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Thread: New Metal Lathe
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24th March 2013, 08:25 PM #1
Novice
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New Metal Lathe
I have just recently purchased a new Al 230 G (L141) lathe. Having been away from machining for many years, the first thing I noticed is they do not seem to fit saddle clamps to small machines these days. The other thing (unless I have missed something critical) is there is no adjustment to tension the drive belt. I guess a few of you (and rightly so) will say "you get what you pay for, and thats valid.
Any comments on fitting saddle clamps or other mods you may recomend- short of spending a lot of extra dosh on a top-end machine would be appreciated.
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24th March 2013 08:25 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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24th March 2013, 08:32 PM #2
Pink 10EE owner
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What do you call a "saddle clamp" If it what I assume you mean a clamp to lock the saddle, all the modern ones I have used just have a cap head bolt you put an allen key in to lock the saddle.
Light red, the colour of choice for the discerning man.
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24th March 2013, 08:41 PM #3
I break stuff...
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Further to what RC said, on your model it looks they may have used a normal bolt instead of the capscrew most got. The bolt just behind the plate showing the feed directions appears to operate a black clamp under the front way from this photo on the H&F website.
With regard to the belt tension, I can't find a photo of the belt arrangement on your lathe, but on my AL335 it's adjusted by moving the motor itself, I would be surprised if yours was any different...
700.jpg
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24th March 2013, 09:01 PM #4
What a bastard that lever is! I've lost count of the number of times I've finished a run and flicked the lever to 'off', just to see it start to cut at right angles into the workpiece because the lever has gone too far!
Yeah, the belt is tensioned by moving the motor. Lots of problems with the motor too, starter capacitor keeps blowing.
You get what you pay for.
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24th March 2013, 09:15 PM #5
Philomath in training
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BB, can you tap a couple of holes in the top of the apron and use a threaded stud to act as a stop so that the lever can not be "over flicked"? I would expect a lever like that to have a detent (ball & spring). Perhaps it is a matter of beefing up the spring a bit.
Michael
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24th March 2013, 09:38 PM #6
On my lathe, a smaller one than yours, the saddle clamp was a socket head recessed in to the saddle.
Any time you wanted to use it with an Allen key it would be full of swarf, great design, NOT.
So I took a bit of 12mm hex, threaded one end with the same thread as the socket head, now it sits on top of the saddle, no swarf and I use a spanner on it. Really should drill one side and put a bit of bar in to eliminate the spanner, one day.
Oh and I think you meant to say AL320G.
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25th March 2013, 02:26 AM #7
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25th March 2013, 03:13 AM #8
Senior Member
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I have done a number of mods to my AL320G.
1. replaced the circlips on the change gears with plates and wing nuts, makes for quick and easy gear changes.
2. replaced the saddle lock bolt with a bolt with a T head, which can be tightened without the use of tools.
3. installed stops on "that" lever, this is somewhat inconvenient so I will be doing something different when it irritates enough.
4. made and installed a belt tensioner/idler, so it is much easier to change the belt to the other pulley.
All these were simple mods. but they have made the machine much more pleasant to use.Regards
Bradford
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25th March 2013, 10:16 AM #9
Novice
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New Lathe
Thanks guys for all your help.
Found the hex head screw that should lock the saddle, however it's pretty inefective, so some adjustment required.
I didn't realize the motor mount had a slot in the top so the motor can pivot, and hence the tension adjustment.
I'm sure there will be more questions as time goes by and it's great have folk such as yourself willing to help, so thanks once again
George
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25th March 2013, 11:20 AM #10
Hi George and welcome.
Congrats on the new lathe, nothing like the feeling of new machine day
The was an article in mew (model engineers workshop) a little while back about making an over center idler for the belt tension on a machine like yours, I'll try and find it.1915 17"x50" LeBlond heavy duty Lathe, 24" Queen city shaper, 1970's G Vernier FV.3.TO Universal Mill, 1958 Blohm HFS 6 surface grinder, 1942 Rivett 715 Lathe, 14"x40" Antrac Lathe, Startrite H225 Bandsaw, 1949 Hercus Camelback Drill press, 1947 Holbrook C10 Lathe.
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25th March 2013, 12:12 PM #11
Novice
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Sand
My AL320G's top slide came with lots of casting sand
Ken
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25th March 2013, 11:56 PM #12
Kens comment reminded me you may want to read this thread....https://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/shoulda-known-153541/
The MEW i was looking for is No.186. It is on a 960b and its actually an over center quick release for the motor mount. I'll PM you George when i get a spare moment.1915 17"x50" LeBlond heavy duty Lathe, 24" Queen city shaper, 1970's G Vernier FV.3.TO Universal Mill, 1958 Blohm HFS 6 surface grinder, 1942 Rivett 715 Lathe, 14"x40" Antrac Lathe, Startrite H225 Bandsaw, 1949 Hercus Camelback Drill press, 1947 Holbrook C10 Lathe.
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26th March 2013, 10:17 AM #13
Novice
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new lathe
UEEE
Thanks for the info. Funny you have mentioned about the cleanup, as I had already intended to do just that. I thought for sure this thing is going to be full of grit, you could tell by the grime over it in general. So I think the first job will be to flush the gunk out and refil with new oil.
Their seems to be a lot of different opinion as to the best oil to use, a service gent at H&F said they run faily quite (better than normal) using car diff oil. What would your thoughts be on that suggestion?
George
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26th March 2013, 12:18 PM #14
I'm not sure on diff oil, but (and this seems to come up a lot) engine and gearbox oils are designed to keep any metal/grit particals in suspension so they are carried to the filter and filtered out. As all the machines we use don't have filters, the last thing you want is the crap recirculating through the gearbox and bearings. Hydraulic oil does not keep stuff in suspension, so it is a better choice for machines. I use nulon ISO 34 in my mill, but that's probably on the thin side for your lathe, and it will be a bit noisier. Let's face it a mill that was 70,000 franc or so in the 70's is going to have way better made gears than your lathe. You would be better with ISO 68, whether its from supercheap or a product like vactra or hyspin.
1915 17"x50" LeBlond heavy duty Lathe, 24" Queen city shaper, 1970's G Vernier FV.3.TO Universal Mill, 1958 Blohm HFS 6 surface grinder, 1942 Rivett 715 Lathe, 14"x40" Antrac Lathe, Startrite H225 Bandsaw, 1949 Hercus Camelback Drill press, 1947 Holbrook C10 Lathe.
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26th March 2013, 03:51 PM #15
Novice
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Free Gorilla Snot
Most purchasers of lathes such as mine get free foundry etc, not me, I get FREE GORILLA SNOT over the gears and splines. A putty like substance that I assume was meant to seal the cover, has liberally been applied to many of the other components. Glad I decided (with the good advice of other) to clean the darn thing up.
Gorillasnot.jpggorillasnot2.jpg
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