Todays Project - What did you do today?

[stevec]

Great work Willie, you're gonna love it. I don't think I'd be able to lift my knee with a handwheel (unles it was huge) but (gloat, gloat)
My Tree 2UVR came with a power knee lift (Another reason I love my mill).
Here's a pic of the crank disengaged.
   

Here's one engaged by pushing in.
   
Here's one of the power feed engaged (knurled ring pulled out).
   
crank is disengaged
The drum switch handles the up-off-down control.

[DaveH]

Willie,
I see you have been busy Nicely done

DaveH

[sasquatch]

Yup, older we get the more we get aching knees and creaking backs!!

[Highpower]

Not fair Steve, you've got a real mill there!

Well, I knew things were going too smoothly and something was going to happen.

I went to button up the drive unit today and decided to try cranking the knee up and down by hand first before applying power to the feed. Going up a good distance using the hand wheel was a little awkward but do-able. I decided to leave the crank handle off of the hand wheel because I know I would only end up getting stabbed by it.

Then I tried cranking the knee down and after several turns on the wheel I heard a POP and noticed that a gap appeared between the drive housing and the dial ring. Uh oh..... So I took it all apart again to have a look.

All of a sudden now I can move the shaft in and out through the bearing housing on the knee and hear it going clunk, clunk. I put an indicator on it and found .0123" of end play in the shaft.



At first I thought maybe the shaft had hung up in the bearing bore and the thrust collar didn't get seated against the bearing when I put it back together. I tried to tighten up the extension shaft to pull the jack shaft out further, but they didn't move. On closer examination I found the bearing was sliding back and forth in the housing! Too much clearance between the bearing spacer and the snap ring that retains them in the housing.



I guess I should have left that bearing rusted in place instead of cleaning and repacking it. Sigh....

Oh well. Added a shim under the bearing so that the snap ring is a tight fit against it now, and eliminated the end play in the shaft. Now I get to start all over again adjusting the drive gear backlash on the power feed - tomorrow.

[stevec]

Sounds like a long road Willie! Hang in there, we have faith in you.

[Mayhem]

At least you are heading in the right direction Willie. Besides, it could be much worse...

[Highpower]

(01-21-2013, 08:04 AM)Mayhem Wrote: Besides, it could be much worse...

You are absolutely right about that Darren.

Cast iron and a sudden loud POP are two things that usually don't end well when they are together in my experience. For that matter, even a little 'tink' sound is not good either.
(All the welders in the group are cringing right now...)

Believe me, I was expecting much worse when I heard it....

[Highpower]

Still need to attach the limit switch and the rail/stops on the knee/column, but at least it is on there and working.

[EdK]

Nice job Willie. It looks better than factory installed.

Ed

[TomG]

Nice job Willie, but what are you going to do for exercise now that you don't have to crank the knee up and down?

Tom