Thread: HAFCO wl-18? Should i buy?

I have a Hafco.

Check the head and tail stock line up. If it is a model with a rotating head check it stays aligned after running.

I'm sure others will chime in with more useful tips. Hopefully it comes with chisels etc.

thanks Dave will do!

I, like many other forumnites, have one.They are a great first lathe but may need tweaking to get it right. There are some posts on the forum about them, a search should find them.


The downfall is the stand, it is flimsy and need to be reinforced or like I have bolted to a bench.


Apart from the alignment of the headstock to the tailstock, make sure that the variable speed change works smoothly. This should only be done whilst the lathe is running.Also check that the toolrest and tailstock slide smoothly and that the lathe bed is
parallel.


Peter.

Thanks Peter ill keep that in mind!
Now forgive my ignorance but how does one go about checking such alignments? Is it as simple bringing the tailstock centre up to meet the drive centre and making sure they meet central to one another?
And with checking the bed for parallel i'm guessing thats pretty easy with the use of a clean, trusty straight-edge yes? Cheers, Max.

thats the first step, then draw the tail stock back 300 mm or so, put a piece of timber in the jaws on the head (if it has a scroll chuck) turn it on and the far end of the wood should turn true. you should be able to put a mark on the end that stays 'still' (centre) so to speak. if you slide the tail stock up to this point the centre of the tail stock should line up with the dot on the timber.

If you happen to be in southern NSW feb next year I'm trying to organize a wood worker get together

Oh yeah that makes sense! Anyone know what the spindle size and thread count is? i have a 1inch 8 tpi Barracuda chuck i can use to test it? Max.

P.S. Just contacted the seller and i'm going around to have a look tomorrow arvo

im not a 100% but i think mine is 1" 10

Originally Posted by DaveTTC

im not a 100% but i think mine is 1" 10

You're right. It is 1" with 10 TPI and has MT 2 at both headstock and tailstock.


I don't know if your chuck has a removable spindle insert, if so a new one to fit is readily available.


Peter.

it doesn't but i'm pretty sure ill be able to find an external adapter

Having trouble finding any kind of 1inch 10tpi female to 1 inch 8 tpi male adapter, anyone know where the best place to look is? Max.

Originally Posted by SquidLYF

Having trouble finding any kind of 1inch 10tpi female to 1 inch 8 tpi male adapter, anyone know where the best place to look is? Max.

The only way is to get one made locally by an engineering works or buy one from VERMEC. They make good quality stuff and make an spindle adaptor.

I have bought quite a bit of stuff from them and I can recommend them.

Peter.

Thanks again guys!

Originally Posted by SquidLYF

Having trouble finding any kind of 1inch 10tpi female to 1 inch 8 tpi male adapter, anyone know where the best place to look is? Max.

I tend to get mine from Jim Carroll, reliable efficient and service, incidentally Gary Pye is out of them currently.

Originally Posted by hughie

I tend to get mine from Jim Carroll, reliable efficient and service, incidentally Gary Pye is out of them currently.

Hughie, he's not looking for a chuck insert but a special type of adaptor to fit into his chuck which has an 1 " 8 TPI female thread. Probably a US or English chuck which doesn't use our standard size.

Peter.