It's been a few years since I did mine, I don't remember it taking heroic measures to get it off. Then again, I routinely use long armed hex keys & I don't hesitate to smack the end of the key with a bronze hammer to help loosen things up.
Roy
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "newmachineshop" <dieselm@...> wrote:
Actually, after I took the back cover off, electronics cover off, rear gears off and lead screw off, just to adjust the belt, all I had left to do was to take out the 3 screws that hold the headstock off. I read those 3 screws are really tight and need a leverage bar so I decided to pass on that for now. That idea to spray some white grease in the holes sounds like a good idea to me.
--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "Roy" <roylowenthal@> wrote:
Taking the headstock off looks like it would be harder than it actually is!
Roy
--- In 7x12minilathe@..., "newmachineshop" <dieselm@> wrote:
I just tried it and moved the hi-low lever all the way to lo while turning the spindle by hand so the teeth engaged. Ran it very low speed on the speed dial just to when I heard the clicking/thunking noise. When I hear the thunk, I can see the drive belt flex. Turned off the unit, changed the hi-lo lever to high and started it up again, and it's much louder. I don't think this will break in. I'm not looking forward to taking the entire headstock off.
Thanks
--- In 7x12minilathe@..., gerry waclawiak <gerrywac@> wrote:
There is no detent to hold the lever in position so when you change gear you need to make sure that the lever moves fully left or right.
You are right in not trying to change gear whilst the lathe is running, that could lead to breaking the gears.
The best way to change and ensure full movement is to rotate the chuck slowly by hand in the normal direction whilst changing the lever and it should move fully one way or the other
The noise is possibly that the gears are new and not run in. Most lathes have plastic gears but some have metal which are naturally noiser.
I would suggest that provided nothing is locking or grinding that you run the lathe for a while to give the gears a chance to mesh and run in and things should improve.
You might also like to check the positioning of the lever for the auto feed. Often the detent positions for that lever (dimples in the headstock casting) are poorly defined and the change gears might be rubbing slightly.
If there is something else in the speed change mechanism it is really a head off job.
Gerry W
Leeds UK
If this doesn't work it is realy
To: 7x12minilathe@...
From: dieselm@
Date: Sun, 19 May 2013 13:37:56 +0000
Subject: [7x12minilathe] Spindle Lopes and Clicks when Rotating
Hello,
First, I'd like to thank everyone that has answered my questions!!
I've run into my first problem with the HF 7x12 Mini-lathe. When I rotate the spindle/chuck it doesn't always rotate smooth. I can feel high spots or loping. After rotating it for awhile by hand, it seemed to get smooth. I took the cover off the threading/power feed gear area. I have the spindle direction lever in neutral so the gears aren't engaged. I tried running the unit for a couple seconds and I hear a clicking noise so shut it off. The HI-LOW lever seems to stop in different positions. NO, I didn't try to change it while running. Sometimes the lever moves all the way towards the tailstock and touches the housing and sometimes it stops an inch short of it. Moving it either way doesn't make the spindle rotate smooth.
Any ideas what I need to look at or do I need to take the entire headstock off to access the hi-low system? I don't see anyway to access that lever.
Thanks
