Bent spindle on craftsman lathe, its a discountinued part

[dirk1609]

I bent the spindle, or at least I bent something as it has a slight wobble now, on my lathe. The spindle is a discontinued part. Any one know of a aftermarket manufacture that makes parts like this? Of if you think it might be something else please let me know.
Just became addicted to turning a few months ago and now im at a complete stop. I have a wonderful wood supplier that give me LOTS of Koa, Kou, Milo etc in trade. Its all sitting in the shop waiting to be turned.

The part I think I need is # 60 on the diagram.
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/getSubComp.pd?modelNumber=351217170&productCategoryId=0728000&brandId=0247&modelName=WOOD-LATHE&diagramPageId=00001&documentId=P0103202&pop=flush

[RETIRED]

A competent engineer should be able to turn up a new one for you.

[dirk1609]

my used $200.00 lathe just became VERY expensive. I wonder if I would be better off just buying a new $700.00 lathe.

[hughie]

You maybe able to have it straightened although drawing is not the best. Certaintly its worth getting it checked to sse if its possible.At the same time you can get an estimate on fixing or turning a new one, before you splash out $700 or so

Also checking around for second hand one or one that is stuffed as it maybe not be stuffed the same as yours

[echnidna]

If you can't find an engineering shop try an auto electrician, they sometimes need to straighten bent armature shafts, so they know how to do it.

[dirk1609]

being in Hawaii and on the Big Island I get the feeling that this isnt going to be a easy local fix.

Thanks guys for your help.

[Manuka Jock]

being in Hawaii and on the Big Island I get the feeling that this isnt going to be a easy local fix.

Thanks guys for your help.

Tena koe Dirk ,
Try contacting Doug Leite here (http://tinyurl.com/om7gud) .
He is a turner on the Big Island , and a machinist by trade .
He could have an idea or two.
Its' been over a year since he last posted tho ......

na,
Jock

[Paul39]

A spindle is hard to bend. Unless in a fit of pique you bashed it with a 5 pound hammer.

Stick a broom stick in the morse taper hole in the front of the spindle and see if the spindle will wiggle up & down or side to side. If it does, see where it is wiggling. You may have a loose nut on the spindle, worn bearings, or loose housing that holds the spindle in the head stock.

If it does not move with the stick, and if it is the face plate, chuck, or drive spur that is wobbling you could have some dirt or chips in the taper or on the threads.

Be sure the inside of the taper and the drive spur are absolutely clean. Clean the threads and mounting places on the face plate and / or chuck. The threads only hold the part on, the flat places on the spindle and chuck or face plate make it run true. They must be perfectly clean.

Does it make funny sounds when turning?

If it is bad bearings, a bearing or industrial supplier will be the least expensive. They would need the bearing or the numbers on the bearing.

Good luck to you, let us know how this resolves.

[oldiephred]

I agree with Paul, a bent spindle is difficule to comprehend due to the very small overhang beyond the bearing.

[Gil Jones]

You might find the part here...maybe...http://www.owwm.com/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=222

[Ed Reiss]

Dirk...is your lathe the single tube type, or does it have the channel ways?

If it's the tube, you might just want to consider upgrading anyway.

BTW, if all that Koa and other woods are getting underfoot, I'll be glad to watch them for you at my shop, till you decide what to do about the lathe situation...I promise not to use any of it :U:D:D:D:D:D:D

[dirk1609]

sorry about my delay in responding. I didnt get a email saying there was a response. Once again, thank you. This really is one of the most helpfull sites on the internet.

Being new to turning im not sure how to asnwer some of the questions.
Channel or single way? Im nore how to tell.
Im not sure what a lathe normaly sounds like but it doesnt seem to be making any sounds a tool normaly wouldnt make.

Im currently uploading a short vid on photopucket showing the lathe off then on. You can clearly see a slight wobble.
Here is the vid. Excuse the mess we recently cleared one area of the shop to create a "clean room" for laundry etc and the shop is temp VERY cramped.

http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee284/dirk1609/?action=view&current=Picture030.flv

[Paul39]

Dirk,

If the Sears parts exploded view is accurate to your lathe, it looks as though you have a cast iron bed. That is good.

The tube bed referred to in a post above is a pipe for a bed to which everything is attached. They are not very rigid. One mfg. uses that method and makes it work, but their lathes compare to the Sears tube lathe as a Mercedes does to a Fiat.

I looked at your short video, and it seems that the nose of your spindle is flopping around. It is hard to tell how much as the camera is moving and that confuses matters.

I also noticed that the threaded part of the spindle sticks out farther than I have ever seen on a lathe. Referring to the sears exploded view, they show two nuts on the end of the spindle. They could be buried in the housing. If the nuts are missing, that might be causing the wobble.

Has the lathe been working OK and then the wobble started suddenly?

Did you notice that there was a slight wobble and then it kept getting worse?

Remove the drive spur in the front of the spindle. Put your tool rest parallel to the spindle about 1/8 to 1/4 inch away. Stick a piece of wood in the hole in the front of the spindle and see if it will wiggle sideways. Do not put anything metal other than a morse taper tool in there as it will scar the inside of the morse taper which will make life more difficult for you. You will see if and how much in relation to the tool rest the spindle is moving.

Remove the stick and rotate the spindle by hand. Note how and how much it wobbles.

My suspicion is that the two nuts are missing off the spindle nose, which has let things get loose. The bearing or bearings may have been damaged, or it just may need the two nuts replaced and properly tightened to get you back in business.

I stumbled upon this doing research on your lathe:

http://www.craftsman.com/craftsmanclub/

It might be helpful to you.

Compared to mine, your shop is quite tidy.

Let us know what you find. I do not think you have to buy another lathe, and I think you can get this one running with minimal expense and grief.

[Manuka Jock]

Dirk ,
as Paul pointed out , acording to the diagram from your first post , the two hex nuts , parts 63 & 64 are missing .

Is that the correct diagram for your lathe ? because from looking at a few Craftsmen on the net , some appear to have a large collar instead of the hex nut .

What model do you have ?

[Sprog]

Yes, looks like the two nuts are missing.

If this is right model there is a manual for it here

http://www.managemyhome.com/mmh/lis_pdf/OWNM/L0804177.pdf