# standard modern 9 inch utilathe 1960 approx model part needed



## ken holliday (Dec 16, 2020)

i seem to have a warped gear or bent shaft in the gearbox    I have amanual parts show on page 9, -15 through 22 , do you have one for sale?  or know where i can get one


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## YotaBota (Dec 16, 2020)

Welcome to the group, there are a few of with this same machine. 
Is it goofy in just one range or do all the gears on that shaft seem wonky?
Have you had it apart yet to inspect the bushings and gears?
What part of the country are in?


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## Hruul (Dec 16, 2020)

Welcome to the forum.  There was a whole gear box for sale about a year ago, from a salvaged parts lathe but it was sold off.


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## YotaBota (Dec 16, 2020)

I have the spindle and some headstock gears from that one that was parted out. BrentH had the machine, I know the gear box is gone but I'm not sure what he has left.
Maybe the person that bought the gearbox has parts from his old one, if he had a gearbox to start with.


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## ken holliday (Dec 16, 2020)

hi thanks for the quick reply, i have a nephew who is apprenticing as a millwright, he is helping me due to my mobility handicap
he has removed the gear box from the lather, inspection shows either a bent shaft or warped gears - in the manual (found online) it would be page 9 parts 15-22, it was sticking in one spot, would revlve about 90% of a revolution freely.  Then hard to turn , it also seems there is a gap between gears - 10thousandths , reduceing to nil at this spot 
he has washed and cleaned debris from gears and finds it turns freely now, I think we will reinstal as is and hope it works 

i am in regina


YotaBota said:


> Welcome to the group, there are a few of with this same machine.
> Is it goofy in just one range or do all the gears on that shaft seem wonky?
> Have you had it apart yet to inspect the bushings and gears?
> What part of the country are in?


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## Hruul (Dec 16, 2020)

I think it was done to the bed, but I could be wrong.


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## Hruul (Dec 16, 2020)

Great to see another person on here from Regina.  Will have to go for coffee sometime when Covid is over.


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## YotaBota (Dec 16, 2020)

Fingers crossed.


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## YYCHM (Dec 16, 2020)

I think @Brent H is down to the bed, headstock casting and saddle. 

I have some of the apron parts.

I'm pretty sure the feedbox went to a guy in the US that was missing the feedbox entirely.

I'm sure Brent will chime in here shortly.


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## ken holliday (Dec 16, 2020)

not ever having used a steel lathe, i learn by trial and error - lots of error!, i was changing feeds on the fly, and have since been told that is a bad thing.


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## YotaBota (Dec 16, 2020)

Youtube is your friend for learning stuff. Never change any gear settings with the machine running, gearbox/headstock/leadscrew forward-reverse. And if you're still not sure, ask, we're all here to help.
I was going to ask how long you've been doing machine stuff but you just answered the question.
I've been playing for around a couple of years and have found the level of knowledge on this site is incredible and diverse.


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## YYCHM (Dec 16, 2020)

I have been under the impression that changing feed rates was about the only thing you can do on the fly.  I'd be too chicken to attempt it though.

@RobinHood should be able to comment on this.


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## Brent H (Dec 16, 2020)

Changing feed on the fly can get you in big trouble fast - If parts of the Christmas gear tree are sticking it could be because of a couple things:

Gear 14 is the gear that locks all the others onto the splined shaft.  There is a taper pin(maybe split pin) holding that gear in position.   If you sheared that off it may change some spacing resulting in the biding.  There is not a lot of room in there for things to float freely -  The other thing is that the whole shaft had shifted over sticking on the spline and just needs a tap to get it back.






Note the small clearance (orange arrow).  The pin is indicated by red arrow.  The shaft is splined and would be an interesting build







I don't have any parts anymore.  I scrapped the bed and headstock piece and the carriage.  The whole GBX is now running a lathe in the USA.

Fabrication : "That is the way"


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## 6.5 Fan (Dec 16, 2020)

Welcome, from another SK member.


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## YYCHM (Dec 16, 2020)

Brent H said:


> Changing feed on the fly can get you in big trouble fast



Interesting..... someone told me it was legit to do on the Utilathe?  I find changing the feed lever positions a bit of a struggle and have been tempted to try it under power.


