matt_southward
Established Member
Andy & CHJ - many thanks for taking the time to make those measurements, it gives me a ballpark to look at when I get my gauge (delayed by the Christmas post no doubt). Your findings seem to be in general agreement with what I have read online - i.e. up to around 4-5 thou run out is reasonable for a wood lathe.
I only got in late last night from work so didn't have much time to check over the pulleys - but as it turns out, it didn't take long! The outer edge of the lower pulley was something like 3mm inboard of the upper pulley! Which would certainly explain the squeaking and vibration - I also have a suspicion that the pulleys are also out of parallel, but that would take some thinking to measure accurately due to the headstock body being in the way. Anyway, I was pretty astonished that a lathe would be assembled and packed up with the pulleys attached this way. I wonder what sort of damage this might have done to the spindle and bearings?
That might all be moot, as the machine is now likely going back to Axminster - with the pulleys, vibration, out of flat and slightly twisted bed and none meeting centres I'd have to say I've rather lost faith in it! It certainly made for a rather frustrating start to having my first electric lathe. Thanks again to everyone for helping me work out what was going on.
I only got in late last night from work so didn't have much time to check over the pulleys - but as it turns out, it didn't take long! The outer edge of the lower pulley was something like 3mm inboard of the upper pulley! Which would certainly explain the squeaking and vibration - I also have a suspicion that the pulleys are also out of parallel, but that would take some thinking to measure accurately due to the headstock body being in the way. Anyway, I was pretty astonished that a lathe would be assembled and packed up with the pulleys attached this way. I wonder what sort of damage this might have done to the spindle and bearings?
That might all be moot, as the machine is now likely going back to Axminster - with the pulleys, vibration, out of flat and slightly twisted bed and none meeting centres I'd have to say I've rather lost faith in it! It certainly made for a rather frustrating start to having my first electric lathe. Thanks again to everyone for helping me work out what was going on.
