Repair or Scrap Lathe?

**Brisruss** · 25th January 2012, 09:12 PM

I picked up a Delta 46-715 lathe off Ebay recently mainly for the Banjo and tool post and Steady. These were worth what I paid for the lathe.

When I pulled it down all that is wrong with it is both of the reeves pulleys have fallen apart. These are apparently not available from Delta anymore.

Has anyone tried to upgrade such a machine and how did you go about it?

The motor has a 5/8"" shaft and the spindle is 24 mm. Odd combination but that is the closest I can get.

Failing that if anyone needs any parts let me know. Tailstock, Bed, Speed change mechanism and spindle all seem OK. Motor is a 1/2 HP which also seems OK. Stand is flimsy but would be OK at a pinch.

Cheers,
Russ

**Paul39** · 26th January 2012, 03:59 AM

Two identical 4 step pulleys, one for the motor and one for the spindle will make a 4 speed lathe.

It may take making a sleeve for the motor pulley, boring out the spindle pulley, turning down the spindle, or any or all of the above to make it work.

Another way, is to find a used 3 phase motor and put a variable frequency drive on it.

Calculating the cost of the above options vs buying a new lathe will let you know how to proceed.

If the Reeves drive can be made to work in one position you might want to use it as a second lathe for roughing, or finishing.

Sometimes a second lathe set up with a big faceplate and medium density fiberboard for finishing the bottoms of bowls is handy.

There are people on this forum who work with metal as well as wood, so you can find help.

**Paul39** · 26th January 2012, 04:05 AM

This might help:

Delta 46-715 Parts List and Diagram - Type 1 : eReplacementParts.com

Alternate Sources for Delta 46-715 Lathe Parts | Fine Woodworking Knots

https://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp...w=1143&bih=698

**joe greiner** · 26th January 2012, 11:35 PM

What Paul said.

But what exactly is the nature of the "pulleys have fallen apart?"

Cheers,
Joe

**Brisruss** · 27th January 2012, 10:07 AM

Hi Joe,
The parts of the pulleys have totally disintegrated. Only one half of the two pulleys remains intact.

Russ

**Fuzzie** · 27th January 2012, 10:20 AM

Russ,

I picked these up last year in the US for a Harbor Freight lathe with 1" spindle (still available ). They didn't fit my old MC900 due to the shoulder thickness issue. The Delta looks like another clone of the MC900 and Carbatec carry the pulley sets but they only sell them in pairs. Check the thrust block yoke on your machine and see if these might fit.

My thread on replacing the pulleys is https://www.woodworkforums.com/f155/j...juster-140083/

**marcvz** · 3rd April 2012, 12:47 PM

Hi Mate,

I believe you may be in luck if you contact hare and forbes

If you are talking about intermeshing pulleys for a manual variable speed rather than just the 5 or 6 step pulleys you should ask for replacement pulleys for the hafco WL-18 wood lathe. They have two bore sizes and one of which is 24mm.

I have recently replaced the fragile pulleys on my lathe and its working like a charm. $52 each set of pulleys one for the headstock and one for the motor.

Hope this helps in any way

Regards,
Marc

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