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adem
24th January 2018, 08:22 PM
Hi all,

I just set up my lathe after making some room and finding some time. I feel the speed is not fast enough on the lathe, when I put the belt on it felt a bit loose. If the belt is to loose where can I find a new belt for Woodfast lathe? Is there any other reason why it could be turning slow? Any help would be appreciatedhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180124/90802da377469676ca052b5397068ec8.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180124/162ec2c8d0155110c9ac976f802af692.jpg


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Old Croc
24th January 2018, 09:10 PM
Adem, that looks like a variable speed adjuster on the front left hand side. If its still working, you turn the lathe on and turn it either CW or ACW to increase/decrease the speed. The only problem with this set up is that it has to be running to change speeds.
Rgds,
Crocy.

adem
24th January 2018, 09:29 PM
Adem, that looks like a variable speed adjuster on the front left hand side. If its still working, you turn the lathe on and turn it either CW or ACW to increase/decrease the speed. The only problem with this set up is that it has to be running to change speeds.
Rgds,
Crocy.

Yes it is, and when I do change it while it’s running I see no difference in speed


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Paul39
25th January 2018, 03:52 AM
You have what is called a Reeves Drive. One pulley is adjusted together or apart by a screw or a lever the other pulley is spring loaded to move together or apart by the loosening or tightening of the belt.

http://www.alltorquetransmissions.com/reeves-drives-cvt-old-new/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8ExzaUq5GI

You may have a dirty spring loaded pulley that is not moving back & forth, a broken linkage on the adjustable pulley, a badly worn or too long belt, or any or all of the above.

Reeves drives work very well but can be a source of frustration when they don't. I see in the first photo that you can see pulleys. Check to see if there is a variation in the pulley connected to the adjusting wheel when turned back and forth. The machine must be running when changing speed to keep from damaging the variable speed mechanism.

If the pulleys and belt are OK, cleaning and a little lubrication will usually get things running.

adem
25th January 2018, 06:13 PM
You have what is called a Reeves Drive. One pulley is adjusted together or apart by a screw or a lever the other pulley is spring loaded to move together or apart by the loosening or tightening of the belt.

All Torque Transmissions Reeves Drives CVT - Old is New Again! - All Torque Transmissions (http://www.alltorquetransmissions.com/reeves-drives-cvt-old-new/)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8ExzaUq5GI

You may have a dirty spring loaded pulley that is not moving back & forth, a broken linkage on the adjustable pulley, a badly worn or too long belt, or any or all of the above.

Reeves drives work very well but can be a source of frustration when they don't. I see in the first photo that you can see pulleys. Check to see if there is a variation in the pulley connected to the adjusting wheel when turned back and forth. The machine must be running when changing speed to keep from damaging the variable speed mechanism.

If the pulleys and belt are OK, cleaning and a little lubrication will usually get things running.

Thank you Paul , I’ll have to pull it apart and give it a clean, maybe but new belt.


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hughie
28th January 2018, 04:13 PM
Thank you Paul , I’ll have to pull it apart and give it a clean, maybe but new belt.Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkAt this point I wouldnt be too worried about a new belt unless its been sitting for a long time, has cracks or is very stiff so much so it will creak when you try to bend it. The main issue will be your reeves drive, ie badly worn, seized up or both. If seized go easy as the pullies will cast Ali and will easily break, use a bit of kero to free them up and go easy on the lube as any wet lube will attract the dust and you may well be back where are now in a few months.
Post as many pics as you can as you go along as many of us a very familiar with these sorts of issues. :2tsup:

smiife
28th January 2018, 05:38 PM
Hi adem, before you start up your lathe I would be moving the
curtain/cloth from behind your lathe , from the photo it looks
like it could be as safety hazard :o:o.......

adem
28th January 2018, 06:48 PM
Hi adem, before you start up your lathe I would be moving the
curtain/cloth from behind your lathe , from the photo it looks
like it could be as safety hazard :o:o.......

