New Table For The Avey

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John Hasler
Posts: 1852
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 4:05 pm
Location: Elmwood, Wisconsin

New Table For The Avey

Post by John Hasler »

I bought a table from a parted-out Burgmaster machining center (anyone have any data on a model 600?) Paid too much for shipping but I think I got a good deal at the $200 purchase price. I was expecting a restoration project that might involve scraping, new bearings, etc but it works flawlessly. 12"X42" table, 24" X travel, 16" Y travel. Leadscrews, not ball screws, but smooth as silk. Tried to measure backlash but couldn't find any that my DTI can resolve. When the big, easy to read dials move the table moves, in either direction. It has round ways.

Now I need to take it apart, get the parts clean (some caked-on grease, which is *good* on old machines), get it inside, and reassemble it on the Avey. I can't move it inside assembled: shipping weight was 700 lb including the pallet. I hope that weight is wrong: it's pushing the capacity of the Avey and I see no obvious way to reduce it.

The ad said 250 to 300 lb. When I got the shipping documents they said 700 lb (including the pallet). When I questioned that I got "250 to 300 lb was just an eyeball estimate". Hard to believe that an experienced machinery dealer could be that far off (and would not have weighed it before offering it for sale). I wouldn't have bought it had I known it was 700 lb.
John Hasler
Posts: 1852
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 4:05 pm
Location: Elmwood, Wisconsin

Re: New Table For The Avey

Post by John Hasler »

Got the table off. Feels like it weighs about 200 lb. The shaft ways run in linear ball bearings. Haven't taken the cover off the case where the acme nuts live. Should leave it alone I suppose, since it works fine, but I'm curious. I'm sure the machine had central lubrication (probably total loss) but I haven't figured out the plumbing yet. Top priority is to get it broken down into manageable pieces (but without breaking it) so that I can get it inside. Looks good for breaking it into three roughly equal chunks.

For now I've oiled the hell out of everything, wrapped the shafts in waxed paper and pumped grease into the linear bearings (that will have to come out, of course). A mess to clean up but better that than rust. It's covered by tarps and plywood when I'm not working on it.
SteveM
Posts: 7763
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 6:18 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: New Table For The Avey

Post by SteveM »

Pictures, or it didn't happen :-)

Steve
John Hasler
Posts: 1852
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 4:05 pm
Location: Elmwood, Wisconsin

Re: New Table For The Avey

Post by John Hasler »

I've got pictures in my camera but it doesn't want to give them up. I'm working on that.

Got it as far apart as it needs to be. No central lube. The linear ball bearings have oil in them but according to all the literature on linear ball bearings they should have grease. I don't know yet how they are supposed to be lubed without disassembly. The acme nuts are inside a machined casting and have an ingenious backlash adjustment that can be adjusted without taking anything apart. The casting has an oil filler tube and a drain hole. It's labeled "Use only Molycote M Emulsion Oil". The shafts are 1.25" with two 4" bearings on each shaft. According to specs for similar bearings each one should be good for 615 lb static, 350 lb dynamic. Leadscrews are 1", 5 TPI.

Calculated weight of the table is 225 lb. Calculated weight of the base is 210 lb (it's 17" x 29" x 1.5" solid.) I'd like to cut 12" x 24" out of the center of the table to knock off about 120 lb: I think i'm pushing the rated capacity of the Avey knee. I won't lose any stiffness because it will be bolted to the deck of the Avey.

Anyone have any information on Molycote M Emulsion Oil? The stuff that's in there feels about like SAE 30.
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