OT - Lathe Parts - Rockwell

I recently bought myself an older rockwell-delta lathe (I think it’s around a 10x30). Anyway the crossfeed screw has a lot of backlash and needs new nuts. Anyone know of any parts suppliers?

 

Type the words "Rockwell Metal lathe" or Rockwell Machine Tools into your computer search box and info will appear. I think Rockwell was bought out by Delta.

 

the crossfeed on my Atlas has about .025 slop and works just fine.
the crossfeed nut is (usually) a left-hand acme thread,which can be tricky,but you could make your own.
that is why you got a lathe,right?

 

haha, i actually have to use my tool to fix my tool already.. Need to make all new bushings for my gear box

 

I believe these nuts have a mounting pin on them.
Said pin goes into the moving base part of the cross-slide arrangement and may be retained by an E-clip or C-clip in a groove.

It's possible the pin hole or the pin proper is worn and allowing the nut to slop back and forth.

There's a little bit of play in a new lathe and as long as the play in your lathe isn't a whole bunch, I don't see a problem.

If you go past your new cut mark - as indicated on the cross-slide dial, just back off at least a half turn and come in again.

Some books say to back off two full turns, but I've found turning the cross-slide screw back that far not to be necessary.
1/2 - 3/4 turn is sufficient.

My first lathe was sloppier than the one I have now and working to a half thousandth was easy.

 

This thing has nearly .1 slop... i think the nuts are either f'd or the pin or clips have let go. I still have to pull it apart..

 

The lathe is the only machine that can be used to duplicate itself.

 

http://www.homeshopmachinist.net/bbs/forumdisplay.php?f=3
use search feature 1st

also 'practical machinist'

these are the 2 best machine tool forums

 

Ya know, I was gonna argue the point, but it looks like maybe you do have a problem.

I went out and checked the cross-travel slide play on mine.
Came up with:
.005 on the crank handle before the slide would travel in the opposite direction.
With the cross feed gear engaged, the cross-slide has .005 - .006 play.

I thought it was worse than it actually is.

My lathe is a 12" x 36" Craftsman Commercial with very low time on it.

I'm guessing the half-nuts may be ok and the play is due to sloppiness in the pin.
It may be repairable by either bushing the pin hole if it's worn or if the pin is worn either a new one or bush the present one back to or slightly oversize of the original pin.
If you go oversize, you'll have to ream the pin hole to match.

 

Try a search on Beaver Tool in Kansas City, Kansas.
They have everything.
r

 

.005 is great, even for a brand new lathe.

Yeah.. i think it may be the way the nut is attached, more than the nut itself. I'm going to try to find time to pull it apart this weekend. I'll be sure to post an update..

btw - thanks northof54 for the forum link.. i'll definitely check it..

 

Not sure if this will help.

Here's a couple pics of a Rockwell 10" - from what I understand - half nuts.

 

i believe rockwell was a part of ingersoll rand later on. most times these machine companies kept making the same things under a new name after they were bought out. you might see if ingersoll wouldnt have one. if not, use the same lathe to make a few spares. that much backlash really isnt that bad, just have to learn how to control it.