9" SM Utilathe Restoration

[YotaBota]

Correct, the bearings are a very close fit into the headstock so you will need to pull out as straight as possible otherwise it will bind. If it starts to bind just give it a gentle side to side rocking motion and it will come out. You won't need the hammers, pullers or punches. I moved the pulley out on the shaft far enough to get my fingers in between the pulley and the headstock to pry it out.
If you have a look inside the headstock at the shaft you can see the screw blocks the inner bearing so the shaft can't slide out.

 

[YYCHM]

Ok, I'm convinced now the vibration issue is in the motor. To eliminate the motor pulley as the issue, I picked up a 4 sheave pulley at CT (not exactly the same size but close) to try and got the same results. Upon watching the pulley spin down I noticed that it appeared to start flopping around in an eccentric manner towards the end of it's spin down. An illusion perhaps? As well the vibration appears to increase. As stated before unloading the belt tension causes the vibration to diminish significantly. So I figure belt tension must be causing the motor shaft to cock.

 

[Brent H]

Did you pull the motor apart and check the bearings???

take the bearings off the shaft - clean them and check for any movement between the inner race and outer one. If they are sealed type the grease gets old and they are done- inner race will feel gritty when turning (finger as a shaft). Are they hard to spin or is there a spot where they seem not as ready to spin? Any ability to move the inner race is a sign they are done. If you spin the bearing on your finger a new one will be smooth but not spin about too crazy (grease inside) a worn bearing may do a couple revs and abruptly stop.
Man, I shoulda coulda woulda fixed the 3 phase that came with the donor lathe. Part of it was crushed but ...... alas ... crap.

 

[YYCHM]

I haven't gotten that far. The motor is such a PITA to pull, I'm thinking of waiting to find a replacement before pulling it. Haven't a clue how to disassemble a motor either. Today I blocked up the motor with a piece of 2X4 and a thick rubber mouse pad. It sure runs smoother that way.

 

[YYCHM]

Correct, the bearings are a very close fit into the headstock so you will need to pull out as straight as possible otherwise it will bind. If it starts to bind just give it a gentle side to side rocking motion and it will come out. You won't need the hammers, pullers or punches. I moved the pulley out on the shaft far enough to get my fingers in between the pulley and the headstock to pry it out.
If you have a look inside the headstock at the shaft you can see the screw blocks the inner bearing so the shaft can't slide out.

Ok, this morning I tried pulling the head stock pulley shaft out. After an hour of pulling, jiggling, and pleading all's I managed to do was move her 1/4" to the point the gear is butting up against the inner bearing. She ain't going any further without resorting to some form of forceful persuasion. I'm not sure either bearing moved in the headstock casting. I think the shaft moved in the bearings. Now to see if I can get her back to where it was...……...

Ok, the inner bearing must have moved a little. Where I had given up trying budge it the blocking screw wouldn't full seat. A couple love taps with a wooden mallet set her back into position. I didn't see any evidence of the outer bearing moving in the headstock casting at all.

CRAP!!!!! While installing the bearing blocking screw I managed to drop the screw driver bit into the headstock Daaaaaa. What a sickening plop that made. NOW what to do????? Looks like a trip to PA to get a magnetic pickup is in order. Then I remembered my scribe has a magnetic tip, I wonder if that will work???? A couple swishes at the bottom of the headstock and presto out it came. PHEEEWWWW.

I still think that headstock oil smells funny? Almost fishy.

 

[YotaBota]

On mine the bearings, both inner and outer, are pressed onto the shaft, the shaft/bearings/gear will come out as one piece. You may need to use two pry bars, one on each side of the pulley, and give the a gentle tug but not enough to bend the pulley.
It would be a good idea to change the oil and flush the crap out of the bottom while you have it open. There is a drain plug between the headstock front mounting bolts below the spindle, it's an Allen head plug. Once the plug is out the hole will probably need to be cleaned of crap before the oil will flow. You never know, it might be like finding change between the cushions of the sofa.
Did you ever get the apron leak fixed?

 

[Hruul]

I didn't know there was a drain!?!. I sucked the old oil out of mine with a suction gun, and then cleaned the headstock with kerosene and a bit of hydraulic oil mix. Then sucked that all out and refilled with new oil. I will have to see if I can find the drain plug on mine next time. I think I will still suck out most of the oil from the top though.

