Craftsman 109 / AA Lathe Question

[john hobdeclipe]

I know we have a few members here who are familiar with these lathes. Hopefully someone can provide me with a couple of measurements of the tapered spindle bearing.

How thick is the casting where this bearing goes through? How much space does the adjusting nut take up? Does the thrust washer ride on this bearing or does it ride on the headstock casting?

I have a spindle here, and some thoughts about a little device to make with it. It will probably be a few months before I can really get started on this project, but in the meanwhile I'll be making drawings, and I'd like to get all the dimensions correct right from the beginning. And I'm too cheap to buy a bearing until I actually need to have it here.

Thanks, all.

[sasquatch]

John are you refering to making a new thrust "Bushing" or are you planning on installed a bearing?

The one i saw/had one time was just a thrustbushing that went up against the headstock casting if i remember right.

[lowcountrycamo]

I had an 109 and the spindle bearing up front was tapered od with threads. Nut tightened on other side of casting. Also had slits length wise to allow take up. All I remember specifically was id was 9/16ths. Yahoo has a group.

[Video Man]

I believe there were several AA products lathes that Sears sold, in different sizes. I have an old 109.20630 packed away somewhere, my first lathe from long ago. It is the one with the 1/2-20tpi spindle that took a 3 inch chuck. If that's the right one, I can dig it out and check this out for you...also, there was, several years ago, an article in either HSM or Machinist's Workshop -- which a quick look thru the on-line index didn't turn up --- about how to make repair parts for this particular lathe, which might be helpful, if we can turn that up as well. You might have another look at the index, there were some detail drawings with dimensions as I recall it.

Also, there are some sources listed near the bottom of this article, some US sources although this is a U.K. article: http://www.lathes.co.uk/craftsman/page2.html

EDIT: the Village Press article is in Projects In Metal, Feb. 1998 "Update and Improvments for the Craftsman 109 Series Lathe" by Lionel Weightman. Although it does not specify, the photos are the 109.20630 model. (there was also a 109.20670 and at least one other, larger one, these are not mentioned). The article has a detail drawing of the front spindle bearing p/n A3423. Check here for reprint of that and the Craftsman manuals, if this place is still in business: http://www.homeshopsupply.com/manuals.html

EDIT to the EDIT: Looking at the home page of homeshopsupply, it appears they packed it in in 2011, but there is a hint --and a link -- to another company that maybe has the items they offered. Some were replica parts, some were the reprinted manuals....lowcountrycamo is right, the front bearing is a complicated piece with a weird taper, an odd amount like 3.29 degrees....

[lowcountrycamo]

The link above has one for 40 bucks. The rear bearing would be easy, the front bearing a PITA. IME tapers are not easy unless you have a way to dial in the angle.