Changing drive belt on lathe

[Mountain Ash]

Hi all. Does anyone have experience with the Geelong made, R.L. Golding lathes? Specifically changing the drive belt and more generally straightening the tool rest

[KBs PensNmore]

Hi and Welcome to a Top Forum.
Some pics of the lathe and any associated fastenings would help to solve your problem?
Same with the Tool Rest, PLEASE?
Kryn

[China]

If I remember correctly the you need to remove the shaft to change the belt a simpler method is t cut the old belt and replace it with a link belt, as for the tool rest most likely brute force.

[Mountain Ash]

Hi China. I thought the same. Any good suppliers you can recommend? Hi Kyrn. Will try to add photos but not sure how to. Very new to this forum 😁

[Treecycle]

Any good bearing and transmission supplier will be able to supply the link belt to what length you need, but here (https://www.statewidebearings.com.au/branch-locations/victoria/) is one that should be close to you. Just take the cut one with you so they can match it. Before you cut the belt see if you can get any numbers off the original belt so you could compare price in case it is worth you stripping the headstock apart to replace it with the original type of belt. From what I recall most of the Golding lathes had the shaft mounted through 2 pillow block bearings so you would need to loosen the grubscrews in the pulley, loosen the grubscrews in the bearings and then tap the shaft out towards the tailstock. Use a piece of timber between the hammer and the shaft so you don't burr the end over otherwise you will have all sorts of difficulty getting the shaft through.
There were a few that had cast headstocks but I think they were few and far between.

[Mountain Ash]

Thanks Dallas. My headstock is cast but what you say still makes sense. What is strange is that I can't see a way to remove the "face plate" from the outside of the headstock ie not above the lathe bed. The shaft has no flats for a spanner/wrench to hold on to . Any ideas?

[orraloon]

This is where a few pictures would help. First check if there is a small hole that a metal bar will fit in. If not then perhaps clamp multigrips on the edge of the plate as a handle (with cardboard in the jaws to prevent damage) and some way to hold the shaft secure. Other idea is secure a wood batten to the faceplate and use that as a handle.
Regards
John

[Mountain Ash]

Hi John. I'm having trouble attaching photos. Hopefully will be sorted soon

[Mountain Ash]

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Hopefully these help. Sorry about the angle. First one is of headstock. 2nd "faceplate" on outside of headstock. 3 and 4 images of shaft inside headstock. Which everyone has probably already worked out

[Acco]

That’s a fabricated head, not cast. Whereabouts in the Dandenong Ranges are you?

I can assist with changing the belt, removing the hand wheel and straightening the toolrest but can’t see where it’s bent in the photo?

[Mountain Ash]

Thanks DJ. Don't want to put anyone out, just happy with advice (and belt hasn't snapped yet ��). Toolrest leans a bit to the right (as in downhill). Can I just bang in the left hand side? I am worried about the cast iron being brittle

[Acco]

Spoke to someone I know who has experience with this brand and says if the belt and bearing are fine, leave it alone, as you have to loosen the pillow blocks and then realign them again to get the points to match between headstock and tailstock, which can be frustrating.

The outside thread on the spindle is also left hand thread.

[Mountain Ash]

Thanks again DJ. The info about the thread could save me some frustration, I'm hoping to make a sanding disk for the outside. Both belt and bearing are okay

[Treecycle]

Looking at the photo of the face plate it looks like someone has already tried to remove it by the gouge marks on the boss. What you can do if you have the gear is drill a hole similar diameter and depth to the one that is already there a bit further around, say about 90 degrees. Put the belt on the pulleys for the lowest speed ie. on the large groove on the headstock and small groove on the motor and adjust it to be tight. Place a pin punch or piece of round bar slightly smaller than the hole you drilled against the edge of the hole and hit it with a hammer with a firm sharp blow in a clockwise direction when looking from the faceplate end (it will be a lefthand thread as DJ says). Try to spray the thread with some sort of penetrating spray a day before you attempt to loosen the faceplate. It might take a few hits to loosen it but don't get carried away and bash it real hard as you could bend the shaft. If you have someone that could hold the motor pulley for you so it doesn't turn too easily that would help so you aren't chasing the hole around.
As for the tool rest, are you sure it is cast iron? If it is, I wouldn't try straightening it as cast iron doesn't like being bent back again and will likely break. If you can accurately measure the diameter of the shaft you may be able to cheaply pick up a secondhand replacement or a freebie. If it turned out to just be a fabricated steel one it can be straightened but I wouldn't try just forcing it or hitting it mounted in the banjo as you could damage it too.
Don't know if this will all make sense as it is hard to put something like this into words.

[Mountain Ash]

Thanks again Dallas. Your advice does make sense. I assume the tool rest is cast because it's rough and easy to file. I have had the same thought about replacing the tool rest too