Denford ORAC lathe spindle nose upgrade

Hi all,
I started converting my ORAC lathe a while ago. Got busy on other project but I am back to it now! :-)

One thing I did not like on the ORAC was the spindle nose. It seems very difficult to find chuck back plate for it and the only one available seems to be for 3 jaws chuck only.

Original spindle:
Attachment 9086

Solution: Re-machine the nose!
Denford ORAC with a Boxford threaded nose! :cool:

Attachment 9085

Now, I can fit my ER32 collet chuck, 4 jaw independent or 3 jaws SC. Can even share them with my manual lathe... :witless:

L.

Nice idea, very practical. G.

Thank you ;-)

I'm in the process of upgrading one of these. I'm a Boilermaker, not a machinist...Is the spindle easy to get out?
Wouldn't mind a bit more detail, if you can throw something up here? Seems like a great idea.
TIA.

Hi Skysurfer,
The spindle comes off fairly easily... Just need the right tool! :-)
1- on the back of the head tou will see a small slotted sensor attached to a metal plate - remove that... It is attached to the head with 2 bolts If I remember right?
2- from the back of the spindle remove the locknut, pulley and perforated disk -> You will probably need a bearing puller to bet the pulley off
Important: check for grub screws on the pulley before pulling with the bearing puller!
3- Now comes the custom tool! You'll need a M20 threaded bar + washers and nuts + a piece of tube with an internal diameter greater than the spindle nose about 5" long + a big washer with an external diameter greater than the tube diameter (this could be just a piece of metal with a 20mm hole in the middle...).
pass the M20 threaded bar through the spindle, place 2 washers on the threaded bar against the back of the spindle and 2 nuts behind them locked against each other.
Now from the front of the spindle, place the piece of tube around the nose, then the big washer behind it, then 2 washers and a nut.
4- With 2x 30mm spanners or adjustables... screw slowly the nut in the back of the spindle against the one on the front (clockwise).
The spindle will slowly but surely move out...
5- Done!

RNR

I have an email for a guy who had a lot of old stock for the deford lathes, he has back plates if anyones interested.

Stuart

Wouldn't mind, Stuart. Just got mine running on Mach3, and am trying to make a machine worthy of having so much money spent on it.
Worse than bloody boats...

Pete

Pm sent, hope it's helpful. I think denford have cad drawings of all their old stuff on their website some ware, very helpful for checking sizes etc.

stuart

Google denfordata

Hi need a back plate for an Orac, can you let me have the 'guys' contact details
Regards JCS

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stupoty

I have an email for a guy who had a lot of old stock for the deford lathes, he has back plates if anyones interested.

Stuart

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rnr107

Hi Skysurfer,
The spindle comes off fairly easily... Just need the right tool! :-)
1- on the back of the head tou will see a small slotted sensor attached to a metal plate - remove that... It is attached to the head with 2 bolts If I remember right?
2- from the back of the spindle remove the locknut, pulley and perforated disk -> You will probably need a bearing puller to bet the pulley off
Important: check for grub screws on the pulley before pulling with the bearing puller!
3- Now comes the custom tool! You'll need a M20 threaded bar + washers and nuts + a piece of tube with an internal diameter greater than the spindle nose about 5" long + a big washer with an external diameter greater than the tube diameter (this could be just a piece of metal with a 20mm hole in the middle...).
pass the M20 threaded bar through the spindle, place 2 washers on the threaded bar against the back of the spindle and 2 nuts behind them locked against each other.
Now from the front of the spindle, place the piece of tube around the nose, then the big washer behind it, then 2 washers and a nut.
4- With 2x 30mm spanners or adjustables... screw slowly the nut in the back of the spindle against the one on the front (clockwise).
The spindle will slowly but surely move out...
5- Done!

RNR

---

Old post warning !!!

What is the max size diameter that can be turned on an Orac? I have the chance to buy one, just not sure looking at some specs what I could realistically fit into a suitable chuck. This will be either Alu or Brass, nothing too hard. But size matters here ;p

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Chaz

Old post warning !!!

What is the max size diameter that can be turned on an Orac? I have the chance to buy one, just not sure looking at some specs what I could realistically fit into a suitable chuck. This will be either Alu or Brass, nothing too hard. But size matters here ;p

---

Hi Chaz,
No idea what the maximum is... I never reached it.... But I did turn 2" bars without any problem.
In brass I'd say as long the stock clears the bed and the carriage you should be fine (using the internal jaws).

What kind of diameter are you thinking of ?

The spindle bore is 20mm this limit the diameter if you have a long bar that need to go throu the spindle.
But apart from that, the Orac is a very capable lathe. I mostly use it on stainless and a bit of ali. Brass would be a piece of cake.

RNR

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rnr107

Hi Chaz,
No idea what the maximum is... I never reached it.... But I did turn 2" bars without any problem.
In brass I'd say as long the stock clears the bed and the carriage you should be fine (using the internal jaws).

What kind of diameter are you thinking of ?

The spindle bore is 20mm this limit the diameter if you have a long bar that need to go throu the spindle.
But apart from that, the Orac is a very capable lathe. I mostly use it on stainless and a bit of ali. Brass would be a piece of cake.

RNR

---

For brass, around 60mm. For Alu - 140mm (which I think will be too big).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Chaz

For brass, around 60mm. For Alu - 140mm (which I think will be too big).

---

60mm Brass no problem...
140mm Alu, it depend... Is it a long piece or more like a disk ?
If you don't need the carriage to get under then you good for up to 200mm. otherwise, you are limited to 110mm roughly.

RNR

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rnr107

60mm Brass no problem...
140mm Alu, it depend... Is it a long piece or more like a disk ?
If you don't need the carriage to get under then you good for up to 200mm. otherwise, you are limited to 110mm roughly.

RNR

---

Disk, think of something like a wheel rim (scale RC).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Chaz

Disk, think of something like a wheel rim (scale RC).

---

In that case, no problem... I believe the ORAC would be fine for you...

Where are you based? Any close to Leeds / Bradford West Yorkshire?
If you want you can come to my place and see by yourself...

RNR

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rnr107

In that case, no problem... I believe the ORAC would be fine for you...

Where are you based? Any close to Leeds / Bradford West Yorkshire?
If you want you can come to my place and see by yourself...

RNR

---

Thanks. Used to live in Whitworth, just North of Rochdale but now in West London area. Thanks for the offer.

IIRC, in a recent Issue of MEW was the changing of the orac control to a newer one described. I hope, I can find the right one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stupoty

I have an email for a guy who had a lot of old stock for the deford lathes, he has back plates if anyones interested.

Stuart

---

Stuart, I'd be interested in a backplate for my Orac, can you please send me the contact info for that person?

thanks,
c

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jskraba

Hi need a back plate for an Orac, can you let me have the 'guys' contact details
Regards JCS

---

Hello,

It was a while ago, (2013 apparently) I got the contact details from denford support themselves.

I will have a look back through my emails and see if I can find the email address they gave me and pass it to you.

:)

Stu