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## Brent H (Dec 16, 2020)

@YYCHobbyMachinist: doing it on the fly if you are perfect you are engaging the feed box right on the correct gear and may not have any issues, however, if you rattle part way through a gear or you go clunking in from a higher feed to a lower feed all you are doing is chipping teeth or stressing the assembly.  I will always just spin the chuck by hand to click into the next gear.

I guess on the 9 inch Utilathe you "clutch in" the feed using the knob on the apron, so in theory, provided you are declutched you could switch feeds.  It would/could get messy if you forgot to de-clutch.  on the 10 and 12 Utilathe it tells you not to change course to fine feeds at spindle speeds over 100 RPM.  I just don't do it at all so as to avoid any issues.  I can see the wear from people in the past riding the gears into the spot they want.


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## YotaBota (Dec 16, 2020)

The half-nut is the only thing that gets engaged on the fly. Even changing from longitudinal to cross feed you disengage the clutch and then change feeds. Parts are getting harder and harder to find so it's better safe than walking away grumbling to yourself "the guys on the forum were right".


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## RobinHood (Dec 16, 2020)

Ok, my ears were ringing...

Yes, I do change feed rates on the fly - BUT not with any load on (apron / cross slide feed off), AND only in the fine feed range with spindle RPM < 1000.

The SM1340 gear train is similar to, but slightly different from the smaller SM Utilathe. The fine feed longitudinal range on the SM1340 is 0.053mm/rev to 0.396mm/rev (1/2 of that for the cross slide).

On the Colchester Master 2500, there is one feed selection lever that should only be moved while the feed gear train is engaged (circled in red) - again under no load; you won’t be able to shift without the gearbox turning. The fine feed range is 0.03mm/rev to 0.5mm/rev (1/2 of that for facing)






Now, both the 1340 and the Colchester are “light duty” production lathes - so the gear shifting philosophy is different as well as the gears don’t have straight edges; they are chamfered to facilitate shifting on the fly.

You could turn the spindle by hand I suppose, but you’d be there for a while to get it into gear.


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## ken holliday (Dec 16, 2020)

i was using it to turn a wooden bowl, soft wood, and had to have the cross feed bed clear of the woork as the bowl size was too big to allow it to revolve with the cross feed under it.  I used a 15 inch bar with a 2 inch x1/4 inch squre hand ground cutter, I was having to to take only 10-25 thou each pass and had to remove a total of 1.5 inch to get the log totally round. thus the many passes and with my left arm not being able to lify yo change easy i was doing it on the fly,  wont do that again!!!  longhistory on my lathe, it belonged to my brother in law, came for Balfour tech where he took some classes in high school.  He bought it took it to his home in BC, had a hobby of rebuilding airplanes, was killed in mid air crash, i inherited , brought it back- sure i missed some of his accessories - but do have many i have no idea what they are , he had made a hack saw driven by the 4 jaw chuck , attacghed to the bed, i have pictures, i have never tried to hook it up.  I have made a belt drive off the chuck with rests to sharpen wood chisels of wood carving, various grit from 400 to 1000 to 2000 to 6000. I have to drive it slow rpm to avoid over heating the chisels,  Fun to experiment!!!   when the covid is over i am hoping to do more


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## PeterT (Dec 16, 2020)

Welcome to the forum. Don't take this as a criticism but maybe a heads up. Woodworking generally does not play well with metal lathes. A little bit wont hurt and I don't mean abrasion to the bed or anything. Metal swarf is much harder. But sawdust has a way of migrating into lubricated areas its not welcome, making friendly with the oil or grease & swelling up to a paste form. I've read a few stories where guys were rebuilding lathes acquired from woodworkers thinking they would be barely used. But when they opened up the gearbox or shift lever banjo, were greeted by housing packed full of mung, even broken gears or bent shafts as a result. These surfaces are meant to run with a thousandths or so clearance & oil film between them.

Wood lathes typically don't have feed controls involving hand wheels, lead screws or quick change gearboxes etc. Basically everything is sealed up or the few external moving parts are robust enough that dust & chips can be vacuumed or air blasted out. Maybe you can figure out a way to manifold the dust but I don't have any experience there. Good luck!


