Good evening chaps (and chapettes)
I am a long time lurker on this forum but this is my first post.
A bit of intro first...I am a mechanical engineer by day (calculators and computers, not getting my hands dirty!) who designs bits and pieces for gas turbines. By night I am a shed dweller who gets a telling off from the wife for putting greasy fingerprints on the wall on a regular basis.
I have recently moved house and was levelling the tools in the new shed when I realised that the L5 lathe had more clearance than I liked between the saddle and the bed. I took the back 'gib' off and rescraped it and sorted the issue there (the bed is in reasonable shape and most of the wear appeared to be on this plate). I had a look at the 2 front gib or clamp plates, behind the saddle and it appears that they need work also.
I know it is bad form to ask for help on your first post....but here goes anyway! It is not clear to me how to get these fron plates off as they appear to be doweled but don't want to shift. I was hoping one of you (possibly Micktoon? - good work by the way your machine will look great when finished) could help me.
While I am at it I thought I would open up the saddle gubbins and give it a bit of a clean up. What is the best way to take the saddle off. Is it first remove the leadscrew and lower dive shaft by taking the tail stock end bearing block off? I do not want to bent these shafts.
Here are some pics of the specimen in its natural habitat with a few bits removed:


