Warco GH600

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

If I am not teaching Granny to suck eggs, the two tappings in the yellow paint of the front of the Saddle, are to take the travelling steady. On my BH600 lookalike, they are plugged with short M8 capscrews to stop swarf getting in, and causing problems when the steady is needed.

I notice that the Tee slots run across the Cross slide, where the BH600 and its clones have the Toolpost fixed, and two longitudinal slots, at the far side. Both systems have their pros and cons. Having no end stop, the Cross Slide can run off the end of its Leadscrew, so no fear of a clash between the PCF and a stop.

Howard

[BC ProfParticipant @bcprof]

The arrow in Ian's picture refers to the hole in the Cross Slide not the two steady fastenings . Having had a good look at the set up this evening. Tthere is no provision for a cross slide lock.. It would need to be on the right hand side and exert pressure on the gibb strip. Easy enough to fit . although its would need to be only just proud of the surface if it was not to interfere with the allen key used to lock the carriage as is the case with the gibb adjusting screws on the WMV 280. The two T slots fixing the compound slide allow it to the positioned further to the rear allowing the cutting of tapers on the end of anything held in the chuck .

Brian

[IRTParticipant @irt]

I will see how I do without a lock before I start drilling holes in my new toy.

As I am not anticipating any milling using the lathe, I expect I will be okay without a lock.

I need to get a couple of grub screws to plug those 2 holes.

You can see in my picture above that there is some swarf.

So far I have only turned a bit of aluminium, but first impression of the machine is very good.

Thanks everyone for the advice, and Brian for helping me make up my mind which one to buy.

[Jed MartensParticipant @jedmartens56976]

I didn't last very long shimming tools in the tool-post that came with the lathe, and ordered a qctp from Arc Euro…

**LINK**

There was a helpful article in MEW detailing how the tool-post was fitted to a Chester lathe. My lathe has a different kind of compound, but it was still helpful to get an insight into how the tool-post was fixed.

**LINK**

Here is the GH600 compound – it has a fixing post that is M10, and has a shoulder at the bottom that is wider (22mm from memory)

The tool-post fixes via a 16mm rod, and it comes with a base-plate that the rod screws into. I believe the idea is to machine the base-plate and slot that into the compound, but my compound has no t-slot…

So instead I cut the 16mm rod to an appropriate length and drilled a deep hole that was internally threaded M10 at the end….

This screwed down onto the compound post. Next, I had to bore the base of the tool-post so that it cleared the 22mm shoulder.

That was no fun at all. My mill was struggling with the cheap boring head and chattering like crazy. I got there in the end, and the surface finish is rubbish, but it's a better fit than the original tool-post holder.

And here it is fitted…

There was one last problem. Some of my tooling was still above the centre-line, even with the holder at its lowest setting, so I had to mill a few millimetres from the bottom of the holder.

It all appears to work as expected. My nerves were shot after drilling the rod and boring the tool-post, as it was my first time doing those kind of operations, and any mistake could well be costly. But I am happy with the results.

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Jed

If you don't mind me saying so, you have much more than desirable tool protrusion with that setup in the penultimate photograph, and are only clamping the insert holder with two screws, which is because you have to pull the tool holder out to clear the other tool holder dovetail on the tool block.

If you turn the toolpost 90 degrees and use the other tool dovetail, you will have around 10 mm or more reduced tool protrusion, and a more rigid setup, with correspondingly better results.

[IRTParticipant @irt]

Be interested to see how you get on with it.

The arc model 222 wedge option is one of the toolposts I have been considering.

Can you confirm that they are made of steel?

Is there plenty of material for machining?

[Jed MartensParticipant @jedmartens56976]

@David, I don't mind you saying at all. I'm new to this and any advice is gratefully received. The tool had been fitted for the purpose of evaluating the centre-height, and hasn't been used for any real cutting. I'll adjust it before I do so.

@Ian, I don't understand the difference between the two models, so I just went with the one referenced in the MEW article.

I'm pretty ignorant about difference material types. It certainly isn't aluminium. I don't think it's cast iron. I guess it must be steel

I'll take some measurements for you, but I'd say that there is plenty of material to machine. The base which I had to bore through is a little thicker than the height of the compound post shoulder.

