Shereline closing Down

Quote from: KryptoThanks Chris!  I can't imagine too many other people have more time on Sherline equipment.  It's good to hear I don't have much to worry about.

This lathe doesn't have backlash adjustment on any axis as apparently that arrived a year or two later.  The upgrade kit for Y Axis (crossfeed) is here:

https://www.sherline.com/product/40950-cnc-lathe-crosslide-anti-backlash-upgrade-kit/#description

Amusing enough, they whack you $26 extra for that fixture block so I'll just buy the parts separately and use the mill for drilling and tapping that hole.  There's also a upgrade kit for the Z axis (left & righty) but I'm not sure if that's really necessary.

I'm getting a MT0 blank with a 3/4" shaft basically as a guide to setup the compound on the trusty South Bend for cutting that taper.  It's easy to do with an indicator.  Also really need a zero-reset hand wheel on the crossfeed.  I'm getting the metric one so it's direct-read as described here:

https://sherline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/tip_058.pdf

I can't switch back and forth between different radius and diameter crossfeed setups on each lathe or I'll go nuts. 

As you can see from the attachment the little guy is back together.  The chuck has .0015 TIR right at the jaw which is good and it looks almost unused.  Have .003 backlash at the crossfeed, basically none for the Z and .004 at the tail stock.  I don't think this lathe seen much action, so few repair items beside the sticker.

I found the backlash upgrade for the mill was a significant improvement if you have one of the older styles.

Eric

Just saw on Sherlines site that they are holding an auction of a ton of their production equipment next week... The auction catalog is all online on their site's homepage. Sigh.  I already got my order of spares and additional items that I'd been thinking about but putting off for years.
Sigh.

Yup, obviously when an item is out-of-stock that's the end with the machine shop gone.  You are doing better than me as my Sunday night order still hasn't shipped.

Quote from: KryptoYup, obviously when an item is out-of-stock that's the end with the machine shop gone.  You are doing better than me as my Sunday night order still hasn't shipped.

Well, one item was missing from my order, got Kat on the phone after a few tries, they shipped a replacement  out, its due here on Tuesday.  So, you have a couple days to get yours and beat my full order! 

I placed what will probably be my last order tonight, my 6th since their announcement. Mostly consumables, a few accessories, and some upgrades I'd been putting off. Some of my orders have shipped, but not in the sequence they went in.

One item in the first shipment I received showed as backordered, but it was a WW pot chuck. I thought they made those in house.

Hmmm.

Eric

Yeah, you ain't getting that.   I'm pretty sure Sherline was the only one making the soft WW collets.

Looks like ALL the collets are now out-of-stock.

Looks like most things are gone, I was lucky to get everything I needed except a live centre. The sale of production equipment is the absolute end for the company as we knew it. Whether it can be resurrected phoenix like as the original Australian operation was way back I have no idea, but the unavoidable truth is hardly anyone outside the US could afford SHERLINE stuff, the same now applies to Taig and Cowells. Their costs and the frightful international shipping costs have become a blight on the model engineering hobby for anyone outside the US or Britain. Can only hope someone somewhere can fill the need at affordable levels.Regards to all, Paul Gough.

If a live center is all you need you can easily find them from 3rd parties.  Here's the one I bought last week and I'm guessing it was made in India so you would think it's available worldwide.  Make sure you get one that has a short length taper:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/166776419600

Thank you Krypto, had seen them some time back but was unaware they could supply the “Sherline” section of the Morse taper. Very good to know there is an alternative supplier. Regards, Paul Gough.

One time I picked up a center that had a slightly longer version of the mt0 taper, was able to cut it shorter to fit the tailstock.

Hi Chris, that would be a simple fix. But I don’t know if the major dia. of the Sherline and all the other “0” Morse taper accessories are the same. If they are the same size at the big end then any would do, just cut the excess length of the smaller section of the taper off. Can anyone verify the situation?
Regards, Paul Gough.

Quote from: paul goughHi Chris, that would be a simple fix. But I don’t know if the major dia. of the Sherline and all the other “0” Morse taper accessories are the same. If they are the same size at the big end then any would do, just cut the excess length of the smaller section of the taper off. Can anyone verify the situation?
Regards, Paul Gough.

I just looked up the standard morse #0 taper, which has a large end of 0.3561" and is a little over 2" long. The tapers on the Sherline tailstock are the same large end, and taper angle, but they are shorter - cutting a 'long' Mt0 will give the Sherline 'short' Mt0 taper. If I didn't cut mine to the short version, it would bottom out in the ejector in the tailstock before seating in the taper.

Hi Chris, that is good to know, it would appear from this anything with. “0” Morse taper is suitable, just cut the appropriate amount off the small end. Thanks for the answer, Regards, Paul Gough.

I checked the 3rd party live center and the taper was .361" at the largest end with 1" of length which aligns perfectly with what Chris has told you.

Last night I put in my 2nd and probably last parts order with Sherline.  I checked my first order which hasn't shipped yet and everything was still shown as in-stock except for the 4 jaw scroll chuck which probably doesn't bode well for that item.  Today I see they aren't accepting ANY orders at all in an attempt to catch-up with the current backlog.

Quote from: KryptoI checked the 3rd party live center and the taper was .361" at the largest end with 1" of length which aligns perfectly with what Chris has told you.

Last night I put in my 2nd and probably last parts order with Sherline.  I checked my first order which hasn't shipped yet and everything was still shown as in-stock except for the 4 jaw scroll chuck which probably doesn't bode well for that item.  Today I see they aren't accepting ANY orders at all in an attempt to catch-up with the current backlog.

Yeah, I had put in for one of the 4 jaw chucks in my order to have a spare, and it was already out of stock then, over a week ago. I did find one in stock at the Robot Shop though. Just checked, they are out of them now too. I do see the 4-jaw scroll chucks available, but they are not as useful as the independent jaw ones.
When I talked to Kat last week about the one missing item (due here tomorrow) she mentioned that they were getting flooded with orders, the phone system was going in and out, and emails were so numerous that calling was better. It took me a few tried to get through on the phone, once I did they were very responsive. Sad to see them go - been dealing with them for decades.