Hey y'all,
New guy here. New to this place & new to machining. (That's not entirely true, I have monkeyed with lots of equipment over the years), but I've never owned anything until now.

So I picked up this Dalton Six B-4, and I think it's a lot 5, SN# 333, but it's hard to read & I don't know what their 6 looks like.

I bought it not really knowing exactly what I was getting, and I ended up with this machine, another smaller one, and a pulley shaft doohickey I've been reading about here.
I was told by the previous owner that it all attached together, but he never actually set it up and plugged her in. I'm guessing it's missing a few pieces.

I bought it to use, but after looking at it I've been wondering if maybe I shouldn't try to restore it as well.

Figured I'd run it past you guys first...

Thanks!

Yes I have some change gears. Haven't gotten that far yet though.
It came with a newer electric motor and a variable switch for speed. Someone made a V pulley for it to accept standard belts.

So the belt adjuster pulley doohickey I have (attached pic) is just to change speeds it appears.
Original owner talked about how the two units (with the other smaller lathe that came with it) tied together somehow with the doohickey, but I'm guessing now that is incorrect?

So it looks like I bought 2 seperate Dalton lathes.

Boy yours are purdy Dennis!?
I gotta clean these things up?
Thanks for the reply!

Hey y'all,
New guy here. New to this place & new to machining. (That's not entirely true, I have monkeyed with lots of equipment over the years), but I've never owned anything until now.

So I picked up this Dalton Six B-4, and I think it's a lot 5, SN# 333, but it's hard to read & I don't know what their 6 looks like.

I bought it not really knowing exactly what I was getting, and I ended up with this machine, another smaller one, and a pulley shaft doohickey I've been reading about here.
I was told by the previous owner that it all attached together, but he never actually set it up and plugged her in. I'm guessing it's missing a few pieces.

I bought it to use, but after looking at it I've been wondering if maybe I shouldn't try to restore it as well.

Figured I'd run it past you guys first...

Thanks!

Hello y'all,
So I started tinkering with this thing and I have a few questions I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on.

First, I need to remove the short gear shaft behind the 2 main bearing caps so I can relocate the belt.
I got the handle off and the set-screws out & can see what looks to be a slotted bushing, but it ain't moving. See pic.

Next, when turning over by hand with the front lead screw shaft it was not smooth. Was binding up in the gears. I checked the gears & they're good, but just too tight. I saw the adjustment arm but have yet to touch it...

I bought the lathe to use it but I need to relocate the motor from behind it to on top, hence the first question above.

Thoughts or advice?

Well now? here is how you remove the back gear shaft.? You will note that under the part of the headstock casting that supports the back gear you will find two square head set screws with lock nuts.? These?have to be removed first.? The set screw that is on the left hand side next to the shift handle does two things.? First it keeps the back gear shaft assembly in position.? Secondly it also is an adjustment for how the back gears mesh with the spindle gears.? After you remove the back gear assembly and all the parts you will understand how this works.? Will look and see if I have any photos of this.

?On the opposite?end from the handle you show in your photo move the back gear into full engagement.? If you look between the small back gear and the headstock casting you will see the back gear shaft bushing that rotates in the headstock casting. You will? note there is a pin in this bushing.? This is a taper pin and you have to knock it out.? Once the pin is out you can draw the back gear shaft out.? The bushing will remain in the headstock casting. You will need to remove both back gear gear guards to access the pin.? You do not have to take the handle off the shaft.? referencing?your picture of the back gear handle.? Hope this helps a little.? Been here hundreds of times:-)))? Dennis

On Sat, Apr 20, 2024 at 6:48?AM bradovarius via <bradovarius=[email protected]> wrote:

Hello y'all,
So I started tinkering with this thing and I have a few questions I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on.

First, I need to remove the short gear shaft behind the 2 main bearing caps so I can relocate the belt.
I got the handle off and the set-screws out & can see what looks to be a slotted bushing, but it ain't moving. See pic.

Next, when turning over by hand with the front lead screw shaft it was not smooth. Was binding up in the gears. I checked the gears & they're good, but just too tight. I saw the adjustment arm but have yet to touch it...

I bought the lathe to use it but I need to relocate the motor from behind it to on top, hence the first question above.

Thoughts or advice?

I took some time and looked at all three of your photos and blew them up.? Here is what I can tell you.? This lathe? has very little use as the end gear on the spindle as well as the two idler gears on the shifter and the gear on the stud shaft all show literally?no wear.? This lathe has very few hours on it.? We usually don't see this set of gears anywhere near this good of condition.? Dennis

On Sat, Apr 20, 2024 at 8:52?AM Dennis Turk <dennisturk448@...> wrote:

Well now? here is how you remove the back gear shaft.? You will note that under the part of the headstock casting that supports the back gear you will find two square head set screws with lock nuts.? These?have to be removed first.? The set screw that is on the left hand side next to the shift handle does two things.? First it keeps the back gear shaft assembly in position.? Secondly it also is an adjustment for how the back gears mesh with the spindle gears.? After you remove the back gear assembly and all the parts you will understand how this works.? Will look and see if I have any photos of this.

