FILENAMES:

tscrew1.jpg
tscrew2.jpg
tscrew3.jpg

DESCRIPTION:

These are pictures of a tailstock ram screw repair job.
 
Posted by John <JEKasunich@worldnet.att.net>. 

The following description was provided:

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TSCREW1.JPG is a photo of the tailstock leadscrew
from my South Bend 13" lathe.  The lathe was in
good shape, except for the tailstock.  Apparently
a live center came apart inside the tailstock ram.
I found several pieces of a small ball bearing race
that had jammed between the screw and the inside
of the ram and totally destroyed the threads on the
screw.  I had to cut the screw to remove it from
the ram.  (I cut a screwdriver slot in the cutoff
end and screwed it all the way through the ram,
since it wouldn't come out the normal way.)

I called South Bend to order a new screw.  After I
picked myself up off the floor, I decided to fix it
myself.  (They wanted $192 for the screw.)

McMaster Carr supplied a 36" length of 5/8-8 LH Acme
threaded rod for $25.  The rod is 4140 steel, with
good quality threads and a black oxide finish.  I
drilled and bored the bearing portion of the old 
screw to a diameter of about 0.480", and turned down
the threaded rod to a nice press fit.  TSCREW2.JPG 
shows the parts before assembly.  TSCREW3.JPG is the
new screw, pressed together and pinned with a 3/16"
dowel pin.

The repaired tailstock works great, and I saved
over $150.  And I have enough of the threaded rod
left over to make a new cross-slide lead screw.
(The cross-slide screw is also 5/8-8 LH Acme.)

John Kasunich