Anyone got a Record CL3 or CL4

[Steliz]

I have a second hand CL4 and the motor sounds like a spanner in a washing machine. I've only had it 6 months and it has always done this although my wife thinks it's getting louder.

Can anyone else who has one confirm whether this is 'normal' or do I have a technical issue?

 

[Sideways]

Local men's shed has a CL3 which I've used.
Runs quietly. There is only an induction motor that should be near enough silent except for the airflow noise from the fan, a couple of bearings and a multi-v belt drive.
Nothing there that should make a noise when it's right.
Suggest you take the load off the belt and spin the motor and the main spindle, separately by hand. They should both be perfectly smooth.
Run the belt through your fingers to check for any fraying and roughness due to old age.
Pull and push endwise on the spindle to check for any play in the main bearing.
Let us know what you find.
I can't remember what the motors are on these. if it's capacitor start rather that permanent capacitor, there could be a centrifugal switch on the fan end of the motor spindle. This could be a source of noise if something is wrong with it.

 

[Steliz]

After further investigation the noise (which is a constant du, du, du, du which changes in frequency in line with the speed control) is coming from the headstock. It's hard to determine exactly where but I think it's the spindle pulley side of the headstock.
The lathe is about 10 years old but has had very little use. The belt is in very good condition as is everything else.
Does this sound like a bearings problem and if so, where can I source a new set?
RP don't have any info about bearing replacement on their site but there is a Youtube vidoe that explains how to do this.

I have checked the spindle shaft for any play and can't find any. The only slight movement was in the pulley itself which moves along the shaft by about 1mm.

 

[Duncan A]

Neither pulley should move. Check that the grubscrews are tight.
The motor pulley has 2 blind set screws stacked in one threaded recess.
The spindle pulley has 2 threaded recesses around its circumference with 2 blind set screws stacked in each.
You can download the manual from recordpower.co.uk
Duncan

 

[Jacob]

I've got a CL3 and it runs very quietly.
Maybe you need to oil it, adjust the bearing pressure (C spanner lock nut), check that all is in alignment, check belt for wear and adjustment, check pulleys not bent or something.
If all good it might be a dud thrust bearing (the outside end sealed bearing) but unlikely to be the shaft/bronze bearing assembly which should last forever (unless run for a very long time without lubrication).

PS come to think - if it hasn't been oiled I suppose it could be the head stock big plain bearing starting to snatch - and it'd get progressively worse. Could oil ways be blocked?

 

[andygc]

Yes, a CL4.

Have you adjusted the plain bearing? That can make a ticking noise if it is a bit loose. You'll need a brass drift.

Do you oil it every time you use it?

As already mentioned, check the pulley grub screws and pulley alignment. If they become loose a pulley can drift along the shaft so that the belt does not run straight. That can also cause a clicking noise.

If you don't have the manual, as suggested, download it from Record Power.