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Anayak "Exacto" Vertical Mill Rebuild, Part 4:



The knee, too, was stripped, pressure-washed, degreased, sanded and painted.



And the hardware cleaned and inspected. Fortunately there was very little in need of repair.



One thing I felt needed a bit of modification was the knee screw nut.
This got drilled and tapped for a grease zerk to help keep the nut lubed.



Then it was a simple matter of reassembly. The two bearings at the top were a little
thrashed, so they got replaced. These, interestingly enough, apparently get
lubricated by oil dripping off the Y-axis leadscrew nut.



One quick trick to try and keep things neat: The elevation screw is open straight through the base casting,
so oil and/or grease can drip off and land on the floor. To help contain this, I picked up an old baking tray
from a local secondhand shop, lined with with some Oil-Sorb pad, and slid it under the screw.
I figure the pad will need to be replaced about once a decade or so. :)



At that point, it was time to install the knee. I cut a chunk of 2x4 to fit inside the casting opening, and
a second piece that when screwed to it, kept the first one centered so it couldn't pop out. Around that
I used a ratcheting strap and hooked it to my crane. After that, it was a simple matter of jacking the
crane up, and with assistance, carefully lowering it onto the column dovetail.



Et voila`! Easy as that. All that remained was to bolt the screw bearing
carrier to the socket in the knee.



And finally, the elevation shaft is bolted into place, the micrometer dial
installed, and the previously-painted crank handle hung in place.

Now, we're ready for the saddle!





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