Do I have a gear going south?

[websterz]

I just finished a top to bottom teardown of my 7x12, shimming, checking, re-checking, testing, everything was juuuuust right. I decided to finally make the new hand wheels I have been planning and when I started facing off a piece of 3" 6061 the popping started in my headstock. I am afraid I have a gear going out. I didn't inspect them when I had the headstock off last week, just a cursory check for chips, a dab of white lithium, and I put it back together. I am wondering about the ups and downs of replacing the plastic gear with metal. Anyone done it? And, if I am going to all the trouble to replace the main gear I might as well do a bearing job while I'm at it, right? I have not had any bearing related issues yet but appreciate the benefits of converting to tapered roller bearings. Should I just bite the bullet and do it?

[Darren]

Been there, done that....just do it.....it's not hard any of it.....

[websterz]

Been there, done that....just do it.....it's not hard any of it.....

I wasn't too worried about the difficulty level. I have had both my machines torn down to nuts and bolts several times and I am quite comfortable tearing into them.  Guess I will order the parts from LMS and plan on another tear down next week.  Anything else I should replace besides the spindle gear and bearings while I am in there? I have already:

Installed tapered saddle gibs
Made new ali-bronze gibs for crossfeed and compound
Made a new tailstock base with set-over adjustment
Installed a tailstock Cam Lock
Relocated the control box
Upgraded to a 350 watt controller
Upgraded to a 4" 3 jaw chuck

Any suggestions?

 

[Darren]

There's not that much in the headstock you could change/improve...sounds like you've been pretty busy with the rest of it....

[Richard48]

Before you tear the head off of your lathe have a look at the drive belt. If it is lose or in bad shape if can make a popping sound that will sound as if it is coming from inside of the head.

Had the same thing happened too my some time back.

Good luck.
Richard

[websterz]

Before you tear the head off of your lathe have a look at the drive belt. If it is lose or in bad shape if can make a popping sound that will sound as if it is coming from inside of the head.

Had the same thing happened too my some time back.

Good luck.
Richard

Good idea. Since I have had the motor off it is possible the belt may be a bit loose.

One way or the other the lathe is getting metal gears...I just ordered a set from Micro-Mark on sale for $70 delivered with the tools to change it all out.   

[Darren]

Blimey, that was cheap...they sure have come down in price....

[ozzie46]

  Tapered Spindle bearings.

  I hear they greatly improve facing cuts and maybe parting off operations.

   May I ask, on a scale of 1 to 10, how much have the various gib mods improved the lathe? I have a 7x12.
 
   Ron

[websterz]

  Tapered Spindle bearings.

  I hear they greatly improve facing cuts and maybe parting off operations.

   May I ask, on a scale of 1 to 10, how much have the various gib mods improved the lathe? I have a 7x12.
 
   Ron

In all seriousness I rate the tapered saddle gibs a 10, no question about it! They took about 4 hours to get right and were worth ever second in terms of stability, rigidity, and improved performance of the lathe. It was like having a different machine when I was done. The other gibs, which are the same style as the original iron gibs they replaced, I would rate a 6 or 7. They are more uniform in feel, reducing the tight spots when moving the crossfeed or compound, and have an overall smoother feel, but were not in the same league with the tapered gibs as far as improved performance overall. Still they were worth doing.

[ozzie46]

  Thanks for that Websterz,

I will be doing them then when I get done with my current project. I really hate the way the cross slide and compound behave and I'm always readjusting the carriage it seems.

  Ron

[bogstandard]

Ozzie,

When I fixed Darrens lathe (there is a post about it somewhere), by the time the tapered saddle gibs were done, it was like a different machine.

It took me so long to do because of the condition of every casting on the machine, but as Websterz has said, normally it is a straight forwards and fairly easy job to do. So if you do read my post, don't think that yours will be such a nightmare, that one was the exception.

Bogs

[websterz]

Before you tear the head off of your lathe have a look at the drive belt. If it is lose or in bad shape if can make a popping sound that will sound as if it is coming from inside of the head.

Had the same thing happened too my some time back.

Good luck.
Richard

Guess what...

The belt was loose.  Oh well, I have the gears and bearings coming in already.

[ozzie46]

  Bogs,

 I have read the "fixxin Darrens Lathe " post and found it to be very educational if not a little intimidating as I don't have a briggy or briggy clone to mill the bed casting. This was before you posted the inverted fly cutter idea. Neat trick! 

 Having said that I don't think mine is as bad as Darrens.  I don't believe it needs milling. It is pretty smooth along the ways but it keeps getting loose very quickly. I am thinking that the tapered gibs might solve that. Am I right? Trying to adjust those mickey mouse gibs is a real pain.

  Ron

[websterz]

Check the thickness of your ways with a micrometer ozzie. When I did mine I checked every half inch, on both sides of the center, the whole length of the bed. Write the measurements right on the ways with a Sharpie as you go. My lathe had less than .001" variance. I ran a file lightly along the underside to smooth the paint a bit and was good to go. If you don't have any really high or low spots then the tapered gibs will work out great for you!


Todd

[ozzie46]

 Will do Web

  Ron

[28ten]

  Bogs,

 I have read the "fixxin Darrens Lathe " post and found it to be very educational if not a little intimidating as I don't have a briggy or briggy clone to mill the bed casting. This was before you posted the inverted fly cutter idea. Neat trick! 

 Having said that I don't think mine is as bad as Darrens.  I don't believe it needs milling. It is pretty smooth along the ways but it keeps getting loose very quickly. I am thinking that the tapered gibs might solve that. Am I right? Trying to adjust those mickey mouse gibs is a real pain.

  Ron

Bogs worked his magic on the beds of my mini lathe, which was not as bad as Darrens but it has still made a difference, so if you can get it done it is worthwhile.