Boxford lathe tailstock quill jammed

Push the quill back hard with one hand while turning the wheel to engage the thread again.

Thanks Dave,

The quill is so far inside the barrel that I had to put a bar between the toolpost and the quill and try to load it up by turning the saddle handwheel whilst turning the tailstock handwheel clockwise but it worn't turn despite loading it as high as I dare.

Any other ideas ? Can anyone tell me how it comes apart, it doesn't seem very obvious...

Mike

too far and now the quill seems to be jammed. The handwheel won't turn mor e than a few degrees in either direction. Can anyone tell me what I need t o do to free the tailstock quill ?

As the Boxford is a copy of the South Bend lathe you might find that the ha ndle end of the tailstock undoes.

On a South Bend the handwheel is removed allowing the end of the tailstock to be unscrewed and the quill assembly to be withdrawn.

John H

Thanks Dave,

The quill is so far inside the barrel that I had to put a bar between the toolpost and the quill and try to load it up by turning the saddle handwheel whilst turning the tailstock handwheel clockwise but it worn't turn despite loading it as high as I dare.

Any other ideas ? Can anyone tell me how it comes apart, it doesn't seem very obvious...

Mine is a Denford, closely related to Boxford, or so I'm told. I'll have a look tomorrow.

Steve

Thanks Dave,

The quill is so far inside the barrel that I had to put a bar between the toolpost and the quill and try to load it up by turning the saddle handwheel whilst turning the tailstock handwheel clockwise but it worn't turn despite loading it as high as I dare.

Any other ideas ? Can anyone tell me how it comes apart, it doesn't seem very obvious...

Right, I've taken mine to bits this afters. Does yours look like this? -

If so, taken apart it looks like this -

The handwheel is attached to the chrome collar by a circlip, I haven't removed that. Removing the assembly is a matter of three allen screws, easily accessible. Then you should be able to remove the whole deal in one piece. Another possibility is that the burr on the end of the quill is now jammed in the housing. In this case, beating it back towards the headstock with a hide mallet should free it off. Have you removed the screw on top which locks the quill? It's a crude arrangement, a bolt with a bit of round brass on the end with a wedge such as you see on a bicycle cotter pin. If you screwed that down hard it may not have released. Turn the lever so that the top of the lever is flush with the top of the bolt and bash it downwards.

Hope some of this helps. Steve

Remove grub screw holding tailstock handle. Use rubber mallet to eject barrel and screw assembly from tailstock casting. Position vertically in vice, use penetrating fluid / freeze heat to separate centre from barrel.

I would put a MT drill in the quill and twiddle it clock and anti-clock whilst gently rotating the handwheel to drive the quill out. There is a chance that the key is not aligned with the keyway.

Richard

Just thought I'd post an update :

Managed to disassemble the tailstock and found that the bronze nut had siez ed itself to the end of the thread in the retracted position. Application of heat didn't work so I bit the bullet and gripped it in molies and applie d some brute force. This chewed up the nut a bit but I stoned it down and put it all back together.

If I had to do it again I'd just welly the handle round (clockwise as it's a lh thread) using a bit of bar for leverage.

I notice that spare Boxford tailstock barrels and nuts/screws are available from

Thanks,

Mike