Turcite B for Machine Tool Rebuilds and Way Relining
For a rebuild shop, Turcite B is a tool rather than a product: it is the layer that lets a worn machine be brought back to geometry without replacing the castings. Getting the material, the adhesive and the finishing sequence right is what separates a rebuild that holds tolerance for a decade from one that is back in the workshop within a year.
The rebuild sequence, in order
A way reline is the last step in a chain, not the first. The machine is stripped and cleaned, the ways are inspected for wear steps and cracks, the geometry is measured against the original alignment, and only then is the amount of metal to be removed decided. Liner thickness follows from that decision.
The order matters because the liner cannot correct a bent bed or a twisted column. It can only restore the surface that the machine slides on. Rebuilders who fit a liner over unmeasured wear usually find the alignment problem again as soon as the machine is under load.
- Strip, clean and inspect the ways for steps, scoring and cracks
- Measure alignment and decide how much metal comes off
- Machine or grind the way, then check flatness before bonding
- Bond the liner, clamp evenly, cure 24 h at 20–25 °C
- Finish by milling, grinding or scraping to final geometry
- Cut oil grooves, refit gibs, re-align and run in
Removing the old liner
Old Turcite that has been on a machine for twenty years does not come off in one piece. Heat, a scraper and patience are the safe method; a heavy hammer and chisel lift the casting surface with the liner and create the kind of damage that has to be machined out afterwards.
Residue matters as much as the bulk removal. Any adhesive left on the way becomes a high spot under the new strip, and a high spot under a soft liner becomes a low spot in the finished face. The surface has to come back to clean metal before anything is bonded.
What to keep in stock
A rebuild shop that relines machines regularly needs the strip in more than one thickness, because the amount of metal removed varies from job to job. Standard thicknesses of 0.8 to 3.2 mm and widths of 100 to 305 mm cover most work, and cut-to-length supply keeps waste down.
The adhesive and the spotting paste should come from the same supplier as the strip. Mixing brands is possible, but when a bond fails it becomes impossible to tell whether the strip, the adhesive or the preparation was at fault — and that diagnosis is worth more than the price difference.
Vertical and inverted faces
Not every face is horizontal. Column ways, headstock slides and the underside of a ram all require bonding against gravity, and those are the joints that fail first on a bad rebuild. The strip needs temporary support, the adhesive needs enough body not to run, and the clamp pressure has to hold the strip against the face until the cure is complete.
Materials for this application
- Turcite B Replacement Brown — Brown slideway tape for guideway repair and machine rebuilds.
- Two Part Epoxy-Adhesive — High-strength two-component epoxy for bonding slideway strip to metal ways.
- Tuschierpaste — Spotting paste for hand scraping and guideway contact checking.
Technical guides for this machine
- How to Remove Old Turcite B and Prepare the Way for Relining
- Slideway Tape vs Scraped Ways — Which Repair Method Fits Your Machine?
- Bonding Liner on Vertical and Inverted Way Faces
Frequently asked questions
- Can a rebuild shop buy mixed thicknesses in one order?
- Yes. Strip can be supplied cut to length per slide and in different thicknesses within the same order, which is how most rebuild shops buy — the thickness is decided per machine, not per year.
- Is it worth relining a machine rather than replacing the slide?
- Usually yes. The liner restores the sliding surface at a fraction of the cost of a new casting, and it can be repeated later when the liner itself wears. The decision turns on whether the casting underneath is sound.
- How long should a relined way last?
- That depends on load, lubrication and contamination control far more than on the strip. A well-protected way with working lubrication runs for many years; a grinder with failed wipers can wear a liner out quickly. We do not quote a service life in hours, because the variables are on the machine, not in the material.
Get a quotation for this application
Send the machine type, the axis, the length of each slide and the thickness you need, and we quote the strip, the two-part epoxy adhesive and the spotting paste together.