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## ken holliday (Dec 17, 2020)

Many thanks - this novice is willing bto learn and hopes to make lots of mistakes- once, guess i did my once!  i have an antiuque wood lathe, keep it in garage at cottage and cottage is closed for winter ( plumbing freezes as lines exposed)   it neeeds some work i can do on the metal lathe, design and makea live center, replace bushings on drive, new chuck to hold work ,   should keep me occupied for the summer


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## ken holliday (Dec 17, 2020)

looking for local to me members - Regina, how do i locate?


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## ken holliday (Dec 20, 2020)

here is video of gear box after cleaning
sorry the quality is horrible - no idea how to do this, 1st time trying to psot video




__ https://www.facebook.com/kengholliday/posts/10159186979034744


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## ken holliday (Dec 20, 2020)

ken holliday said:


> i seem to have a warped gear or bent shaft in the gearbox    I have amanual parts show on page 9, -15 through 22 , do you have one for sale?  or know where i can get one


  see later post and video, cleaned and working now, to be reinstalled tomorrow   WISH ME LUCK!


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## YotaBota (Dec 20, 2020)

GOOD LUCK
Don't forget the pin attaching the lead screw to the coupler is tapered. The taper in the coupler and lead screw have to match for the pin to seat properly.


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## ken holliday (Dec 21, 2020)

YotaBota said:


> GOOD LUCK
> Don't forget the pin attaching the lead screw to the coupler is tapered. The taper in the coupler and lead screw have to match for the pin to seat properly.


thanks = we wi;; watch for that


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## ken holliday (Dec 21, 2020)

The lathe is back together!! and never ran so smooth!    The cleaning got rid of many years of accumulation, my assist was great nephew!  He put the gear box in a parts washer , used cleaner like carb cleaner in spray form, while turning it slowly with a cordless 1/2 inch drill, used 3 cans of cleaner!   said metal filling and dirt and likely some oil soaked saw dust from the fine sanding i was doing!!  Lesson learned!! I won't do that again.

i would still like to track down someone who is tearing a duplicte lather apart and would sell some gears or ? from theirs  Merry Christmas to all


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## ken holliday (Dec 30, 2020)

i have read the operators handbook for my lathe( 9 inch Utilathe) and now with the gear change assembly working so smooth i know i should drain and clean and change oil in the gearhead assembly.  Does anyone know if there is a drain plug? I kmow i can access it from the top , soak up oil with rags, put in cleaner ( distillite, or light oil, run a bit and soak up then put SAE 30 in the gear box to level indicator glass.   I plug would be great if there is one... I know the gear box leaks oil and i have been refilling with various on hand oils, it has automatic transmission fluid in it now.


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## YYCHM (Dec 30, 2020)

ken holliday said:


> i have read the operators handbook for my lathe( 9 inch Utilathe) and now with the gear change assembly working so smooth i know i should drain and clean and change oil in the gearhead assembly.  Does anyone know if there is a drain plug? I kmow i can access it from the top , soak up oil with rags, put in cleaner ( distillite, or light oil, run a bit and soak up then put SAE 30 in the gear box to level indicator glass.   I plug would be great if there is one... I know the gear box leaks oil and i have been refilling with various on hand oils, it has automatic transmission fluid in it now.



I assume you are talking about the headstock?






Does your machine not have this drain plug?  Where is you headstock leaking from?


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## ken holliday (Dec 30, 2020)

YES AND THANK YOU!   i don't know where exactly the leak is, When i get it all cleaned and refilled I will look more for the leak, It is such a slow leak it could be any bushing etc and as i can keep it topped up - as i have done- I was not taking time to really fid it


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## YYCHM (Dec 30, 2020)

ken holliday said:


> YES AND THANK YOU!   i don't know where exactly the leak is, When i get it all cleaned and refilled I will look more for the leak, It is such a slow leak it could be any bushing etc and as i can keep it topped up - as i have done- I was not taking time to really fid it



My headstock leaked a little when running due to the lid not having a gasket.  A cardboard gasket fixed that issue.


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## ken holliday (Dec 30, 2020)

here are a couple picture files of my lathe= the pictures were given to me by the previous owner's wife


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## ken holliday (Dec 30, 2020)

YYCHobbyMachinist said:


> My headstock leaked a little when running due to the lid not having a gasket.  A cardboard gasket fixed that issue.


I can do that!    Kellogg's corn flakes box should be perfect


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## YotaBota (Dec 30, 2020)

Ken - if you look at the bottom of the headstock below the spindle you should see an allen head plug, this is your drainplug for the headstock.
YYC- the plug in your picture is way to high to be the drain and that plug isn't on mine or any others I've seen. Not sure what it is for, maybe the previous owner can let us in on the secret.