[Jed MartensParticipant @jedmartens56976]

Here's the main body of the tool holder

The square body of the holder is 66mm across. The bore is 38mm. That leaves 16mm of wall. The base is 20mm thick

[Warren WakelingParticipant @warrenwakeling14550]

Hi guys can anyone tell me the size of the Flange/Register plate please

[Jed MartensParticipant @jedmartens56976]

70.2 x 63.5 x 16.1 mm

[Warren WakelingParticipant @warrenwakeling14550]

Cheers Jed

[davebParticipant @daveb17630]

Posted by Howard Lewis on 11/08/2019 15:21:41

Many years ago, a German made pencil sharpener operator manual said "Sharp points, unobjectionable upon pencils are"

One of Obi Von Kenobe's previous jobs?

Daveb

[TriumphboyParticipant @triumphboy]

Hello people. I see this post went quiet a couple of months ago but I thought I'd ask a question as I have the GH600 from Warco and as a novice user, some of you may be able to help with this model. This is the only post I can find for this model.

I've turned a couple of items so far and I've noticed, annoyingly, that the saddle slips rather too easily when either cutting a face or a fairly decent depth of cut. To get around this I've turned the handle to get rid of the backlash in the cutting direction then held the wheel steady so that it doesn't shift.

Can the saddle be locked somehow. (I'm aware about using the tailstock but that isn't always ideal)

I don't want to lock with the half nut as I read somewhere that this isn't a good idea.

Have I lubricated the slides too well with slideway oil?

Can the saddle friction be adjusted with any of the adjustment screws without causing other issues. If so, how?

Thank you in advance for any replies.

Cheers

[Jed MartensParticipant @jedmartens56976]

Hi Triumphboy, I'm a novice too, so I can't address all of your questions. But I think you can lock the saddle – if you look to the left and right of the cross-slide there are are a pair of socket-head bolts that hold the apron to the saddle. But on the right there is a 3rd bolt, above the other two, that can be tightened to lock the saddle.

I haven't used it yet, as I fear that I'll forget I've locked it and then engage the power-feed…

You can also lock the compound, but I've not found any way to lock the cross-slide.

Best Regards

Jed

[IRTParticipant @irt]

I asked the same question on this thread on 11/8. I still havn't found a lock.

It hasn't caused me any problems yet, but I would happier if it could be locked solid when not in use..

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

On my BL12-24, which is a BH600 clone, the Saddle is locked by a hexagon head bolt (16mm from memory ) on the right of the saddle. This pulls a pad up to grip the underside of the front of the bed, above the rack.

The chances are that the GH600 is of similar construction to the BH600, apart from the Headstock being Gear driven rather than Belt driven.

The Cross Side is locked by what is described as a "Leaf Screw" (A screw with a thin flat lever that pivots in the end ) just like the one that locks the Top Slide. The Cross Slide lock is located approximately half way along the CrossSlide, on the Tailstock side.

It is likely that the four SHCS on the top face of the Saddle are the ones that hold the Apron to the Saddle. These should be tight!

Howard

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

With regard to the register, if the chucks are screw on, the Mandrel could be a 2.25 inch x 8tpi Whit form thread, with the chucks retained for reverse operation by two "dogs" gripping behind the flange, and held by 6 mm capscrews..

Howard

[IRTParticipant @irt]

Posted by Ian Thomson 2 on 18/10/2019 20:46:05:

I asked the same question on this thread on 11/8. I still havn't found a lock.

It hasn't caused me any problems yet, but I would happier if it could be locked solid when not in use..

Sorry – I did not ask the same question at all. I previously asked about the cross slide that I cannot lock.

The saddle is locked as Jed has explained.

Howard, do you have a picture of the leaf screw you talk about so that I can see if the GH600 has the same?

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

The Chinese seem to like leaf screws to lock movements. It is just a M8 screw, with a slot at the top end, in which pivots a flat steel lever.presumably, the screw bears on the gib strip and uses that to lock that particular slide.

