Mc 900

[mick61]

Gday I am after a manual for the MC 900 in particular I am after the thread size for the the reae of the head stock? Can anyone help?
Mick:D

[joe greiner]

The MC900 and Harbor Freight's 34706 are almost twin sisters. Go to http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34706

Near the middle of the page, boink "Download Product Manual." This manual has inserts or overlays for Murrican electricity, and speeds correspond to 60Hz 120VAC. Also the switch structure may be different. I can't tell whether the headstock spindle thread is overprinted. If you already have the lathe, measure the thread to make sure you don't buy incompatible accessories.

Perhaps an owner of a real MC900 will chime in with more accurate info to enlighten a proposed purchase.

Joe

[TTIT]

You'll find there are a lot of different headstock spindles around in both metric and imperial depending on what the vendor ordered from the factory. My metric MC900 didn't have a thread on the back end so I tapped it out to 7/16 UNC. Thunkners imperial MC900 has a left hand thread in the back end but we can't work out what size/pitch it is either - so if someone gives you an answer we might all be better off :U

[joe greiner]

Goodonya for using a standard thread, Vern. RH with a lock nut should be satisfactory for reverse rotation.

The outboard thread for the HF34706 is 1/2-12 UNS, LH internal. Not specified in the manual, but also found by some folks in the Jet 1236, which seems to be the basis for both of these clones. I verified mine by making a long tapered dowel and screwing it into the spindle, then measuring the thread pitch. UNC for 1/2-inch is 13 tpi. You'll have the devil's own time finding a 1/2-12 die stock or tap for accessories. I used the same, or similar, tapered dowel for a driveshaft for an auxiliary rotisserie drive (reverse rotation). A machinist could make 1/2-12 LH parts if needed. No other way I can think of to get a lock nut, e.g. for a hand wheel or index disk..

Joe

[mick61]

Thanks for the help guys.
Mick:D