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## ken holliday (Dec 30, 2020)

Previous owner of my lathe died in airplane crash, many years ago, that is when/why  i inherited it.  He was flying with friend - a retired cp air pilot, they were in a yellow single motor wing on top, broadsided by an instructor and his pupil, flying single engine white plane  - so i guess he wont be able to tell me where the plug is !   Good thought though!


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## YYCHM (Dec 30, 2020)

This one?


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## YotaBota (Dec 30, 2020)

That's the one! 
I did the rag and bucket thing and then once the headstock was empty I found the plug looking from the inside DOH!
Ken - I was asking YYC about the previous owner and the plug he was showing


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## YYCHM (Dec 30, 2020)

ken holliday said:


> Previous owner of my lathe died in airplane crash, many years ago, that is when/why  i inherited it.  He was flying with friend - a retired cp air pilot, they were in a yellow single motor wing on top, broadsided by an instructor and his pupil, flying single engine white plane  - so i guess he wont be able to tell me where the plug is !   Good thought though!



Ken, @YotaBota meant the previous owner of my lathe...……..


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## YotaBota (Dec 30, 2020)

I've had my pilots license since 1994 but have been flying for many years with Dad and his Luscombe. It seems hard to believe that there can be three pilots and nobody flying but Dad and I did it one day and it ended in a hard landing but nobody hurt. He thought I was flying and I thought he was flying and the airplane just didn't compensate for our inattention, it happens.


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## ken holliday (Dec 30, 2020)

YYCHobbyMachinist said:


> This one?
> 
> View attachment 12456


i will look for that one , tomorrow- supper is ready, have a great night all


YotaBota said:


> I've had my pilots license since 1994 but have been flying for many years with Dad and his Luscombe. It seems hard to believe that there can be three pilots and nobody flying but Dad and I did it one day and it ended in a hard landing but nobody hurt. He thought I was flying and I thought he was flying and the airplane just didn't compensate for our inattention, it happens.





YotaBota said:


> I've had my pilots license since 1994 but have been flying for many years with Dad and his Luscombe. It seems hard to believe that there can be three pilots and nobody flying but Dad and I did it one day and it ended in a hard landing but nobody hurt. He thought I was flying and I thought he was flying and the airplane just didn't compensate for our inattention, it happens.





YotaBota said:


> I've had my pilots license since 1994 but have been flying for many years with Dad and his Luscombe. It seems hard to believe that there can be three pilots and nobody flying but Dad and I did it one day and it ended in a hard landing but nobody hurt. He thought I was flying and I thought he was flying and the airplane just didn't compensate for our inattention, it happens.


The accident was nov 20-1999  my wife's birthday, her brother - over Langley BC airport or near there
You may have known him of of him, he learned to fly at Regina Flying club   Alvin Schafer


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## YotaBota (Dec 30, 2020)

I had been in Victoria about a month when that happened and remember it now. I didn't know him but there was a few of us in the club house the next day trying to figure out what happened thinking how it could have been any of us. Condolences.


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## ken holliday (Dec 30, 2020)

small world!  never ever even tried to determine who was at fault - 4 deaths ,nothing to gain if it was determined


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## ken holliday (Jan 1, 2021)

is iy you that was mentioning what kind of stand i have for the lather - here is picture


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## YotaBota (Jan 1, 2021)

Wasn't me asking but those look like the factory legs, and it's colourful 
I put my lathe on a HD 9 drawer cabinet.


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## ken holliday (Jan 7, 2021)

Question for someone  -  My handbook for the 9 inch utilathe says to drain and flush the spindle gear box - I did find the drain ( thanks for the picture) and the handbook says to put "light mixing oil" and a bit of kerosene in the gear box, run for awhile , drain and refill with sae 30
I am ok for all except Q  - what is "light mixing oil" ?? is that just plain mineral oil or , a sae 5 or ?