Yes of course just have it down when I’m not using it


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adem
28th January 2018, 06:54 PM
At this point I wouldnt be too worried about a new belt unless its been sitting for a long time, has cracks or is very stiff so much so it will creak when you try to bend it. The main issue will be your reeves drive, ie badly worn, seized up or both. If seized go easy as the pullies will cast Ali and will easily break, use a bit of kero to free them up and go easy on the lube as any wet lube will attract the dust and you may well be back where are now in a few months.
Post as many pics as you can as you go along as many of us a very familiar with these sorts of issues. :2tsup:

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180128/8ee0a4f2f4fee448eb031cd12fff74b2.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180128/3ad95e176288bda27d576f8b56542d2c.jpg

I had a look on Friday, the belts feel loose, https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180128/8ee0a4f2f4fee448eb031cd12fff74b2.jpg but from this first pic the middle pulley doesn’t move when the speed is changed, there is abit of play in the middle pulley I’m guessing it’s the spring loaded one I’ll have to take more pictures tomorrow.



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adem
29th January 2018, 02:09 PM
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180129/807392958fa7f4c8e7c06abed570313f.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180129/327fbcdd14d425319ae9b365bce32315.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180129/c3d1e324c2984a70e919e1ca042d0e93.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180129/e37a03d581fd9d03cdb2d7b72584d838.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180129/4db540c6e232d9eae0def2ed6db7a6f5.jpg


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dogcatcher
29th January 2018, 04:58 PM
I think I would spray each of the pulley shafts with some WD40 to see if that will loosen up some of that gunk. Then see if you bump the pulley on the shaft by hand to get them loose on the shaft.

Paul39
30th January 2018, 11:50 AM
The below is what I would do if the lathe were mine. Several years ago I bought an old short bed 20 inch swing Woodfast that had been badly stored and rusted. The drive center and tail center were rusted in, handwheel and faceplate rusted on, etc. I carefully got everything apart, cleaned, lubed, and shined. It is a good lathe at a fraction of what I would have to pay for new. Lathe below.

The belt seems to be in good condition. The rust and roughness on the inside of the pulleys where the belt runs will very quickly wear out the belt. Unplug the lathe. Get some 120 grit sandpaper and sand off the rust by hand, turning the pulleys by hand until the rust is gone. Then get some 220 grit and hold it against the inside of the pulley and turn the pulley to get it reasonably shiny.

If you can easily get the belts off that would help getting the pulleys sanded. You can also check to see that the pulleys turn easily.

Get a stiff brush like a brush used for washing dishes and scrub off as much of the dirt and oil or grease that is on the pulleys and mechanism. Then with a rag or paper towel wet with mineral spirits, or WD-40, kerosene, diesel fuel, wipe off any greasy places. Find where the sliding parts of the spring loaded pulley and the pulley connected to the control go together and squirt some WD-40, Liquid Wrench, or penetrating oil, where the parts come together. Let soak overnight and do it again.

For running the lathe, you want the belts and the insides of the pulleys clean and dry. You want the expanding and contracting pulleys clean and lubricated where the sleeves slide in and out.

Assuming the belts are off:

Looking at the pulley that is controlled by the speed control, turn the knob a bit, gently to see if the pulley expands or contracts. If it moves easily, run it all the way to both ends several times o see if there is any catching or stiffness. Clean off any dirt or grease that is exposed, squirt any of the above mentioned magic juice in and run it back and forth until it is smooth. Clean any dirty stuff off that shows at the extremes of the adjustment and put 2 - 3 drops of 3 in 1 or 20 - 30 weight motor oil on the shaft exposed at the extremes of the adjustment.

Without the belt in the spring loaded pulley it should be squeezed together. The pulleys appear to be cast iron and pretty stout. If so stick a piece of wood in the pulley and see if the halves will move apart. If they move OK, clean and lube as for the adjustable pulley.

