Hi all. I'm taking the headstock bearings out to check them and clean them if they're ok, if not replace them. Before i get carried away and ruin some bearings or better yet, the spindle. Is there anything else I need to do to get the spindle out? I've taken all covers off and lockrings. It looks li...

Hi all, You may have noticed that Alan has quite kindly uploaded a lot of technical drawings. It must have taken a long time to do that! so thanks very much Alan! I thought it might be handy to have all the drawings together and the correct way round so that i'm not squinting at the screen with my h...

Oh it's been such a long time! Thought i'd give an update whilst i was browsing about on the forums. I have since started working in a machine shop as a trainee (strange to change career at 28 years old!) so i've since learned a good few things. I have had a little bit of fun with my lathe and i've ...

Been a while but here i am again. i've moved my pulleys back to where they were (but a bit more aligned than before!) and tensioned the drive belt a bit better. I've had a little play turning some Aluminium and it's came out quite well. Not really tried steel much yet, but when i have it's came out ...

Thought i'd keep you updated. I took the motor out and the mount plate. drilled the mount plate for re-locating the motor and put it all back together. Everything lined up perfectly and now the belt is loose on some pulleys and too tight on others. Doesn't look like the engine is at an angle, but i'...

that looks different to mine...and i have random holes in the floor of the cabinet. I fear it may have been altered slightly.

Thanks all!
Thanks for the pdf's, but unfortunately the bottom of the cabinet is welded in place. So no easy way for me to do it, which is a pain. I shall keep you informed of how i get it done.

Just to keep you updated on my lathe, i have drilled and tapped an M4 hole for a grub screw on the gear selector arm and that appears to be helping me be able to keep the gears in selection. I have also filled the gearbox back up with 32 grade hydraulic fluid as recommended....by someone...somewhere...

So! i emptied all the old oil out of the gearbox and made a lovely mess doing so. Who designed the drain bolt to be so inaccessible eh? Anyway. I was quite pleasantly surprised when i opened up the gearbox and found nothing obviously wrong. I did however find the problem when i was putting everythin...

Had a little peak in at the motor today to see if i could sort the issue of the pulley, pulling itself off the motor. Gave parts of it a good clean and put it back together and then changed the tension on the belt. It now seems to be much better. Only, now i've realised that (since i've had it) it's...

Thanks very much folks! Just ordered a couple of different types of turning tools that i have more experience of using, rather than the brazed ones i currently have. going to get a quick release tool post too, will make things a bit more familiar and easier to set the tool heights etc. I'll let you ...

I've been playing with my lathe over the past couple of days and been trying to turn some 2 1/2" EN8 bar. not going so well. i'm getting lovely lines all over the job. My mate who runs the machine shop tell me that my headstock bearings are more than likely gone. he asked me to check a few things an...

thanks dazz! hopefully i don't find anything disturbing in there...although i have a sneaking suspicion that i will.

Thanks for the reply!
I think i might have to get in and have a look at the gear box. must be something wrong in there as it doesn't seem to work on some settings.
I think i'll go and annoy my mate (again!) about what i should be using on it etc.

Hi all, i thought i'd introduce myself and my lathe and follow up with a couple of questions. I decided to start a custom motorcycle building company, but i decided that i'd try make a few things as a hobby to find out what i needed to learn before making it into a proper business. So, i bought myse...