?On the opposite?end from the handle you show in your photo move the back gear into full engagement.? If you look between the small back gear and the headstock casting you will see the back gear shaft bushing that rotates in the headstock casting. You will? note there is a pin in this bushing.? This is a taper pin and you have to knock it out.? Once the pin is out you can draw the back gear shaft out.? The bushing will remain in the headstock casting. You will need to remove both back gear gear guards to access the pin.? You do not have to take the handle off the shaft.? referencing?your picture of the back gear handle.? Hope this helps a little.? Been here hundreds of times:-)))? Dennis

On Sat, Apr 20, 2024 at 6:48?AM bradovarius via <bradovarius=[email protected]> wrote:

Hello y'all,
So I started tinkering with this thing and I have a few questions I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on.

First, I need to remove the short gear shaft behind the 2 main bearing caps so I can relocate the belt.
I got the handle off and the set-screws out & can see what looks to be a slotted bushing, but it ain't moving. See pic.

Next, when turning over by hand with the front lead screw shaft it was not smooth. Was binding up in the gears. I checked the gears & they're good, but just too tight. I saw the adjustment arm but have yet to touch it...

I bought the lathe to use it but I need to relocate the motor from behind it to on top, hence the first question above.

Thoughts or advice?

Okay, thank you for the info. I've removed the gear & shaft. They've been set aside in a zip lock bag & will stay there unless you tell me that I must reinstall it???

I have not found a use for that shaft, other than to lock the main shaft.?

As far as it having low hours, maybe. Is it possible it just has new gears?

It does show signs of other wear, some fairly moderate I would guess. For example, the tool holder base has been rammed into the chuck a bunch judging from the gouge marks on it.

And I measured approximately .030 play in the spindle. But, it's not bolted to the table yet, and I don't have the nicest dial indicator set-up.?

What kind of small miracle does it take to replace main bearings if necessary?

Also, the forward gear on the main shaft that connects to the gear that I removed, looks like someone tried to weld or graze some new teeth on at one point.

I've attached a few more pics.

Now that the shaft is out, and preferably staying out (lots more adjustability), I really just need to mount the motor, and figure out the adjustment or install procedure for the gears, as they're still too tight & grinding. Then flip the switch see what happens.

On Sat, Apr 20, 2024, 11:19 AM Dennis Turk via <dennisturk448=[email protected]> wrote:

I took some time and looked at all three of your photos and blew them up.? Here is what I can tell you.? This lathe? has very little use as the end gear on the spindle as well as the two idler gears on the shifter and the gear on the stud shaft all show literally?no wear.? This lathe has very few hours on it.? We usually don't see this set of gears anywhere near this good of condition.? Dennis

On Sat, Apr 20, 2024 at 8:52?AM Dennis Turk <dennisturk448@...> wrote:

Well now? here is how you remove the back gear shaft.? You will note that under the part of the headstock casting that supports the back gear you will find two square head set screws with lock nuts.? These?have to be removed first.? The set screw that is on the left hand side next to the shift handle does two things.? First it keeps the back gear shaft assembly in position.? Secondly it also is an adjustment for how the back gears mesh with the spindle gears.? After you remove the back gear assembly and all the parts you will understand how this works.? Will look and see if I have any photos of this.

?On the opposite?end from the handle you show in your photo move the back gear into full engagement.? If you look between the small back gear and the headstock casting you will see the back gear shaft bushing that rotates in the headstock casting. You will? note there is a pin in this bushing.? This is a taper pin and you have to knock it out.? Once the pin is out you can draw the back gear shaft out.? The bushing will remain in the headstock casting. You will need to remove both back gear gear guards to access the pin.? You do not have to take the handle off the shaft.? referencing?your picture of the back gear handle.? Hope this helps a little.? Been here hundreds of times:-)))? Dennis

On Sat, Apr 20, 2024 at 6:48?AM bradovarius via <bradovarius=[email protected]> wrote:

Hello y'all,
So I started tinkering with this thing and I have a few questions I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on.

First, I need to remove the short gear shaft behind the 2 main bearing caps so I can relocate the belt.
I got the handle off and the set-screws out & can see what looks to be a slotted bushing, but it ain't moving. See pic.

Next, when turning over by hand with the front lead screw shaft it was not smooth. Was binding up in the gears. I checked the gears & they're good, but just too tight. I saw the adjustment arm but have yet to touch it...

