centec 2a halfnuts

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Avon, there are two sizes, older 1/2" with motor on the side or 5/8" newer version with under drive machines

[AvonParticipant @avon]

Mine is the underdrive version and just checked that the leadscrew (is that the right term for a Milling Machine?) is 5/8".

Mine has a full nut which obviously can't be disengaged – I assume my father fitted it, but really not sure. Neither am I sure whether I need to fit a Half Nut – it seems correct to do so as that was how it was designed, but a number of posts suggest the quick traverse facility isn't really needed?

[D.A.GodleyParticipant @d-a-godley]

Posted by Avon on 12/07/2020 19:33:26:

Hi DAG, I know this thread is quite old, but wonder whether that half but is still available (for a reasonable consideration 😊 I have a 2A which has a solid nut fitted and I’d like to get it back to the original state?

All the best.

Peter

Peter,

I had quite forgotten that I had posted that photo , and yes I still have it ( somewhere) .

If you let me have your address , through a pm , I will get it to you ,

regards ,

David .

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

…. but a number of posts suggest the quick traverse facility isn't really needed?

That really depends on the individual/circumstance. I’m a hobbyist (not a manufacturer/supplier of many identical parts or have to make a living from the machines – all of these mean ‘time is money&rsquo so the extra machining time is not so important… Your Dad was likely a hobbyist, and not using the mill as a commercial venture?

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Posted by Avon on 12/07/2020 23:29:29:

Mine is the underdrive version and just checked that the leadscrew (is that the right term for a Milling Machine?) is 5/8".

Mine has a full nut which obviously can't be disengaged – I assume my father fitted it, but really not sure. Neither am I sure whether I need to fit a Half Nut – it seems correct to do so as that was how it was designed, but a number of posts suggest the quick traverse facility isn't really needed?

It's not that quick.

Find the spanner, duck under the table to see the clamp nut, loosen the nut clamp wind back the lever or spin capstan, duck under the table to see the clamp nut, tighten the nut clamp. Lose the spanner.

I soon gave that up

[AvonParticipant @avon]

Dave, not done it yet,

At this stage I've not even started to think precisely what I'll use it for, and certainly won't be commercial. But since I'm spending the time refurbishing it I thought I'd like to restore it to as near original as I can.

I suspect that like Dave, I'll not be bother to do it too often, unless I can use the quick feed to actually make a cut on each pass. It did occur to me that since I have an adaptor (see photo) for the Mk3 Vertical Head that looks like it should hold a grinder perhaps I would use the quick feed in that circumstance.

Regards

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Avon.

If you've got a full nut on a 5/8" screw could you tell me what the OD is. It all looks a bit tight to me as the screw is close up to the underside of the table, but I've been thinking of a swapping to a full nut (in the distant future, same as a lot of my projects).

If you fit a power feed to the table I reckon it will be faster to fast traverse back to the start of a cut than to disengage the half nut, wind the capstan back, then re-engage the half nut. I took mine off, always in the way

[AvonParticipant @avon]

Hi Duncan,

I removed the table before I even discovered the nut – its about 30years since I've seen this mill working so have been stripping it blind!. I'll do a drawing and photo of mine and post here – it might be more helpful.

Shouldn't take too long.

Regards

[AvonParticipant @avon]

Hi Duncan,

Hope these help. If you want more from the drawing I can share using Onshape (my goto CAD package)..

Regards

[D.A.GodleyParticipant @d-a-godley]

Avon, (Peter),

I had a dig around my “ may come in useful some day” box , and found the half nut .

It is now packed and awaiting posting ( which will likely be on Thursday, since our trips out are extremely limited just now ) , but it will be on its way this week.

I think we should mark this one down as a ; thank you for giving me the opportunity to do a good turn for someone .

regards

David .

[D.A.GodleyParticipant @d-a-godley]

Avon, (Peter),

I had a dig around my “ may come in useful some day” box , and found the half nut .

It is now packed and awaiting posting ( which will likely be on Thursday, since our trips out are extremely limited just now ) , but it will be on its way this week.

I think we should mark this one down as a ; thank you for giving me the opportunity to do a good turn for someone .

regards

David .

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Thanks for the drawing. It's the first time I've ever had a drawing with dimensions in 1/128 ths. It confirms I'm not going to get a ball screw nut in there. I've sent you my email address by pm, if you could send me the drawing in dxf or dwg format I'd be obliged

[AvonParticipant @avon]

Hi Duncan,

Email sent with both DXF and DWG. For info the link to the ONSHAPE drawing is:

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/a2e0a0ebaf385baddcff3f15/w/d4fa5ebbd6215d9ab93d4805/e/cf7ccd99fd7d2bb21ba9292c

I use 1/128" as that's what my calipers give me – I'm measuring as built/worn out so its almost never a nice number, though on occasion I have thought that my lathe in particular is more metric than imperial!

For info, do you have any idea what dirty green accessory might really be for in my picture above? Its a perfect fit to replace the Quill Head on the Mk3 vertical unit, but I found nothing in my fathers workshop to fit it – my suspicion is it should be a grinder attachment, but thats a guess.

Any ideas?

All the best.

[AvonParticipant @avon]

Hi David,

Amazing response – really appreciated as parcel arrived this morning. But sadly it’s the smaller size as mentioned elsewhere. I can either return it or hold it in case someone else has a need.

I guess we should have checked. Such is life.

Let me know what you’d like me to do.

All the best.

Peter

[D.A.GodleyParticipant @d-a-godley]

Peter,

How very disappointing; as you say , we should have run a few checks before committing the parcel to the post .

If it’s no great imposition, then yes , please return it , I will only spend hours looking for it , having forgotten in short order that I had found a new home for it , and I do hope your back up plan works , you certainly appear to be very capable with the CAD ,

Regards

David

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Perhaps to hold a slotter, though Centec didn't make it.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

That feed screw nut looks far more ‘complexicated’ than the one on my 2B. A nut (threaded pipe) with a part flange and bolt hole(s) to secure it, IIRC.

[AvonParticipant @avon]

Hi David,

Can you message me with your address and I'll get it sent back – absolutely not a problem, I'd rather it was in a good home and I know what you mean about searching for things you no longer have!!

Hi Dave Halford – I've never been aware of a slotting machine, though the name obviously gives away the intent. I guess its an adaptor intent on languishing in a box until its use is obvious!!

Hi 'not done it yet' – looking at the half nut supplied by David I suspect that my father was trying to make a halfnut and then decided that a full nut was easier, I can even see where he filled in the slot.

Regards

[D.A.GodleyParticipant @d-a-godley]

Peter,

Just a thought , do you have a copy of the handbook as per this photo (it’s 17 pages ) , also , in another leaflet I have , The Centec Co are advertising a High Speed Router . I am wondering if this may be an independently driven unit which would fit into the aperture on the unit you displayed in an earlier post ? , maybe some other forum member has seen such a thing ? .

best wishes

David

[AvonParticipant @avon]

Hi David,

Address received – will post next week.

Yes I do have the handbook – not really sure where I got it actually, its in PDF – did you send it a while ago?? (i'm getting increasingly forgetful!!).

I found a centec router on ebay, which looks like it might fit – and I think I have some of the other items that are with it – I'll have to have another look in Dad's workshop as it may still be there since I wouldn't have known what I was looking for!

All the best.

Peter

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