Denford ORAC lathe spindle nose upgrade

**rnr107** · 26-04-2014

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

**Stupoty** · 31-12-2014

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

**Skysurfer** · 31-12-2014

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

**Stupoty** · 31-12-2014

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

**jskraba** · 10-01-2015

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

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

**Stupoty** · 29-04-2019

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

**vandal968** · 29-04-2019

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

**Chaz** · 30-12-2015

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

**rnr107** · 31-12-2015

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

**Chaz** · 31-12-2015

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).