Does anyone know if aluminium bronze is suitable for lathe headstock bushes ?
I am refurbishing a 1950s Winfield lathe (don't ask why - I just AM) and have acquired a spare headstock with nicely made new bushes in ali bronze. I have no idea whether this is the right sort of metal, as I would have used PB1 and have some of it waiting. Should I throw the bushes away and start afresh, or will it be OK to use them?
If you ask me whether my spindle is hardened, then I would say not. Did they really harden lathe spindles back in the good old days, and if so how (induction hardening, case hardening or what) ? I am not convinced they used to bother, maybe they just used a slightly better steel grade. Unfortunately the only hardness tester I have is a file, which is not so good at telling you if its a 'bit' hard !
Grateful for some guidance.