I bought the lathe to use it but I need to relocate the motor from behind it to on top, hence the first question above.

Thoughts or advice?

Morning Larry

OK as to the back gear its a six to one reduction of spindle speed.? When you engage the back gear (moved the shift handle you just removed) you have to pull the shot pin on the front of the large spindle gear with the missing tooth.? This allows the spindle pulley to rotate freely on the spindle and power is transmitted?through the back gears. I see that an aluminum Vee belt pulley has been installed?on the cone three step pulley.? Curious how it is attached to the cast iron pulley?? I do not know what your motor drive is but you can't?run a belt from the motor to the spindle. Your spindle speed will be way too high for the babbit?bearings to withstand. A good option?for a single speed driver?to the spindle is by using a five to one gear motor or a five to one reduction system of belts and using a three phase motor driven by a variable frequency? inverter you would?have a very usable drive system.? I have seven machines in my little shop on the Oregon Coast that are all three phase and run on 110 or 220 single phase power.? This type of system works great. As to the missing tooth there are a number of ways to repair this.? In all cases it does require?the use of a milling machine. Do you have one? pictures are of my Rockwell milling machine I run with an inverter.? This type of drive gives you infinitely variable speed control. You can control the motor from the face panel?on the inverter or as I have done and build a control station that is far more user friendly. Dennis

On Mon, Apr 22, 2024 at 5:20?AM Brad Hendricks via <bradovarius=[email protected]> wrote:

Okay, thank you for the info. I've removed the gear & shaft. They've been set aside in a zip lock bag & will stay there unless you tell me that I must reinstall it???

I have not found a use for that shaft, other than to lock the main shaft.?

As far as it having low hours, maybe. Is it possible it just has new gears?

It does show signs of other wear, some fairly moderate I would guess. For example, the tool holder base has been rammed into the chuck a bunch judging from the gouge marks on it.

And I measured approximately .030 play in the spindle. But, it's not bolted to the table yet, and I don't have the nicest dial indicator set-up.?

What kind of small miracle does it take to replace main bearings if necessary?

Also, the forward gear on the main shaft that connects to the gear that I removed, looks like someone tried to weld or graze some new teeth on at one point.

I've attached a few more pics.

Now that the shaft is out, and preferably staying out (lots more adjustability), I really just need to mount the motor, and figure out the adjustment or install procedure for the gears, as they're still too tight & grinding. Then flip the switch see what happens.

On Sat, Apr 20, 2024, 11:19 AM Dennis Turk via <dennisturk448=[email protected]> wrote:

I took some time and looked at all three of your photos and blew them up.? Here is what I can tell you.? This lathe? has very little use as the end gear on the spindle as well as the two idler gears on the shifter and the gear on the stud shaft all show literally?no wear.? This lathe has very few hours on it.? We usually don't see this set of gears anywhere near this good of condition.? Dennis

On Sat, Apr 20, 2024 at 8:52?AM Dennis Turk <dennisturk448@...> wrote:

Well now? here is how you remove the back gear shaft.? You will note that under the part of the headstock casting that supports the back gear you will find two square head set screws with lock nuts.? These?have to be removed first.? The set screw that is on the left hand side next to the shift handle does two things.? First it keeps the back gear shaft assembly in position.? Secondly it also is an adjustment for how the back gears mesh with the spindle gears.? After you remove the back gear assembly and all the parts you will understand how this works.? Will look and see if I have any photos of this.

?On the opposite?end from the handle you show in your photo move the back gear into full engagement.? If you look between the small back gear and the headstock casting you will see the back gear shaft bushing that rotates in the headstock casting. You will? note there is a pin in this bushing.? This is a taper pin and you have to knock it out.? Once the pin is out you can draw the back gear shaft out.? The bushing will remain in the headstock casting. You will need to remove both back gear gear guards to access the pin.? You do not have to take the handle off the shaft.? referencing?your picture of the back gear handle.? Hope this helps a little.? Been here hundreds of times:-)))? Dennis

On Sat, Apr 20, 2024 at 6:48?AM bradovarius via <bradovarius=[email protected]> wrote:

Hello y'all,
So I started tinkering with this thing and I have a few questions I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on.

First, I need to remove the short gear shaft behind the 2 main bearing caps so I can relocate the belt.
I got the handle off and the set-screws out & can see what looks to be a slotted bushing, but it ain't moving. See pic.

Next, when turning over by hand with the front lead screw shaft it was not smooth. Was binding up in the gears. I checked the gears & they're good, but just too tight. I saw the adjustment arm but have yet to touch it...

I bought the lathe to use it but I need to relocate the motor from behind it to on top, hence the first question above.

Thoughts or advice?