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Not good

Garno

Garno

Fellow
Joined
May 12, 2021
Posts
1,372
Location
Dronfield
First Name
Gary
I turned a Celtic twist pen today using callipers to size it as I did not have the bushes for it.

I actually like the turn, size is spot on.

My problem is with the lathe, I had it on the highest speed with the 5 pulleys and I noticed that one side, on one end of the blank, sticks out.
When you look at the blank (through the tube) 1 end is spot on whilst the other end is fine on one side but over a mm thicker on the other.

When I have changed the speed previously I noticed that when on the slowest speed (first pulley) the belt starts to work its way off, It seems fine on pulley 2,3 and 4 and I am wondering if something may be happening with pulley 5.

If I put the speed on the middle pulley (3) would I be able to do both pens and bowls without any problems?
Is there a way I can fix the lathe myself without needing an engineers degree?

I am well and truly gutted :sob::sob::sob:
 
Geoff Kent

Geoff Kent

Graduate Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2021
Posts
496
Location
Westcliff on Sea,Essex.
First Name
GEOFF
Post some pics of your problem,I am sure someone here will be able to help.To me it sounds like your blank/tube is not mounted true.If you are not using bushes are you using cones on a mandrel.Check for sloppy fit etc.
Try checking the head and tailstock alignment using the "kiss" test.What you do is put a centre in both head and tailstock and bring them together.If both points "kiss" each other all is true.If not then one or the other is misaligned and adjustment is reqd.
 
Garno

Garno

Fellow
Joined
May 12, 2021
Posts
1,372
Location
Dronfield
First Name
Gary
I have done a "kiss" test and managed to get mixed results.

When I moved the tailstock up to meet the headstock I noticed there was a slight rocking with the tailstock. If I tightened it up then the tailstock centre was misaligned and was closer to me than the headstock.
If you were looking down on it with the tailstock to the rear when joining them together the tailstock went to the left hand side when tightened.
However if I put a small amount of pressure pushing the front of the tailstock away from me, tightened it up, then it passed the "kiss" test, it was absolutely perfect.

I have looked at the mandrel and have put it on a flat board and it does appear to be true.

As for the cones that may be the cause but I am certain they were lined up correctly, but I will hold my hands up and say I can not rule them out totally, I think from now on I will only turn pens that I have bushes for, at least until I become more experienced.

The image shows the pen slightly askew, that only happened this morning as I was going to dismantle and redo the blank, then I thought I would alter the blank to disguise the error and put dimples all over it, like a golf ball, Then I went for my flu jab and forgot to straighten it all back up before taking the photo. On the image you will notice it has an overhang on the left hand side and a recess on the right. So far any/all my problems with the actual turning of a pen have occurred when the pulleys are numbers 1 or 5 so maybe if I stick only to numbers 2,3 and 4. Pulley speed goes from 500 (Pulley 1) to 3200 (Pully 5)

IMGP0721_edited.jpg
 
wm460

wm460

Grand Master
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
Posts
23,113
Location
Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia.
First Name
Mark
Is your head stock able to swivel like this?

https://images.t4i.com.au/products/W384/375/10_Swivel-Headstock.jpg

The first lathe I bought did this, It only had a tiny 3/8" bolt to hold the headstock with a 2hp motor in position, which it didn't, a lot of modifications it sovled to problems when making pens but if I tried to turn a out of round chunk of wood for a bowl it would move and I would have to go through the whole rigmarole again to set it up again to turn a pen.

I ended up so p155ed off with it, I sold it and bought a VL300 problem solved.:thumbs:
 
Garno

Garno

Fellow
Joined
May 12, 2021
Posts
1,372
Location
Dronfield
First Name
Gary
wm460 said:
Is your head stock able to swivel like this?

https://images.t4i.com.au/products/W384/375/10_Swivel-Headstock.jpg

The first lathe I bought did this, It only had a tiny 3/8" bolt to hold the headstock with a 2hp motor in position, which it didn't, a lot of modifications it sovled to problems when making pens but if I tried to turn a out of round chunk of wood for a bowl it would move and I would have to go through the whole rigmarole again to set it up again to turn a pen.

I ended up so p155ed off with it, I sold it and bought a VL300 problem solved.:thumbs:
Click to expand...

No, It's a static headstock :sob:
 
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