How to dismantle Emco 5 Milling head.

[David Powell]

I used my virtually brand new Emco 5 vertical head to drive a fly cutter set to about 1 inch dia on an aluminium piece. All went well for about 5 minutes then suddenly finish went to hell.
Investigation shows the spindle has developed about 20 thous of end play,
PLease, has anyone else dismantled one of these heads? The 3 step pulley at the top end appears to be immovably fixed to the spindle and I wonder how to dismantle the unit without wrecking the pulley. Regards David Powell

[Mcgyver]

Found this...see page 24. https://www.emcomachinetools.co.uk/i...spareparts.pdf

The good news is it'll be a low cost repair if you don't wreck something dismantling it, just needs a couple 6002's.....low friction sealed would be my choice (I may even have a couple in stock for you). Bad news is the exploded view reveals little, apparently the shaft stays fixed to the pulley by magic. No set screw, key, splining or cross drilled pin (like the unimats) is shown....yet the drawings in other places show these features so i'm doubting they just missed the detail

I assume you've got the requisite pullers? Unless someone who actually knows comes along, I'd be trying a penetrating oil soak and then some light pressure with a puller and see if there was any movement.

[greenie]

https://www.emcomachinetools.co.uk/i...spareparts.pdf

Page 24 shows the spindle and it has a thread on the top of the spindle, if it has a thread holding the pulley to the spindle, then NO amount of brute force with bearing pullers will ever remove the pulley.


Have a look at the the bottom of the spindle for somewhere to fit a spanner to it, most Emco stuff either has flats on them for a spanner, or, a 4mm hole to hold onto bits when your trying to abuse them, then try turning the pulley to see if that will release it.

[Mcgyver]

https://www.emcomachinetools.co.uk/i...spareparts.pdf

Page 24 shows the spindle and it has a thread on the top of the spindle,

great point, didn't catch that....so it looks like the pulley is threaded on

[David Powell]

Thankyou both for your advice. It came apart with no problems, I held the pulley with a strap wrench and turned the shaft with a pin in the hole provided. The washer which was supposed to be beneath the top bearing was actually lying above it doing nothing, Once reassembled with that washer in the proper place the end play disappeared and there is just a trace of drag on the spindle. Both bearings felt in fine order, I can only guess it was assembled before first coffee break !!!!! I do not really like the design, the overhang of the collet holder seems excessive. However, It will do what I need ( Give me a vertical head on the Atlas Mill which lives at our cottage) Regards David Powell