 

[YYCHM]

On mine the bearings, both inner and outer, are pressed onto the shaft, the shaft/bearings/gear will come out as one piece. You may need to use two pry bars, one on each side of the pulley, and give the a gentle tug but not enough to bend the pulley.
It would be a good idea to change the oil and flush the crap out of the bottom while you have it open. There is a drain plug between the headstock front mounting bolts below the spindle, it's an Allen head plug. Once the plug is out the hole will probably need to be cleaned of crap before the oil will flow. You never know, it might be like finding change between the cushions of the sofa.
Did you ever get the apron leak fixed?

No, I still haven't done anything about the apron drip. I keep getting distracted LOL. First installing the mill and dealing with it's Gibb issues and now the lathe vibration issue. I'm still not convinced it's a gasket leak but rather it's leaking from clutch plate rod where it exits the apron casting in the front and back. The gits oiler rises above that rod and since that rod has no seals it leaks when you fill the oiler to the top. I've kind of proven that theory by wrapping the rags around the rod where it exists the casting at the front and back and not seeing a drip form in days at a time. Take the diapers off and you will see a drip formed on the drain plug the very next day. I've also noticed that it leaks more when you use the lead screw and clutch which I assume is caused by the oil splashing around more in there.

 

[YotaBota]

Yah, I used the suction gun the first time as well. Once the casting was empty then I noticed the the little divot in the bottom that lead to the plug. The manual does say the oil should be "drained" but I never picked up on that word enough to look for a plug, duh.
YYC - the leak in my apron was the lack of gasket so I just kinda figured that would go for yours as well and you're right, there is no seal on the clutch shaft.

 

[YYCHM]

YYC - the leak in my apron was the lack of gasket so I just kinda figured that would go for yours as well and you're right, there is no seal on the clutch shaft.

My apron has a gasket installed. Does your Gits oiler rise above the clutch shaft? Also, there appears to be a drain point on the front of my head stock unless that's something else.

 

[YotaBota]

The top of the filler is above the shaft but the bottom of the filler is at about the same level as the bottom of the shaft. I filled it to the top only once and it dripped for a couple of days after that and then quit dripping. now about once a month I top it up and it drips for a couple of days but at least I know there is oil in it.

 

[YYCHM]

The top of the filler is above the shaft but the bottom of the filler is at about the same level as the bottom of the shaft. I filled it to the top only once and it dripped for a couple of days after that and then quit dripping. now about once a month I top it up and it drips for a couple of days but at least I know there is oil in it.

My traveling drip tray LOL. Plastic tray attached with a double clip. As you can see, I have a tray within a tray, within a tray. Contains 90% of the mess most of the time.

 

[YotaBota]

Have drip try, will travel lol. Nice and simple solution.

 

[YYCHM]

Sourced a 1/2 HP ODP motor from Tom today (@Tom Kitta , thanks Tom), and started installing it.

First observation: The pulley fits the shaft better and had to be tapped on the last 5 mm.
Second observation: Noise level is way way lower. That surprised me.
Third observation: Vibration is much lower and consistent through all speed ranges whether the spindle is in neutral or turning.

This is the filthy beast I removed.




That sucker weighs 40 lbs. I just about dropped it trying to lift it over the headstock. The replacement motor weighs about 1/3. I think I see a 7 and a 5 in the HP stamping window. Could it have been stamped .75 rather than 3/4?

I was going to wire the FWD/REV switch to the replacement motor until I saw this.



Ya, not going to happen.

Can I take this thing to the car wash and power wash all the crap off of it before starting the bearing replacement? It's filthy.

 

[Tom O]

contact cleaner would probably work the best.

 

[YYCHM]

contact cleaner would probably work the best.

The exterior of the motor, the mount and ends are covered with filthy black stuff. Probably grease with belt powder/dust stuff. A power wash would make quick work of it? Brake cleaner?

 

[Brent H]

Brake cleaner will be fine on the outside

 

[RobinHood]

I think I see a 7 and a 5 in the HP stamping window. Could it have been stamped .75 rather than 3/4?

the decimal point is the same distance ahead of the 7 as the 7 is ahead of the 5. You can just see it here:


so yes, 0.75 is the HP. They left out the leading 0.

 

[YYCHM]

the decimal point is the same distance ahead of the 7 as the 7 is ahead of the 5. You can just see it here:

View attachment 10117
so yes, 0.75 is the HP. They left out the leading 0.

Interesting that the camera captured that. I couldn't read what it was with the motor off the machine. Looked like someone had purposely punched the value out. So now I know.





So, what do you figure? Is this motor worth restoring or not? The shaft is pretty chewed up.

 

[Tom O]

It never hurts to have a spare or one for a project.