Thread: Lathe - heating

Refresh my memory, have you got the original motor, or the variable speed replacement?

I know my variable speed motor gets hotter than my original when used continuously. Ensure you keep shavings clear of motor to maintain clear space for ventilation at all times.

Greg, mine gets hot as well, I just put it down to the friction from the drive belt on the two pulleys and the fact the the pulley assembly is enclosed. So far I have had no adverse experiences due to excess heat.

Kev

Sorry I can not help, but I have same lathe and have never had a problem.

It's the original motor. Maybe its par for the course. I might try and run a fan near it just to keep it cooler. However, nothing adverse has happened except the heat.

Hi Greg,
I have a small Ledacraft Lathe, & I open the 2 windows & let the air in, & I think you all have the Belt to tight. My Lathe never ever gets hot & it runs on top speed all the time I'm Turning.
Slacken the Belt a Little & see what happens.

I will look at the belt tension, thanks. With the Woodfast its normally a matter of just letting the engine weight take up the belt tension when changing the rpm pulleys.

Check the head stock pully bearing...drop the belt and see if the head stock shaft turns freely, it should spin very very easily.
If it dosent, loosen the set screws (grub screws)on the handle and and see if it is not binding a little against the bearing face.
If thats good, check and see if the headstock pulley is not rubbing.
They should have a few thousandths clearance between the pulley and the bearing, and the handle and the other bearing, close but NOT touching.
Use a business car as a "feeler gauge", it should fit between the parts with a little friction when you slide it inbetween the two.
The handle holds it all together, remove that and losen the pulley grub screws and you can drive the shaft out...the tiny bit of play in or out in the shaft is normal, the shaft should "float" just a little.
We sell the Rikon, (WoodFast there) and have had two come back for the same complaint, hot head stocks.

When I checked them, the pulley was butted up against the race on the inner headstock bearing, and binding just enough to get the headstock hot, and making the motor work harder too boot.
And while your at it, check and make sure the belt pulleys are in line, you alread said you dont put that much tension on the belt, but if the pulleys are out of alignment they can make a lot of heat.

Hi Greg,

The club I belong to has three of the Woodfast Midis, all about a year old.

We had two of them running last night for an hour and a half. The motors were so hot you could not touch them but the head stock was just warm to the touch.

Michael

Greg my one gets hot on the head stock also (a bit like SWMBO) but haven't notice the motor heating up. I will have a look at it on the weekend.

Greg to mens shed that I am a member of has a woodfast midi lathe also and I noticed a few weeks ago that it seems to also run very warm. this won't help you solve your problem but at least you know that it is not just happening to you.


Cheers Ian

Hey Greg, mine is exactly the same. The heat seems to be 'par for the course' with these lathes. Mine has not missed a beat in 3 years of pen turning.