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Brown Dog
3rd May 2007, 02:44 PM
g'day all

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the old record power coronet lathes 3AS.

Ive had mine for about 14 years, purchased back in the days when I didnt know any better (ie. young and dumb :D ). I used it for a couple of years then it sat in the garage for ages before recently (2 years ago) being returned to service. I am seriously looking at upgrading, but this could be a while off. So in the mean time Im stuck with this old beast:(

My problem is, that now I have done more turning then I have ever done before, and become a little more profficent...things like excessive, well maybe not excesive vibration (it doesnt walk across the floor) and out of centre turning are really starting to PMO:(( . I think the problem may be the supposedly adjustable bronze tapered bearing. I have made sure the centres are aligned and every thing it tight.

After following the manual for adjustment...ie adjusting the inner and outer locking rings so the spindle doesnt turn, then backing it of a little until you can just turn it by hand. I have noticed when turning by hand there is tight and loose spots...like the bearing or spindle is out of round. I havent pulled the thing apart yet to confirm this but thats what it feels like.

So my questions would be;

Is it worth pulling it apart ? If so what then ?
OR is there another way this could solved ? if at all...
Is there maybe something else that could cause the vibration and out of centre turning ( this seems to be worse on larger items)

cheers
BD:2tsup:

Barry Hicks
3rd May 2007, 04:02 PM
G'day Brown Dog
I haven't had anything to do with a Record 3AS but I do own a model CL3 with bronze bearings.
Record Power have a website where you can download instructions on maintainance and the thing to do with the CL3 is to loosen/tighten until no up and down movement can be felt in the shaft but you need a chuck or centre fitted to give some leverage otherwise you can't detect movement.
That's the good news. The bad news is Record Power have no outlets in Australia but they are happy to do business by mail.
It is possible you are over-tightening the bearing.
Good luck!

DJ’s Timber
3rd May 2007, 05:54 PM
Might be worth pulling it apart. Could have some gunk built up in there, causing the tight & loose spots.

Red neck
3rd May 2007, 07:05 PM
BD

Those bronze bearing models are pretty much indestructible.

Does that model have an oiler cap? The CL3 I owned did and the recommendation was a few drops of oil (30w) each time you cranked-up and every two hours thereafter. Also, check the bearing for adjustment.

From the manual:

During operation the main bearing needs adjusting any time there is endplay (the spindle can be moved left-to-right within its bearings) or if there appears to be looseness between the spindle and bearings.

A simple test to see if the bearing is correctly adjusted is to hold the spindle between finger and thumb and turn it:
• On a correctly adjusted bearing resistance will be felt but the spindle should still rotate.
• If the spindle rotates freely, it is too loose
• If the spindle cannot be rotated, it is too tight.

hughie
4th May 2007, 04:38 PM
BD,
Generally speaking most bronze/brass type bearings are not adjustable. But rather parallel bushes tapped into place and renewed when worn.

Some, if very old are split with a bearing cap and oiler to the top. The cap is held down usually by two bolts. The whole system is not unlike white metal bearings to early crankshafts on motor cars.

Geez! now I showing my age :C :U

I suspect that because its sat for a while the oil/grease has dried up and filled with dust, gunk etc and this is causing some of the problem.

Grab hold of the chuck with both hands and try and see if theres any movement in the bearing even the smallest amount will give vibration.

The bearing cap type will allow you to tighten it down further, but it will only allow a certain amount. The bottom line if the bearings are worn replace them.The caps are not really for adjustment but rather for assembly and maintenance ie replacement etc.

If the bushes are the "pushed in" type then you have to replace them and some machining will be needed.

Are they worth replacing? Well it is not worth much as it is and you cant really use it either. So it will be a $$ value that most likely will settle it for you

http://www.lathes.co.uk/coronet%20major/index.html
http://www.lathes.co.uk/coronet%20major/page5.html

articles on lathe maint.
http://www.recordpower.co.uk/index.pl?s=knowledge&ec=16

Brown Dog
4th May 2007, 07:19 PM
Thanks for the info guys, I had a look at that record web site and follwed the article for adjusting the CL3 bearing (mine is the same) and it seems to have improved a little. Today I rough turned a couple of bowls and semi finished another one and it went all right. I can still feel a bit of vibration but it is less than before.


