Re: How to scrape lathe ways

Wally,

The advice you got from the machinery dealer is right on. If your
machine's bed has significant wear then the other parts like the
carriage-to-bed mating areas are badly worn also. Not to mention the
spindle bearings, lead screws, gear trains, etc which will have also
suffered wear in the time period it took to wear the bed that much.
What you're seeing on the bed is just the most obvious sign of a well
worn machine. Once you start doing major things like bed grinding,
you'll find there's no end to the amount of dollar$ and repair time
that machine will eat up.

My advice is live with it. You are mostly likely seeing a taper in
your turned parts due to the bed wear which is almost always most
severe near the chuck. The taper is caused by the carriage slightly
twisting on the ways in the most worn areas. By adjusting the
carriage hold down gibs you can arrive at a compromise that'll be
best for the kind of work you do. If all your work is short stuff,
then adjust the carriage so it's a nice fit near the chuck end of the
bed, but it'll bind on the ways if you try to move it towards the
tailstock. If you'll be using the full bed length, then adjust it as
tight as practical at the tailstock end and hope for the best in the
worn area where it'll still be loose.

Good luck,

Doug

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@egroups.com, "Wally K" <cnc4me@u...> wrote:
> I have a 10K South Bend lathe that needs to have its ways ground,
> scraped, or both. I can feel a lip of 1/32 or so on the V way of
the
> lathe. My local machinery dealer told me it would cost to much to
> have it sent out and ground.
>
> I have never used a scraper before or saw anyone using one. I have
a
> feeling that scraping is a learned skill and do not know if i
should
> attempt it.
>
> One person told me i should start with a belt sander and finish
with
> a scraper.
>
> Does anyone have any advice on what i could do with these ways. Or
> have any links describing the process to bring the ways up to spec.