Thread: Graziano SAG 180

I'd appreciate opinions on this headstock noise please. See attachment.

Is the noise there through the speed range.
Was there any feed or leadscrew engaged.
Does the Clutch need adjusting.

Sounds normal to me.. Disengage the feed and see if it makes it any quieter...

+1 for normal. Sounds just like a Mazak that I auditioned once.

Greg

That's with feed disengaged. And yes it did get quieter when I did that. Same in all speeds, except it gets louder and higher pitched with increasing speed. Yes the clutch needs adjusting but I don't think that's involved in the noise.

Everything looks good under the hood. The oil level was down, but it was still pumping cos I could see it squirting out here & there. I topped it up with motor oil just to see if it made it quieter. Not really. Correct spindle oil is on order.

So my Gamets are ok then? Cos if they're not, I need to start proceedings for a refund because I ain't paying three and a half grand to replace them. Do not adjust your set. That is what these spindle bearings cost.

I have no experience with this brand lathe at all so my opinion might be completely wrong, but when I listened to the video it sounded like noisy spindle bearings to me.
Going by Greg and RC's response it sounds like they think it's normal.

$3500 for bearings would make me want to be sure as well.

Dave

Sounds pretty much like a friends's one, been a while though, so memory mightn't be the best.

I'm aware the Sag 180 differs from it's big and small brother in the gearbox - both of those normally have an oil change interval of 400hrs for the box v 1200hrs for the other areas of the machine.

On those at least, you've got to watch out for carbon build up, which loves to plug the drillings in the shafts.....that in turn, feed all the bearings.....a lot are unavailable, some special order.

Just something that may or may not be applicable to yours, possibly worth mentioning.

If that's the risk factor then you need an opinion from someone who runs a Graziano. I'd be asking on the European lathes section at Practical Machinist - Largest Manufacturing Technology Forum on the Web.

The 600 Group is the dealer for Gamet bearings here. They may be available cheaper elsewhere if needed. Not cheap mind you.

Also, I'm wondering about the noise from those straight cut gears-that must be a component of the total noise.

Greg

Is there a way to put it into neutral with no gears engaged?
If so you could mount a pulley on a shaft in the chuck and run it off another small electric motor to see if it is the bearings making a noise.

Dave

Hi Bryan,

I'm no expert on gearbox noise by any means, but square cut gears are always noisy, that said, I couldn't hear any clunking or funny screeching type noise, but I'd check all the lubrication anyway and run it for a while to let the bearings and gears settle down, and then go around and check bearing temperatures.

You might also check the clearances between the gears to ensure they are meshing correctly and smoothly, Pipeclay might be you best bet for advice on checking that.

Regards
Ray

Have you listened to the bearings with either a screw driver or doctors thing (cant spell it).

stethoscope.I can't spell I just use google

I would just use it myself..... Chuck up some steel and start cutting it...

OK thanks guys. Being used to a belt drive lathe this thing sounds infernal to me. If it really is normal - I'm not sure if I want it to be or not - then I may be wearing earmuffs while turning.

Greg is right, the best advice will come from other owners of this particular lathe (and I've now posted in that forum) but all of your opinions are valuable all the same. I'm sure the gears are contributing but how much I don't know. Dave's idea of isolating the spindle is worth trying for sure. I don't think there's a neutral as such, but I reckon I found a few false neutrals while fishing around. And I'll try the old screwdriver-stethoscope trick too.

Meanwhile, here's a few pics of the unloading. I didn't get any of it being loaded with the the seller's Hiab as I ran out of hands. Getting it off was no picnic. I had to drag it nearly off the end of the trailer then crab it because I couldn't reach the balance point.