Happy new year to all


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## Brent H (Jan 7, 2021)

Yes, like a light oil - 5w and some kerosene, diesel etc - just to flush contamination- however, typically the spindle box is not subjected to a lot of crap - run it for a while with the original oil to warm things up, drain into a clean container (I use something with a white bottom) and see what you have draining out.  If it is pretty clean and no metallic particles, I will just add some clean oil with the drain open to flush a bit, then fill up with the 30w.   Remember that these Utilathes were supplied to schools, military, industry to work - us home dudes will not typically drive the lathe to its limits and also, lubes and such have greatly increased in quality since 1950’s.


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## ken holliday (Jan 7, 2021)

thanks, i kind of thought was the case, i will need to buy some kerosene, we did have some  for lamps but i think it got tossed out, and a liter of SAE5   .  I did drain the spindle box into a white conatainer and there was a but of sludge so i will do the light oil wash and reassemble    I did not find the leak yet, don't think it is the cover, maybe seals of the spindle shaft ?   it is not serious leak so i would not try to take apart and fix


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## Brent H (Jan 7, 2021)

Regarding leaks in your lathe:  mine (Utilathe 10x20) had leaks all over - it is designed to.  The end bearing for the feed, pump in oil till it leaks. The gear box, totally open on the back - oil drips no matter what.  Gears in the back, oil drips all over.   Only real problem I would have is with a leak behind the spindle (there is a hole to return oil to the casing) or oil spraying out all the time.  - granted drain plugs shouldn’t leak).  If the “leak” is from a normal bushing area - no worries.  Worry when there is no oil leaking


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## ken holliday (Jan 7, 2021)

That does not seem right!   The feed gear assembly that was stuck is open on the bottom, the gear box for the chuck is the one that is closed , has a window to see oil level and prevent over filling.


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## Brent H (Jan 7, 2021)

Yes, the gear box for the spindle is all contained- should not be leaking. But everything else is pretty much fair game


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## YYCHM (Jan 7, 2021)

Brent H said:


> Yes, the gear box for the spindle is all contained- should not be leaking. But everything else is pretty much fair game



Tell me about it.  I'm back to my traveling drip tray under the apron


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## Brent H (Jan 7, 2021)

@YYCHobbyMachinist make sure your line levels are good and go from there.  I have a couple absorbent pads in the drip tray and I monitor the levels, not a lot really comes out.  Seems like a mess sometimes but kinda like a new mom freaking out about her baby throwing up, seems like a big mess but is not really as much as you think ....


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## ken holliday (Jan 7, 2021)

a little oil goes a long way in making a mess!    this dang covid sure hampers my shopping for supplys, i have to go to walmart tomorrow anyway so will look for 5w oil and kerosene there


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## Chicken lights (Jan 7, 2021)

ken holliday said:


> a little oil goes a long way in making a mess!    this dang covid sure hampers my shopping for supplys, i have to go to walmart tomorrow anyway so will look for 5w oil and kerosene there


Princess auto had kerosene, last winter anyway


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## 6.5 Fan (Jan 8, 2021)

Peavy Mart is another source for kerosene, bought a jug there for a portable heater i have.


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## YYCHM (Jan 8, 2021)

Would Varsol work?


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## ken holliday (Jan 8, 2021)

Criag   - i think so  but we have to go to a walmart to return a printer bought online - and i think they sell it too


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## YotaBota (Jan 8, 2021)

If you google "varsol or Kerosene" you'll get the conflicting reports. As it's only going to be in the machine for a very short time and very thinned out, I think they're similar enough that it won't matter. The nasty thinners, lacquer and such, are the ones to stay away from. My 2cents.


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## ken holliday (Jan 8, 2021)

the handbook seems to treat Varsol and Kerosene as same but says to not use solvents

i will not have the kerosene in there long(let it run in slower range for 4 minutes)mixed with mineral oil, then drain and replac ewith SAE30,  make a new gasket and close up


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## ken holliday (Apr 24, 2021)

here is the attachment i made - very rough but it works, i made it to sharpen wood chisels and plane blades- i find it pits a great edge on my pen knifes


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## YYCHM (Apr 24, 2021)

I don't know what to say about that?  You're certainly thinking out side of the box.  If it works it works.  Good for you.


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## ken holliday (Jun 17, 2022)

i also have found  the system my brother in law used to turn the lathe into a sort of milling machine, used it to cut key way in shaft,and then also used it to cut slots in ( excuse me i know this is not recommended)wooden cooking tool called "sprudel"  it is like a flat wide spoon with slots in it.   Go slow. make no saw dust, keep the vacumn on collecting grindings


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