Anyone have experience working on large Victor Lathes?

[JAndrew]

HMEM,

I'm searching for anyone who has ever performed repairs or any kind of maintenance on large Victor lathes. The lathe in question I believe is a 16x60 and has an issue with one of the leadscrew drive gears.

I have the basic operation manual for it but it's a poor translation and doesn't have any internal diagrams. No other data can be found online.

Just kinda wondering what I'd be getting myself into if I opened the thing up. Seems like a sealed oil bath type gearbox.

Thanks for anything anyone can offer.

-J.Andrew

 

[Wizard69]

Never heard of Victor.

Given that what is the problem with the leadscrew drive gears?

HMEM,

I'm searching for anyone who has ever performed repairs or any kind of maintenance on large Victor lathes. The lathe in question I believe is a 16x60 and has an issue with one of the leadscrew drive gears.

What is the issue? These imports are often from similar molds so maybe if you describe the problem, somebody here may have experienced something similar. It is worst a shot.

I have the basic operation manual for it but it's a poor translation and doesn't have any internal diagrams. No other data can be found online.

Just kinda wondering what I'd be getting myself into if I opened the thing up. Seems like a sealed oil bath type gearbox.

It depends upon the specifics of the lathe but some of them can be no joy at all. Depending upon the specifics of the lathe though I wouldn't open it up without gasket material and fresh oil on hand.

Thanks for anything anyone can offer.

-J.Andrew

Sent from my iPad using Model Engines

 

[JAndrew]

Wizard69,

Thanks for the reply. First off...I misspoke earlier it's actually a 20x60 machine not a 16". I took two photos and will try to describe the problem.

Here's the lathe:

It's a monster of a machine!

Here's a shot of the control levers for speeds and feeds:

The lever on the bottom right is the offender (the one with positions U, T, R and S).

To get the leadscrew to turn any of your low speed feeds for basic turning you need that lever selected to position "T". However, in position "T" the leadscrew doesn't turn

All other positions turn the leadscrew but the feeds are either way too fast or are setting for threading.

There's no grinding or noise to indicate a crushed gear or any gear pieces in the sump. The leadscrew doesn't turn partially as may happen if the selected gear is missing teeth. All this leads me to believe that the gear in question has a sheared roll pin or shaft key...? Or maybe the gear has even slid out of position on it's shaft...?

Either way I can't even figure how the thing would be opened up in the first place! Maybe the whole spindle/headstock might have to be removed?

Like I said I can't locate diagrams though I haven't tried contacting Victor yet.

This lathe is at my work and really nobody uses it but me so I really doubt the company would pay to have someone professional come and tear into it.

Any advice or experience anyone can offer would be appreciated. Probably will just keep feeding by hand. It's a great machine aside from this problem and aside from incredibly heavy chuck changeouts!

Thanks in advance!
-J.Andrew

 

[Krutch]

Not specifically the same lathe but similar in design.
On my machine, and that lever, when some of the positions are selected only one lead screw turns. In other positions both turn. Could be yours is the same set-up.
Hope that is the issue for you.

 

[Swifty]

Quote "To get the leadscrew to turn any of your low speed feeds for basic turning you need that lever selected to position "T". However, in position "T" the leadscrew doesn't turn

All other positions turn the leadscrew but the feeds are either way too fast or are setting for threading.

There's no grinding or noise to indicate a crushed gear or any gear pieces in the sump. The leadscrew doesn't turn partially as may happen if the selected gear is missing teeth. All this leads me to believe that the gear in question has a sheared roll pin or shaft key...? Or maybe the gear has even slid out of position on it's shaft...?" End quote



I'm just looking at your postings, and this is how I see it, the top shaft coming out of the feed box is the lead screw, this is only used for threading, the next shaft down is the feed shaft, this will have a key way all the way along it and supplies the feed to the carriage.

You mention that with the leadscrew, the feeds are way too fast, this is because it is only used for threading. Maybe you are getting mixed up a bit on the purpose of the shafts. If you try to feed with the leadscrew at a high speed, you are asking for trouble.

Paul.

 

[JAndrew]

I'm just looking at your postings, and this is how I see it, the top shaft coming out of the feed box is the lead screw, this is only used for threading, the next shaft down is the feed shaft, this will have a key way all the way along it and supplies the feed to the carriage.

You mention that with the leadscrew, the feeds are way too fast, this is because it is only used for threading. Maybe you are getting mixed up a bit on the purpose of the shafts. If you try to feed with the leadscrew at a high speed, you are asking for trouble.

Paul.

That's an interesting idea... I'll check it today but I'm pretty sure that's not quite right. There's four shafts running along there. The top one is the leadscrew, the next two are hex shafts (one for the on/off lever and one for the crossfeed) and the very bottom shaft is just a dummy shaft with cams on it to trip the feed lever disengaged.

I'd love it if you were right and will double check that today but I'm afraid it's a bit more involved of a repair.

Thanks for the reply though.

-J.Andrew

 

[Swifty]

That's an interesting idea... I'll check it today but I'm pretty sure that's not quite right. There's four shafts running along there. The top one is the leadscrew, the next two are hex shafts (one for the on/off lever and one for the crossfeed) and the very bottom shaft is just a dummy shaft with cams on it to trip the feed lever disengaged.

I'd love it if you were right and will double check that today but I'm afraid it's a bit more involved of a repair.

Thanks for the reply though.

-J.Andrew

I wasn't worried about the other 2 shafts, as you say the third shaft down is for the forward/reverse lever, and the fourth shaft has trips for the feed. It wasn't clear in the photo, but of course the feed shaft can be a hex instead of having a key way all along.

Paul.

 

[JAndrew]

I wasn't worried about the other 2 shafts, as you say the third shaft down is for the forward/reverse lever, and the fourth shaft has trips for the feed. It wasn't clear in the photo, but of course the feed shaft can be a hex instead of having a key way all along.

Paul.

Swifty,

You were right! YOU'RE THE MAN!!!!Thm:

Position "T" does turn only the hex shaft. What I (and many others who have tried the lathe before me) failed to realize was the hex shaft is NOT only for the cross-slide feed. There is another small lever under the cross-slide dial that was previously stuck in the "cross-slide feed" position!

We were able to get that small lever to finally pop down and the carriage slow feeds now work! This lathe just went from semi-useful to super awesome thanks to your guidance!

Glad I didn't start tearing the machine apart!:hDe:

Thanks again!
-J.Andrew

 

[Swifty]

J.Andrew, I'm glad that you have got it sorted out. The shaft layout is the same that I had at work on a large Mazak lathe. In my experience, most lathes share the feed shaft for the cross slide as well as the longitudinal feed by the use of a selection lever on the saddle.

Paul.