Assuming the belts are in place:

Looking at the pulley that is controlled by the speed control, turn the knob a bit, gently to see if the pulley expands or contracts. It should expand without hurting anything, letting the belt go deeper into the pulley. If any crud is exposed, clean that. By letting the belt go deeper into the controlled pulley the spring loaded pulley should squeeze closer and take up the tension on the belt. If it is gummed up or stuck, or broken, the belt will go slack.

If the speed control knob turns easily and does nothing to the controlled pulley, look to see if something is disconnected or broken.

With all the belts in place, turn on the lathe to see if the control will change speed. If it does, turn the control to the slowest speed, turn off and unplug the lathe and clean the exposed sleeves and shafts as above. Then plug in and turn on the lathe and adjust to the highest speed, turn off and unplug and clean off exposed shafts and sleeves.

Put oil as above on exposed parts of movable pulleys, plug in and run highest to lowest speed several times, shut down at the lowest speed, unplug and lube as above exposed parts of movable pulleys.

In the next to the last photo on the lower right there is a grease fitting that we call a Zerk fitting. That takes a grease gun to put in a general purpose grease. There may be more than the one. That grease may lubricate the bearings or the shaft and sleeve that move in and out or both. If the grease does lubricate the pulleys moving in and out and has hardened in place that may keep the pulleys from adjusting the speed. If that is the case removing the fitting and squirting WD-40 or other solvent may free things up.

If none of the above works, you may have to remove the two movable pulleys and disassemble them, clean, lube and reassemble.

From what I see in the photos everything seems to be nicely built and stout. Once put in working order the lathe will give many years of service.

Skew ChiDAMN!!
30th January 2018, 05:33 PM
Does anyone know how the 'business end' of the hand-wheel connects to the reeves pulley on this lathe?

If it simply connects to a cam, fair enough, but if it uses a mechanical link then shouldn't the hand-wheel seem frozen? Unless things have become disconnected somehow?

(I'd love to be able to poke my head inside to sate my curiosity. ;) )

adem
27th April 2018, 09:04 PM
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180427/60c010e738ab637b4fe425699b4e13b1.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180427/5e5edf2b5a817a826ee8d750e1425891.jpg

Gave the pulley’s a good clean, re-greased all the nipples, when I took of the top belt gear changing would move freely with no problem and work like it should work. But once the pressure of the top belt went on it can’t support the change in speed and the pulley won’t move? I’m abit confused any ideas?

Ps. Sorry for the late reply, got married and finally have some time do some weekend work.

Paul39
28th April 2018, 04:07 AM
Gave the pulley’s a good clean, re-greased all the nipples, when I took of the top belt gear changing would move freely with no problem and work like it should work. But once the pressure of the top belt went on it can’t support the change in speed and the pulley won’t move? I’m abit confused any ideas?

Ps. Sorry for the late reply, got married and finally have some time do some weekend work.

Congratulations on the marriage!

The pulleys cleaned up nicely.

The other pulley connected by a belt to the one adjustable by the speed control is spring loaded to move open by the belt pulling on it and shut by the spring when the belt is loosened by the speed control. That spring is pretty strong. Does it move apart when a stick of hard wood is placed in the pulley and the halves pried apart? I would not use metal for a pry bar as it might nick the pulley or break off a piece.

The speed is to be adjusted only with the lathe running so the belt can walk in or out of the spring loaded pulley.

It is possible that the belt is too long or there is an adjustment between the pulleys that has them too close together.

It is a bit difficult to diagnose from a distance without seeing how things are assembled and watching it run. I am listing all the possibilities that I can visualize.

Colin62
28th April 2018, 04:40 AM
I'm really no expert on reeves drives, but I'm slightly surprised to see a toothed belt on it, and not a standard V belt. I don't even know if that would contribute to the problem if it were the incorrect belt. Just thinking out aloud here...