Help!!!!!!!!!!!

[ElizaLeahy]

What does it mean when the motor on your lathe is going - but it's not going around?

On a lathe bought on the 20th January - surely it can't be broken???

[efgee88]

Please don't take offence as this may be obvious, but check that the belt(s) haven't come adrift or are loose and also check that the headstock indexing pin, if it has one, is not in the locked position.

Good luck,

Cheers,
FrankG

[wheelinround]

Eliza check that the belt if you have changed gears is tightened or that it hasn't snapped or slipped off.

[ElizaLeahy]

Belts still on - and I haven't ever changed it anyway (but I checked)

It WILL go around - but it strains, and this is with nothing on it, so it's not like it's fighting with something large.

There is nothing blocking it. It doesn't have a lock that I know of.

If I manually give it a hand to start - it does eventually start.

But this isn't good, right?

[aak]

What does it mean when the motor on your lathe is going - but it's not going around?

On a lathe bought on the 20th January - surely it can't be broken???

Hi Eliza,

What exactly do you mean "going - but it's not going around"? Is the motor making a sound, but it is not turning? Is the motor turning, but the lathe is not turning? What type of motor, induction, capacitor start? I have a feeling you may not know the answer to this one. What brand/make? Photos of motor and its plate may be helpful.

Regards
Andy

[petersemple]

Ring the place where you got it from. If you have to hand start it, it sounds like it could be one of the motor capacitors going. It's too young for that to happen, and should be covered by warranty. I'd cal them first though in case they want you to try some other ideas first.

Peter

[ElizaLeahy]

Dave thinks it's the capasitor (I held the phone up to the motor for him to hear) so we are taking it down for him to look at.

:(

Poor lathe.

[wheelinround]

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=97266&d=1235428757

Her Lathe

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

It WILL go around - but it strains, and this is with nothing on it, so it's not like it's fighting with something large.

There is nothing blocking it. It doesn't have a lock that I know of.

If I manually give it a hand to start - it does eventually start.

But this isn't good, right?

No, it's not good. If you can turn it on, give it a spin by hand and it'll spin up to speed but you can still use it - ie. it doesn't seem to have lost much power once it is running - then it's the starting capacitor.

This is a simple enough fix, but really... after only a few months? Tsk!

On the other hand, if it spins up with an assist but is a lot easier to stop than usual then the motor is failing.

Either way, for a new(ish) lathe it's not good.

And sadly, it seems to be a common occurrence with "new" lathes. Considering that before 10 years ago it was an "uncommon" occurrence but nowadays it seems like 1 in every 10 is failing, it shows a distressing lapse in quality standards and that is definitely not good enough! :~

[edit: beaten by a few minutes 'cos I spent too long typing my waffle! :D]

[Ed Reiss]

Skew is right, if you give it a spin and it starts...it's the start cap.:;

[ElizaLeahy]

You couldn't have shown a picture of it when it was CLEAN???

Taking it down to Dave now.

[wheelinround]

You couldn't have shown a picture of it when it was CLEAN???

Taking it down to Dave now.

Only showing the photo you put up yourself Eliza :roll:

That is a broom near by isn't it :rolleyes:

[aak]

You couldn't have shown a picture of it when it was CLEAN???

Taking it down to Dave now.

Hi Eliza,

It actually shows that you are using it.

You seem to have it sorted by taking it back. Good luck with getting it fixed quickly.

Regards
Andy

[Rum Pig]

that is what happens when you use it too much:q

[Sawdust Maker]

You couldn't have shown a picture of it when it was CLEAN???

Taking it down to Dave now.

Do they go better if cleaned?

what sort of polish should I use on it? Kitten or Turtle?

good luck with Dave

[robutacion]

What does it mean when the motor on your lathe is going - but it's not going around?

On a lathe bought on the 20th January - surely it can't be broken???

Hi Eliza,

Fortunately is a easy fix, and is no reason why you shouldn't come home with your lathe and a new capacitor on it, ready to go again. Living in the big smoke, as far as I'm concerned, is only any good for things like this, as is always somewhere you can go, just a "small" drive away.
Apparently the way motors are made today, they all require a good quality "capacitor"- starter, and manufacturers are getting them from China as to pretty much everything else, and these are well known to not last long.

Now there is no doubt in my mind that these capacitors should last a lot longer, and they life expectancy is not based on age but on number of times the starter is require to function, there is, hours of use. Again, make no mistake, I think for Eliza's capacitor to be failing already, put some real meaning on what I've said before about their place of origin and their poor quality but again, this little Jet lathe of Eliza's, has been put to it's passes, since she got it and only a special motor working time meter, could ever give an accurate reading on the working time, I and many others would agree, this machine has done quite a bit, but not certainly justifying failing so soon.

Most of these capacitors are very easy to replace, as they normally have already connectors (electrical terminals) at the end of the wires which makes a 10 minute job for someone that knows what they're doing. It would make a lot of sense if manufacturers make the capacitor replacement a much easier job for the least experience person. There is, a capacitor that is installed outside, easy to reach, and with either a 3 pin plug like a normal electrical appliance male plug, or a sealed car electric type connectors. Everyone would then be advised to keep a spare capacitor and be shown how to replace it, very much like plugging an appliance into a power point type.

Anyway, just an idea for a common problem...!:wink:

Cheers:2tsup:
RBTCO

[ElizaLeahy]

Do they go better if cleaned?

what sort of polish should I use on it? Kitten or Turtle?

good luck with Dave

EEE then glow....

[ElizaLeahy]

Hi Eliza,

...this little Jet lathe of Eliza's, has been put to it's passes, since she got it and only a special motor working time meter, could ever give an accurate reading on the working time, I and many others would agree, this machine has done quite a bit, ...

RBTCO


Yeah, I was worried about that too!

Dave fixed it in about 10 minutes, then plugged it in, then turned it off and said "hear that rattle?" (no, I didn't, but I nodded anyway and tried to look wise) "that's just a lose belt, you tighten it like this" (quick turn of a handle thingy) He turned it on again - and I noticed the rattle then - because it wasn't there. I had been so use to it that I thought that is what it was suppose to sound like!

So now I know. :)

Hopefully it won't break again for years!

[AUSSIE]

You couldn't have shown a picture of it when it was CLEAN???

Taking it down to Dave now.
That would be a rare photo then if it was clean at the time.You use it and enjoy it.Their is a thread going at the moment and they are giving the guy heaps,for his shed lookind spotless.So enjoy:2tsup:We all love your threads Eliza
Aussie

[Mulgabill]

Hey Eliza!
Good too hear that it was not a serious problem:2tsup: We can't have you without a lathe and us members without your commentary :q
Keep up the good work!

[new_guy90]

wow you sure work your lathe hard :o its good that it was an easy fix but its not good that it broke when being so new! yet another reason to get Aus made tools

hope it doesn't brake for years now oh and you should learn how to change the belts!!!! what speed do you keep it at anyway?

Patrick

[AUSSIE]

wow you sure work your lathe hard :o its good that it was an easy fix but its not good that it broke when being so new! yet another reason to get Aus made tools

hope it doesn't brake for years now oh and you should learn how to change the belts!!!! what speed do you keep it at anyway?

Patrick
Sounds like nothing was broken.Just a bit of maintanance was needed like Belt tension

[Sawdust Maker]

EEE then glow....

very good comeback :2tsup: 10/10

glad to hear the problem was relatively simple

[ralphtaff]

now that is a big disapointment on post number 8 there is a box with an x in it but could not see the picture of the lathe now i will never know what it looks like, boo hoo,cry cry.