I broke my Tri-Power Table Drive. When my shop was flooded last fall the machine went underwater up to and including the lathe motor. After the water went down I started the motor and ran it for 30 minutes, i.e. long enough to heat it up so that it dried out. It’s not the first motor I salvaged but it was one of the easiest. However, last week I found I had not cleaned something adequately. I went to use the machine put it in gear to move the carriage left, heard a pop and nothing moved. Checked the manual crank (I mostly use the power feed) and found the table would go in and out but it was frozen for left/right moves.

Today I took the table apart and fond that water had seeped down the oil feed and locked the elongated S oil feeds to the ways. A bit of brake cleaner and the crud came off. I can see the S-marks but can’t feel them. The sides of the ways are bit cruddier and I’ll have to take a stone to them.

The part of the fix I don’t understand is the absence of table drive. I have in the past broken gears and the expensive little hubs but his seems different. The belts drive the main spindle and that must have a gear in the headstock cavity that drives an auxiliary shaft that goes back to the drive gears. As it comes into the belt and gear section there is a course spur gear about 1 ¾ inch diameter. That gear is not turning. Under the chuck there is a 2 inch black plastic cap. I assume that if I take that off I can get to shaft. But I don’t have any idea how to go further into the machine. Is there one of you that has taken these machines apart completely that can offer some guidance?

Also I have not changed the oil in the machine since it went under. I’m sure it now includes a bit of water as the sight lever is perhaps 1/8” higher. Is there drain plugs and what should it be refilled with? Thanks in advance.

Tom