It is likely to ,be identical to the one used to lock the Top Slide.

It is very small version of the swivelling "power bar" used to tighten 1/2" and 3/8" drive sockets, but with a shorter lever, about 15 mm long.

It may be that cost analysis has found that an Allen grubscrew will do the same job more cheaply?

The likely location is halfway along one of the dovetails of the Cross Slide. Mine is in a horizontal tapping on the Tailstock side of the Cross Slide.

Howard

[BC ProfParticipant @bcprof]

To avoid conusion ,the BH 600 and the GH600 are totally different lathes. The GH 600 does not use leaf screws to lock anything .

As stated, the saddle is locked by means of the extra allen bolt on the right hand side of the saddle ( although mine needs excessive force to lock it up. ) My version certainly has no provision to lack the ross slide although it would be possible drill and tap it . .

Brian

[BC ProfParticipant @bcprof]

In the 8 months since my GH600 arrived I have found it to be accurate and easy to use ( although gear changing is rathe like driving an old lorry with a crash gear box.) The couple of silly issues were dealt with by return of post so full marks to the spares dept. I removed the chuck guard ( It kept arguing with the replacement q/c tool post ) and moved the light unit to low down on the splashback at the tailstock end .It is now out of he way but still provides adequate lighting .I do need to look into an alternative saddle lock system .

Brian

[IRTParticipant @irt]

I too am happy with mine.

I have had the gears jump out a couple of times – 800rpm seem to be the problem one. It is very hard to know when it is properly engaged. Position 5 can be a bit difficult when selecting the lead screw too. I think it is a knack that needs to be learnt.

Yesterday I fitted a QCTP I got from RDG tools at the show.

I took a different approach to fitting it to you Brian – I bored out the body to fit the existing post.

This allows me to use the old tool post too if I have to, and should not effect any Warco warranty.

I have been using the lathe all day today. So much faster and easier to change tools now. More time spent doing the fun stuff.

I have kept the chuck guard, but the light does need moving.

I suppose I should be thinking about an oil change soon?

[TriumphboyParticipant @triumphboy]

Hiya Jed and others.

Thanks for the reply. I've tried mine and it appears to lock reasonably well. I think it'll be enough to prevent slippage with the amount of cutting force capable with this machine. I might make a sort of cam lock like the ones for quick release on bicycle wheels.

So far I am very pleased with this lathe too. I had to adjust the tailstock a couple of thou and it's now within a thou. The 3 jaw chuck runs very true. The chuck guard, as mentioned, needs some modification as it catches too often on the standard toolpost.

I just need to develop some decent skills after not using one for about 40 years or so.. I can still sharpen a drill by hand. Thank heavens for YouTube!

Thanks again to all that took the time to help.

Cheers

[Jed MartensParticipant @jedmartens56976]

I'm probably missing something simple here, but it's bugged me long enough to risk embarrassment on a public forum. I have no idea what the numbers in the top left table mean…

I'd always presumed they were feeds. In mm/s I would guess. There is a suggestion that facing is half the speed of turning, when using power feed, and that is indeed the case. But I can't make sense of the 0.044 figure (setting A1) for example.

What does make sense is the next table down, which is for thread cutting, and has a value of 0.25 for setting A1. The saddle does indeed move 0.25mm for each rotation of the spindle, I've checked with a dial indicator. I've also cut threads that work, so I'm pretty happy that the thread cutting table is correct.

But is 0.25mm / revolution the minimum feed rate? I was watching a youtube video where the machinist used a feed rate of 0.03mm / revolution, and checking the specs of his Emco 13 lathe, that is indeed the lower limit of feed rates. Is my minimum feed rate really ~ an order of magnitude higher?

It almost feels like there should be a change wheel or lever to switch between thread cutting and regular feeds. But I can't find a facility like that on the lathe.

Hopefully I'm just being daft and missing something simple. Humble pie is my favourite flavour

 

Edited By Jed Martens on 23/11/2019 20:52:12

[Ian ParkinParticipant @ianparkin39383]

Jed

the top table is the feed per rev when using the power feed or cross feed

the lower tables are when using the lead screw and half nuts

[Author]

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