....and the clearance over the table....and longer table travel...and about a half a dozen other things... ;D

Dave