How Much Will Your Lathe Swing??

[jackieschmidt]

We are working on one of the big Port Bolivar Ferry’s, it’s up for it’s five year ABS inspection.
one of the major problems is the rudders. It has three behind each prop, on each end, making a total of six.

The problem is water has deteriorated the mating flanges of the Palms, and the six body fit bolts that bolt the upper stock and lower rudder have been loose, wallowing out the holes.

the first thing we have to do is face the Palms and get a good flat and true surface reestablished. My first thought was to set them up on our big Lucas Horizonal Boring Mill and face them. But I took a second look, did a little measuring, and figured that doing them in a lathe would be much easier......If our big Lehman would swing it.

I got lucky. If the rudders would have had 3/4 inches more off set, they would not have cleared,

here is a short video of me facing one.

Not much room, but just enough.
next I will set up the upper stocks, face them, then put the upper and lower together and ream the holes for new body fit bolts, which are a nominal 1 3/4 diameter.

 

[hoz53]

We are working on one of the big Port Bolivar Ferry’s, it’s up for it’s five year ABS inspection.
one of the major problems is the rudders. It has three behind each prop, on each end, making a total of six.

The problem is water has deteriorated the mating flanges of the Palms, and the six body fit bolts that bolt the upper stock and lower rudder have been loose, wallowing out the holes.

the first thing we have to do is face the Palms and get a good flat and true surface reestablished. My first thought was to set them up on our big Lucas Horizonal Boring Mill and face them. But I took a second look, did a little measuring, and figured that doing them in a lathe would be much easier......If our big Lehman would swing it.

I got lucky. If the rudders would have had 3/4 inches more off set, they would not have cleared,

here is a short video of me facing one.

Not much room, but just enough.
next I will set up the upper stocks, face them, then put the upper and lower together and ream the holes for new body fit bolts, which are a nominal 1 3/4 diameter.

Thats interesting -- how wide are they?

 

[ebb]

I split my tractor wheels on my friends lathe, took out 2.5 inches and indicated them in the 4 jaw and with a 2x4 and all thread to hold on the outside ring. cleared the gap by an 1/8 inch.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Thats interesting -- how wide are they?

The offset of the rudder blade is 22 inches off center, so that is a 44 inch sweep.

 

[hoz53]

The offset of the rudder blade is 22 inches off center, so that is a 44 inch sweep.

wow it does not look that big in the pic. thanks for sharing

 

[ebb]

Yea thats a big one my tractor wheels were in the 30s.

 

[jackson1]

Back in the day, occasionally got to an Axelson lathe with about a 2 foot swing and 24 foot bed. Setting up large work pieces on big machinery is a whole different level of set up. Using a 20 ton overhead crane aided in the process.

 

[Tucker65]

My hunting partner and his dad own a machine shop and mostly do big stuff. This is a picture of some sort of wire rope sheave they machined. The machine is an old Betts that they retrofitted with ball screws and a Centroid cnc control.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I had a jet lathe that the bed came off to swing bigger parts. Gap bed

 

[wwbrown]

Great video, thanks for posting!
Now for my video request: I want to see you do barrel install on that lathe.

wade

 

[okie]

I split my tractor wheels on my friends lathe, took out 2.5 inches and indicated them in the 4 jaw and with a 2x4 and all thread to hold on the outside ring. cleared the gap by an 1/8 inch.

wanted em narrower?

 

[ShaneG.]

My buddy here a the shop has this 1942 Monarch. I believe it swings about 32"
Here it its boring a hole in a new ram for an old steam hammer.
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[ebb]

Yes the tractor came from the factory with super wide turf tires and they were worn out and leaking. I priced new ones and they were $1050 each. I wanted narrower R1 type tires cause they were $450 each and would fit on the trailer better than the 17 inch wide tires that were on the tractor, and where the tractor is going to be used the R1 type tread is better( ain't not turf where it is going). We welded the rims with a wire feed welder inside and out and they have held air for several years now tubeless with out adding any more air.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Here is my setup for re reaming the bolt holes for the body fit bolts That connect the upper rudder stock to the rudder blade.
Not quite CNC, but it gets the job done.

 

[linebaugh]

I want to see that rudder cut at about 350rpm.

 

[Intheshop]

I turned some bases for several 36" columns on a late 1700's house.... so around 40". Turning wasn't too terribly bad,the install however was rather complex. Freakin columns were huge with zero margin for errors. The house was of some historical significance but dang if I can remember who slept there(jk, it was an important house)?

 

[Daddymac]

This is our newest, will swing about 80" with gap removed, it's about two years old now.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Ive seen quite a few that will spin a turbine shaft. Those have probably 35-40’ swing, have a chair to ride on following the carriage and throws off chips one man cant lift. Most of the newer ones that do that are vertical and the chuck is 3-4 floors underground. They dont have to take into account the sag of the 60-70’ long shaft.

 

[shortgrass]

I want to see that rudder cut at about 350rpm.

I would almost bet he's using a HS tool. Carbide may not like the impact of that interrupted cut (I'm looking at the bolt holes). We get work, occasionally, for the 36" Sydney. I think slow, slow on it is like 7RPM. Haven't a "brass pair", so I've never checked out top RPM. The SFM for a 36" diameter @ 350 RPM would be 3300 (SFM). Even ceramics won't stand that!

 

[shortgrass]

I know I've had that Sydney turning @ 175-200 to drill a 2" hole off the carriage for the power feed (under flood coolant). That's plenty fast for a having a 26" dia piece in the chuck.