Chinese mini lathe saves Stihl 660

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

My buddy @rogue60 kindly sent me a couple oilers as my Stihl 660 oiler was chineseium. He had 2 but both locked up. I managed to disassemble one no worries but broke the inner oiler gear on the second removing it.

I wanted the challenge to see if I could machine and insert the broken bit, it all works and fits, just need to test in the saw haha. In 24 hours I’ll go back over the surface to cut it to the final diameter (I need to remove about .10mm which will correct any minor eccentricity and then file a curved round taper at the intersection between the button and shaft).

I started off with a file test to see if it was hardened and it wasn’t, so I used an annealed grade 5 bolt with the right diameter head. The insert was machined to a press fit at a couple thou oversized (0.05mm) and I used some retaining compound to ease installation and extra insurance.

I’m as happy as a pig in mud - this is my first real project (apart from the oil seal sleeve) that I got to use the lathe to fix a part I didn’t have!

The damage:

File test for hardness:


A bolt that will work:



Machining off the damaged remnants of the old part and drilling a new hole:


Bolt chucked up and measured


Machining the end:

Part parted off leaving a step to file for a smooth transition and a step for where it meets the oil gear. Edges to be chamfered and 0.10mm removed too.


Parts ready to be assembled:



Press fitted into the oiler:




Now I’ll wait for the retaining compound to cure for 24 hours.

 

[chainsaw-57]

Please remove key from lathe chuck when not in use.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Please remove key from lathe chuck when not in use.

I would worry more about the key being in the chuck when ,in use.

 

[altatim]

I would worry more about the key being in the chuck when ,in use.

And I'm more worried about the key leaving the chuck when in use

 

[pioneerguy600]

We never talk about those incidents, do we.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

I have just seen the comments. Very true! I try my best do be safe, but I’m still learning!

 

[trains]

It will only happen once if you do make that mistake.

 

[pioneerguy600]

I cannot talk about witnessing a key launch from a 4 jaw chuck back in my vocational training days but it did happen and that key is still likely to be above the ceiling about 45 degrees off center of where the lathe was located. Sworn to secrecy at that time to not divulge those involved or the year it happened. No one was injured but several in the general area will never forget.

 

[Yukon Stihl]

Please remove key from lathe chuck when not in use.

I was just going to say the same thing. In high school the teacher would smack you in the back of the head if he walked by and saw that
A lesson I’ll never forget

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Please remove key from lathe chuck when not in use.

Thanks for sharing that advice, it’s much appreciated! Sometimes the obvious can be easily overlooked when you’re new and learning with your focus being elsewhere!

(Edited to correct spelling)

 

[Lightning Performance]

Is the ramp still there?

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Is the ramp still there?

Yep! I didn’t touch that part

 

[HansFranz]

The chuck key for my Jet drill press has a spring-loaded plunger in it that pushes it back out of the chuck as soon as you let go of it.

Pretty good idea, I thought...especially since I chain the key to the drill press to prevent it from running away!

 

[Sidecarflip]

All my chuck keys are spring loaded as well and I don't have any 'Chineseum lathes anyway. One South Bend floor lathe, one LeBlond Servo Shift toolroom lathe and an nice old but seldom used Atlas floor lathe I use for trimming bottleneck rifle cases with. The South Bend I restored about 15 years ago and it has a threaded spindle, quick change gearbox and a complete set of collets and closer. The Servo Shift is a D1-4 cam lock spindle, completely tooled and the Atlas also has a threaded spindle though it usually has collets and closer on it. All 220-1 and all pretty large and quite heavy. Those little Chineseum machines don't have the rigidity or repeatability to do what I need done, when I need it done. Lets see, how about 3 vertical mills, one is CNC (all Bridgeports), 2 surface grinders, a Dake wide bed hydraulic arbor press, various welders and all sorts of stuff that takes up a lot of room, not to mention the CNC plasma table too. I do quite a bit of broaching as well.

 

[Gord404]

Have an older 9 inch southbend, use it all the time (1935) stored for years so no real wear on it and aquired two new Japanese chucks that had been sitting around for years and of course all the tooling it needs over the years

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

I needed a 2mm punch, to tap the roll pin out the oiler. I made a punch from… a punch. HSS wouldn’t cut it (even after annealing) so used carbide. It works well!

 

[Sidecarflip]

The SB I have, I bought at a machinery auction and it took me 4 years to restore it. I also have a SB cabinet mounted shaper in unrestored but pristine condition. It just sits in the corner. I should sell it but not for 100 bucks either. Least when I did the SB, parts were still available. Not any more however. I have a full set of 3AT collets and closer for the SB, all in a fitted wooden SB box. Have a full set for the Atlas as well, I even have the toolpost grinder, taper attachment, 4 jaw, 6 jaw and 3 jaw chucks as well as dog plates, drive plates, live centers and tailstock Jacobs chuck and a full set of never used Williams toolholders. I put an Aloris AXA tool post on it and the old style Lantern toolpost went in a box. I have an AXA on the SB as well and a CXA on the LeBlond. The LeBlond gets run every day and I like it because it has a large spindle bore so I can run rifle barrels on it as well. Interestingly, the Atlas that I got never used (in preservative) has a Timken roller and ball bearing headstock and of course a QC gearbox with change gears for Metric threads. Best par it, even though it's a floor lathe, it's a 110 volt machine. Bad thing is, Atlas never used full prismatic ways so you have to keep the gibs tight on the backside of the carriage or it will cut a taper. It's a nice machine and pristine as well.

 

[Sidecarflip]

It's for sale BTW. Like I said, not 100 bucks either. More like 10 times that plus some.

 

[Chevboy0167]

got a Clausing Metosa at work. Similar to this..... but bigger I think. I have used it many times.

 

[Sidecarflip]

If I'm not mistaken, the one in the picture was made offshore. Kind of like my Kent sensitive feed toolroom grinder. Says 'Kent USA' on the front of the base but it was made across the pond. Maybe sold in USA but not made here. My Harig auto feed was made here but of course Harig is no longer in business. I'm not sure that any domestic machinery builders exist today. No way they could compete with the across the pond stuff. I believe LS Starrett is still made here and Weber Gage as well but that stuff is so expensive today, only wealthy shop owners can afford to buy them. I do have a set of Weber Cro Bolx and a Brown and Sharpe magnetic sine plate but it's old stuff.