Thread: New member, new lathe

Originally Posted by new_guy90

when you do want to get some stock to play with look around for scrap like old printers have a few stainless rods that are good you never know where you will fined something so keep your eyes out oh brass is very fun to machine and great to learn on but cost a bit to buy

oh don't pay to much for HSS take a walk down to your local engineering shop and see if they have any old tools or broken taps you could have and while your at it any small scrap round or hex steel, brass or aluminum. most of the time they will be happy to help you out if you take some beer with you

have fun

Thanks I'll keep that in mind.

The pin when out should measure 1/2" from the face of the Bull Gear to the inside edge of the head of the pin.
Its not hard to remove the spindle of a Plain bearing Hercus (about 1/2Hr or less),yours being a Roller bearing type may take a little longer.
Ken on this forum has an AR and I think he has pulled his apart so he maybe able to advise.
If you are Mechanically minded you should be able to work it out.
You will have to remove the bearing retainer plates on both ends or at least at the chuck end other wise you will not be able to get the spindle out,you may also have to make up a puller of some sorts to remove the spindle if it is overly tight and wont budge with a bit of a hit(use a bit of hardwood or similar to protect the change gear end of the spindle when hitting).
If you do go as far as removing the spindle it would be a good option to replace the bearings if they show any sign of wear at all(you would probably find them expensive to replace with the original type that are in there) there precision class but the same type of tapered roller in a less precision type should give you no problem.
Would also suggest that you contact who you purchased the lathe from and ask if they had problems with using the back gear,just hope that this machine wasnt just cleaned and painted to look nice with underlying problems.

Originally Posted by pipeclay

The pin when out should measure 1/2" from the face of the Bull Gear to the inside edge of the head of the pin.
Its not hard to remove the spindle of a Plain bearing Hercus (about 1/2Hr or less),yours being a Roller bearing type may take a little longer.
Ken on this forum has an AR and I think he has pulled his apart so he maybe able to advise.
If you are Mechanically minded you should be able to work it out.
You will have to remove the bearing retainer plates on both ends or at least at the chuck end other wise you will not be able to get the spindle out,you may also have to make up a puller of some sorts to remove the spindle if it is overly tight and wont budge with a bit of a hit(use a bit of hardwood or similar to protect the change gear end of the spindle when hitting).
If you do go as far as removing the spindle it would be a good option to replace the bearings if they show any sign of wear at all(you would probably find them expensive to replace with the original type that are in there) there precision class but the same type of tapered roller in a less precision type should give you no problem.
Would also suggest that you contact who you purchased the lathe from and ask if they had problems with using the back gear,just hope that this machine wasnt just cleaned and painted to look nice with underlying problems.

Thanks. I know the previous owner never really used it.

What is or where is the GAP that you refer to on HSM.

Originally Posted by pipeclay

What is or where is the GAP that you refer to on HSM.

There is a slight gap inbetween the bull gear and the v-belt pulley right where the "pin" locks the two together.

If you can see the pin you should be able to see the retaining pin or part there of, if you can get to the spring see if you can lift it clear of the little groove that it rides in,it is this spring in this groove which locks the drive pin in place and stops it falling out,you may be able to move the pin out further if you can lift the spring.
If the spring dosent look like a made item but more like a repair wire this could possably be your problem.

Originally Posted by pipeclay

If you can see the pin you should be able to see the retaining pin or part there of, if you can get to the spring see if you can lift it clear of the little groove that it rides in,it is this spring in this groove which locks the drive pin in place and stops it falling out,you may be able to move the pin out further if you can lift the spring.
If the spring dosent look like a made item but more like a repair wire this could possably be your problem.

I pulled the spring/wire right out, and the pin still wouldn't come all the way out. I only had a couple of minutes to mess with it, tomorrow hopefully I'll get it out. I suspect its never been out. Its does move, just not all the way??? GRRR I'll get it.

Ok, I got the pin all the way out. But it still doesn't release. I noticed there is a hole in the pulley's, which I assume a set screw goes there, (there isn't one) like previously mentioned, that lubes the bearings, I squirted some ATF in there see what happens over night. If not? What to do, didn't really want to have to pull this thing apart. We'll see.

That hole in the pulleys dosent lube the bearings,it only supplies oil to the spindle beneath the drive pulley.
If you have removed the pin andyou cant rotate the drive pulley and the Bull Gear seperately you have a problem.
If your penerterene dosent work you will have to at least part dissaseble the spindle to try and loosen it up.
If it only has a small amount of surface rust locking it you may be able to put something in your chuck,a round or square bit of material with a piece welded to it at 90 degrees,long enough so that the bent piece will rest on the bed,then you will be able to devise some method of griping your drive pulley and trying to turn it to free it up,if this still dosent work you will have to strip the spindle.
The only key on the spindle shaft is located in the Bull Gear.
The worst that you should do by gripping the pulley and applying force is mark the pulley,if you are concerned about marking the ways put some form of protection between the bent section and the bed.
Make sure that the chuck jaws are tight on what ever you are gripping otherwise it will slip.

Originally Posted by pipeclay

That hole in the pulleys dosent lube the bearings,it only supplies oil to the spindle beneath the drive pulley.
If you have removed the pin andyou cant rotate the drive pulley and the Bull Gear seperately you have a problem.
If your penerterene dosent work you will have to at least part dissaseble the spindle to try and loosen it up.
If it only has a small amount of surface rust locking it you may be able to put something in your chuck,a round or square bit of material with a piece welded to it at 90 degrees,long enough so that the bent piece will rest on the bed,then you will be able to devise some method of griping your drive pulley and trying to turn it to free it up,if this still dosent work you will have to strip the spindle.
The only key on the spindle shaft is located in the Bull Gear.
The worst that you should do by gripping the pulley and applying force is mark the pulley,if you are concerned about marking the ways put some form of protection between the bent section and the bed.
Make sure that the chuck jaws are tight on what ever you are gripping otherwise it will slip.

Cool, thanks. I'll keep feeding a little oil in there today, and try that later. Hopefully it works.

Ok, I just went and chucked a piece of pipe on the jaws sideways, put a rag on the pulley and grabbed it with some water pump pliers and it broke free fairly easily, but its stiff to turn, so is that hole in the pulley's where you lube that part? Any other way I can get some lube in there?

Many thanks.

Will

The hole in the pulley allows you to only lube the spindle bellow the pulley,the only other way to lube it is to strip clean and replace.
Can you now rotate the 2 items seperately and were you able to engage Back Gear.
Dont for get to replace the retainer spring in the Bull Gear when you have finished checking.
Were you able to see a reason why the Bull Gear Pin would of been hard to remove.

Originally Posted by pipeclay

The hole in the pulley allows you to only lube the spindle bellow the pulley,the only other way to lube it is to strip clean and replace.
Can you now rotate the 2 items seperately and were you able to engage Back Gear.
Dont for get to replace the retainer spring in the Bull Gear when you have finished checking.
Were you able to see a reason why the Bull Gear Pin would of been hard to remove.

Yes I can now turn them separately, but it is stiff a little, how easy should they turn? I haven't tried to engage the back gear yet with it running.

Just went and looked at it again, and its too stiff. I can only turn it with big pliers, so I squirted a little more oil down the hole.