Axminster 1218vs

[Brianp]

Anyone else having trouble with what seems to be a thermal cutoff? Out turning for an hour or so this evening and the lathe was working fine for about half of it, then just stopped. It'd start again then stop again - it hasn't worked solidly for more than 30 seconds since. I was thinking it was probably a thermal cutoff - shed's not very well ventilated and it is warm and humid here today. That said, the control box or motor don't seem very hot. Am I mad?

 

[jpt]

There is a design fault on these lathes in that all the electrics are in a box under the bed at the tailstock end with ventilation holes in the top so that dust etc can get in. It should be possible to open a flap and see what is inside and make sure it is clear of debris.

A club member had a similar problem with his and it went back to Axminster, not sure what the outcome was.

It might be worth giving Axminsters tech guys a ring and see what they say.

john

 

[Brianp]

Thanks jpt, I did email them and they agreed that it might have been the controller - i.e. the stuff in that box! I'd cleared out a good bit of detritus and shavings so thought it might have got better, but it didn't.

Lathe is with the suppliers I bought it from - hope it won't be too long!

 

[ericdockum]

I agree the control box looks a bit vulnerable to solids ingress.

I have cut a small piece of thin ply that can be fiddled onto the bed above the control box, there are a couple of cross webs in the bed and you can get the ply to rest on these without it getting in the way of the banjo or tailstock moving along the bed. Have to cut some slots in the ply to make it sit nicely. There is still a gap between the air vents and the ply, so I took the position that it was better to have the top air vents on the control box open and protected from shavings, albeit with a slight restriction to air flow, than have the air vents and controller components choked with shavings. Also I have one of those vacuum cleaner nozzles for doing crevices so I can clean up around there, and also apply to the end of the box to move any fines out.

so far so good.

hope this helps.

 

[Brianp]

I agree the control box looks a bit vulnerable to solids ingress.

I have cut a small piece of thin ply that can be fiddled onto the bed above the control box, there are a couple of cross webs in the bed and you can get the ply to rest on these without it getting in the way of the banjo or tailstock moving along the bed. Have to cut some slots in the ply to make it sit nicely. There is still a gap between the air vents and the ply, so I took the position that it was better to have the top air vents on the control box open and protected from shavings, albeit with a slight restriction to air flow, than have the air vents and controller components choked with shavings. Also I have one of those vacuum cleaner nozzles for doing crevices so I can clean up around there, and also apply to the end of the box to move any fines out.

so far so good.

hope this helps.

Thanks, I'll probably do something like that when I get the lathe back from the lathe-hospital.