I think I probably did some damage to it back when I was "young and dumb":- and didnt do any regualr maintenance. So hopefully with my new knowledge and more regualr maintenance, I can keep it running without spending any money on it, until I can replace it....Im also getting tired of changing belts...so I think a variable speed machine is in order :U

thanks again
BD:2tsup:

RETIRED
4th May 2007, 07:34 PM
Hughie, if I remember rightly the Coronet doesn't run in bearings similar to a car.

The adjustable bronze bush is tapered and runs on a tapered shaft. When wear occurs you tighten the nuts to move the bush further up the taper thereby decreasing the clearance between shaft and bush.

BD, if it was mine I would remove the shaft and bush, clean the whole lot thoroughly and examine for uneven wear using bearing blue.

You may have to lap the shaft (it rarely wears) into the bush again.

At one time these lathes were the best you could get and were the choice of top English turners.

Brown Dog
4th May 2007, 07:51 PM
G'day
I did consider pulling it apart and cleaning it but if I did and found that it had gone out of round...the below statement from the record website kinda made me wanna stick my head back in the sand and totally ignore the problem :D



Failure to do so results in the bearing wearing oval, the only remedy then being total replacement of both spindle and bearing, a costly exercise for the sake of a few minutes maintenance! :oo:


I think one day when I feel like I have patience to spare I will strip it down and clean it.

cheers
BD :2tsup:

hughie
5th May 2007, 04:04 PM
The adjustable bronze bush is tapered and runs on a tapered shaft. When wear occurs you tighten the nuts to move the bush further up the taper thereby decreasing the clearance between shaft and bush.


,

Thanks for that, the design is most likely a Record design, most likely patented at that. I will keep it in the back of the grey matter for future reference. Ta :U

bobz
6th May 2007, 03:09 PM
The Record CL range of lathes are not a Record design at all. Record bought out the origanal manufacturers of these machines some years ago. They were "The Coronet Tool Company" and as well as lathes, they produced complete wood machining machines based around a lathe, "The Coronet Major", and a saw bench "The Coronet Consort" which I still have in my workshop. I have a CL3 lathe which I`ve recently upgraded to variable speed. This has made a good lathe spectacular. As for the bearing, don`t allow it to get loose, if you continue to use the machine with a loose bearing then it will wear oval. Also don`t over oil the bearing. A couple of drops is all you need only when required. If the spindle turns freely by hand then there`s enough oil in the bearing. A couple of drops every two to three weeks would be about right, it depends how often and how long you use the machine.
Here`s my CL3 with variable speed.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robert.deacon/robert.deacon/WebPhotos/LatheDuplicator.jpg

tashammer
6th May 2007, 06:42 PM
Weren't the original Coronet red and it was only when Record microsofted them that the colour changed? (that's a new verb - have you been microsofted lately).

Barry Hicks
7th May 2007, 10:59 AM
G'day Brown Dog.
My 1997 vintage Record CL3 is dark green. What is the attachment you have on the front?

Brown Dog
7th May 2007, 06:37 PM
G'day Brown Dog.
My 1997 vintage Record CL3 is dark green. What is the attachment you have on the front?

G'day Barry

I think you will find that pic is a photo of Bobz record CL3 not mine....but I would say that attachment is a copying attachment of some sort...but I would only be guessing.

this is my old record....as you can see no attachments or variable speed:C

cheers
BD:2tsup:

bobz
8th May 2007, 01:09 PM
Yes, the attachment is a copier. This was purchased from www.rockler.com because I do a fair bit of copy work. Saves a lot of time and I get exact duplicates.

Here`s a couple of other Coronet machines I own and use. The first is the Coronet Consort sawbench which is a small universal woodworker. It`s seen here with a 4 1/2" planer attachment which also has a thicknessing attachment to enable 4" thicknessing. I also have the lathe attachment which fits to the right of the machine but is not attached.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robert.deacon/robert.deacon/WebPhotos/Coronet_Consort.jpg

And here`s another Coronet machine I purchased direct from the Coronet Tool Comapny some 30 years ago. It`s the smaller of thier independant planer machines, the Coronet Soveriegn, also has thicknessing attachment.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robert.deacon/robert.deacon/WebPhotos/Coronet_soveriegn.jpg