What am i doing wrong with my new lathe?

snipershot

snipershot

Go ahead.....run for it.
Silver Member
I got a new lathe this week, and I'm hoping its my own ignorance, but it just ain't workin very well. I can't get the plate where the tool post attatches to be smooth and solid. I've had 3 people try to tune it in, but it just won't work. There's either a ton of slop, or its so tight it won't hardly move left or right. Its also very jerky, like its binding up or something? Obviously, I can't use it like this for any cue work, so I just tried to make some collets out of some white delrin, and the motor kept shutting off?? Id wait for a second, and I could hear the little breaker on the power supply click, and I could use it again for maybe 30 seconds before it would trip again. Finally, it just got hot, and wouldn't trip at all, so either it burned up, or I gotta wait even longer, both of which do me no good at all. Any suggestions?

Joe
 
Never had a problem like that Joe but I keep my bed and cross slide lubed up.
You might get a can of white lithium grease and give the slide and plate a small shot and work the slide back and forth a bit.
 
We have no clue what lathe you have and what tool holder.
Is it a Clausing 13 by 40 with an Aloris tool holding set ?
 
Last edited:
Blue Hog ridr said:
Never had a problem like that Joe but I keep my bed and cross slide lubed up.
You might get a can of white lithium grease and give the slide and plate a small shot and work the slide back and forth a bit.
Click to expand...

I don't think that'll help his electrical problem.
 
It's just a suggestion, but why don't you contact the people you purchased the lathe from? Perhaps they could help you. Just an idea...
 
Electical Issues

From what I have read, I think his electrical issues are a direct result of something mechanical being in a bind or just off. Most of your large electrical motors have a device installed in them know as thermal couplers. These pull in when the motor is drawing too many amps, aka, getting too hot. They will act like a breaker or fuse which protects the motor from melting down or burning up. Sounds to me the motor is working too hard and as a result, shutting itself down, cooling off, and starting up again.
 
tsp&b said:
It's just a suggestion, but why don't you contact the people you purchased the lathe from? Perhaps they could help you. Just an idea...
Click to expand...

I am going to do that monday. I just wanted to make sure I wasnt doing something wrong, or maybe there was something I forgot to do, or if there was a part missing or something like that.

Joe
 
SC02GTP said:
From what I have read, I think his electrical issues are a direct result of something mechanical being in a bind or just off. Most of your large electrical motors have a device installed in them know as thermal couplers. These pull in when the motor is drawing too many amps, aka, getting too hot. They will act like a breaker or fuse which protects the motor from melting down or burning up. Sounds to me the motor is working too hard and as a result, shutting itself down, cooling off, and starting up again.
Click to expand...

The motor and power supply are two seperate units, and the motor hasnt even gotten warm. Its the power supply that gets hot. Its weird, lol.

Joe
 
problem with new lathe

snipershot said:
I got a new lathe this week, and I'm hoping its my own ignorance, but it just ain't workin very well. I can't get the plate where the tool post attatches to be smooth and solid. I've had 3 people try to tune it in, but it just won't work. There's either a ton of slop, or its so tight it won't hardly move left or right. Its also very jerky, like its binding up or something? Obviously, I can't use it like this for any cue work, so I just tried to make some collets out of some white delrin, and the motor kept shutting off?? Id wait for a second, and I could hear the little breaker on the power supply click, and I could use it again for maybe 30 seconds before it would trip again. Finally, it just got hot, and wouldn't trip at all, so either it burned up, or I gotta wait even longer, both of which do me no good at all. Any suggestions?

Joe
Click to expand...
Why haven't you asked the man that made it. Most of them are very helpful and willing to talk to you.
 
JerseyBill said:
Why haven't you asked the man that made it. Most of them are very helpful and willing to talk to you.
Click to expand...

Mostly because I wasn't sure if I was doing something wrong, and second, I really didn't wanna bug him on fathers day weekend. I plan on calling tomorrow. I got pics, I will post them later tonight.

Joe
 
Here's some pics of my lathe.

Joe
 

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Small lathes, need really sharp tools, and light cuts compared to an industrial engineers lathes.
I can't see the style and type of tools you are using or the geometry of what you are using.
The headstock should run fairly smooth to turn the spindle by hand. If not something is causing a bind some where. It could be as simple as the drive belt too tight.
Check that the motor runs fine when not connected to the headstock spindle to eliminate that side of things.
I recently came across a new pc power supply that was no good. It had a faulty something, as the pc seemed to work ok and then would just shut down. The thermal overload kept tripping as it turned out.The replacement new one has been fine.
 
snipershot said:
I got a new lathe this week, and I'm hoping its my own ignorance, but it just ain't workin very well. I can't get the plate where the tool post attatches to be smooth and solid. I've had 3 people try to tune it in, but it just won't work. There's either a ton of slop, or its so tight it won't hardly move left or right. Its also very jerky, like its binding up or something? Obviously, I can't use it like this for any cue work, so I just tried to make some collets out of some white delrin, and the motor kept shutting off?? Id wait for a second, and I could hear the little breaker on the power supply click, and I could use it again for maybe 30 seconds before it would trip again. Finally, it just got hot, and wouldn't trip at all, so either it burned up, or I gotta wait even longer, both of which do me no good at all. Any suggestions?

Joe
Click to expand...

Ok the part you are refering to is the crosslide.. What you need to do is adjust your crosslide gib. There are 3 small set screws in the side of the crosslide. Sence the middle screw is normally used to lock the crosslide the easiest way to adjust it is loosen the two outer screws on the crosslide. Then tighten the middle screw until you get the amount of that you want your crosslide to have. Then tighten the two outer screws until they are touching the gib.. Now loosen the middle set screw..
 
JBCustomCues said:
Ok the part you are refering to is the crosslide.. What you need to do is adjust your crosslide gib. There are 3 small set screws in the side of the crosslide. Sence the middle screw is normally used to lock the crosslide the easiest way to adjust it is loosen the two outer screws on the crosslide. Then tighten the middle screw until you get the amount of that you want your crosslide to have. Then tighten the two outer screws until they are touching the gib.. Now loosen the middle set screw..
Click to expand...

I have a friend who. Was a toolmaker for 30 plus years come over Friday night and he adjusted the gib for 20 minutes and he couldn't get it to work right. He adjusted those set screws over and over, and it was the same result as mine. It would either be so tight it wouldn't move freely, or it would move and there was an intolerable amount of slop in it.

Joe
 
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