Shaper crossfeed screw breakage
Shapers seem better able to self-destruct than other machines. This old Whipp shaper I have has a few broken parts and in each case it's been the machine itself that has done the damage. At some time in its past the table collided with the ratchet mechanism and it seems like a given this will happen. Operator error, of course, but still, odd that the machine is built to allow it.
Some days ago I reassembled my recently overhauled ratchet assembly and was testing it. Unknown to me, the nut that is on the other end of the cross-feed lead screw decided to stop in its tracks as the table fed slowly right to left. Naturally I was mesmerized by the big beast's graceful movement and was unaware the nut was getting tighter and tighter with every stroke until I heard a pop and the clatter of the now broken threaded end of the lead screw rattling across the floor. This is at least the second time for this lead screw to break in this fashion and doubt not for a second it's the last time
It's all iron, of course - so what's the best way to braze this thing back together? Another option is to remove the broken vestage from the screw and bore the shaft to accept a new stud. But how to attach it? I think perhaps boring the lead screw to accept a threaded stud on a split jam nut (like a bicycle's handlebar attaches to the steering head) might work.
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