Jet 1014I bearing life?

[gandy]

Greetings, long time, no post.

I have a Jet 1014I lathe (In fact i have had two...)

The first was delivered from axminster with a loose motor fan and an electrical fault, this was fixed under warranty, returned to me on some 4x4 and 1x2 soft wood, and was well.... in poor shape on its return (read bent and cracked bed)

Fair dues, it was replaced no quibbles, however the current Lathe has had almost like clockwork bearing failures.. the first happened after 10/11 months of daily light use (i rarely turn items over 1.5" and 6" long) it was returned to Axminster while i was away, so no real loss to me, this ran well for maybe 8/10 months when both the motor bearing, and headstock bearings went, again, with light use (for what it's worth, i do not use prong drivers) This was in February this year and again was returned for repair with axminster, i was promised a 2 working day (plus a day either side for shipping) turn around to avoid disruption with my business.
Nearly a month later... a lathe with new bearings and new motor arrived, once i have correctly fitted the motor plate (it was loose...) and sorted out the motor lead (it was bunched up under the bed instead of pulled through and tucked up under the tailstock end) worked fine, untill this morning, nearly 7 months to the day on, the headstock bearing has gone again.

Last time it went way i lost over a grand in sales and delayed production for over a month for many orders, and quite frankly i was offended at Axminster lack luster view that i had suffered because of their slow work (i mean, i know they are a multi million pound store. so i guess i was expecting alot in terms of caring)

So, on to the question.
Surely this can not be the average life span for a TRADE rated lathe with light weight but regular work? are there better bearing options available (i am about as mechanically minded as a pineappled gnat by the way) that i could pay someone qualified to fit?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dee J]

There's something badly wrong there - either in the original design, the maintenance or in the quality of the bearings used. With the sort of use you're describing I'd expect a decade of service from the bearings. I think you may need to enter into a learning curve to take on the support and care of your own machinery (think Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance) or find a more capable machine or supplier. If you supported the machine yourself you could cut downtime to hours rather than days or weeks and you'd be looking after the machine in a more understanding manner....

Can you post the bearing types/specs that are installed on that machine please?

 

[Dee J]

Just had a google around... so the two bearings are 6004vv and 6005vv - standard off-the-shelf bearings available at about £5 each. Not massively robust, but should be more than capable of the treatment you're giving them. Maybe your headstock is badly machined and overstressing the bearings?

 

[Dee J]

Of course if you had an old style machine with oilable, adjustable plain bearings you'd probably get a few decades of life with care and maintenance....

 

[gandy]

For what it is worth, the bearing on the chuck side of the headstock has always run hot, on both lathes, the opposite nothing.

I have friend's with Jet lathes of the same, and similar sizes who report years (5+) with similar usage and trouble free running for years, with only switches eventually going every couple years and years untill bearings give up, but all these folk are in the states.

My machine care is fine, my concern is, and will always be damaging something during the process resulting in even longer down time or costly parts, I am hoping a more local store may be of help.

 

[marcros]

If it could cost you a grand a month in lost production, I would buy a second machine as a backup so you always have spare capacity.

 

[Dee J]

Bearing runs hot eh...? Suggests the end float adjustment has been set up too tight or the bearing race is distorted by the shaft or the headstock. Does your spindle have any way of adjusting end float.... either by shims or screw threads. With drive belt removed does the spindle spin freely? If not, then slacked the end float.... ok now then the problem is the end float adjustment. Still stiff? Then it's probably the headstock or spindle machining...

 

[deserter]

I have a small jet lathe I think it's the same model but not 100% without checking. I've had it for around 7 years, admittedly I don't use it every day and it did have to spend 18 months in storage but I've used it frequently for the past 6 months again and everything is still perfect. I'd be looking at the other components and see if any are causing the bearings to fail.

 

[finneyb]

Are you overtightening the tailstock to secure the wood thereby putting a sideway load on the bearings?

Brian

 

[gandy]

If it could cost you a grand a month in lost production, I would buy a second machine as a backup so you always have spare capacity.

Unfortunately Budget rarely allows the amount to purchase a 2nd machine that would either sit earning £0 or replace a lathe prone to failure (and going by my luck, a second lathe would have just as many problems ha)

 

[gandy]

Are you overtightening the tailstock to secure the wood thereby putting a sideway load on the bearings?

Brian

It's incredibly rare for me to turn between the centers, when i do so i am using mini 4 prong drives with pilot holes into the wood and everything is tightened up enough to hold steady but not put pressure against the bearings. (no slowing in the lathe, certainly no "clunks" on the bearing from over tightening)

The vast majority of my work is turned in a chuck without a tailstock (I very rarely turn any stock over 3" long this way)

 

[gandy]

I have a small jet lathe I think it's the same model but not 100% without checking. I've had it for around 7 years, admittedly I don't use it every day and it did have to spend 18 months in storage but I've used it frequently for the past 6 months again and everything is still perfect. I'd be looking at the other components and see if any are causing the bearings to fail.

See, this is roughly the kind of thing i expected from Jet, especially knowing people with machines up to a decade old with zero issues.

I have checked the aliment of the centers with the tailstock, the headstock is properly aligned, the belt drives are properly aligned as well as in good shape. Without removing the spindle (not something i intend to to until i replace the bearings to see if any damage can be found here, I share the view with Dee regarding the machining on the headstock.

 

[chipmunk]

I have a Jet 1014 lathe and, while it's a really nice little lathe for demos and chucking into the boot of the car, the spindle and bearings are really not up to production use IMHO which seems to be what I think you are doing?

Most of the stuff I make is pretty small (boxes mostly up to perhaps 3 or 4" diameter) and although I can make them on the 1014, when it comes to hollowing them out, the stability just isn't there when compared to my 1642.

You don't say what you're making but if it's anything where you're making unsupported cuts any distance away from the spindle nose I'd suggest that you need a bigger more sturdy headstock and spindle for anything other than occasional use.

HTH
Jon

 

[gandy]

On further investigation, it looks as if Axminster has fitted unsuitable bearings. the coding is RS - designating they are sealed one side and open the other, also it looks as if many of these bearings seals are high friction, this would explain the high temperature in use and rapid failure as dust is entering the bearing via the headstock and chewing up the ball chase and seal from the inside. The bearings as stated by Jet are coded ZZ, these are double sealed low friction seal, and according to the chap at the bearing shop, the kind of load and speed the lathe lives though should last years with the correct bearings, these have been purchased and fitted shortly.
My old lathe, a cheap £100 Charnwood benchtop model lasted 3-4 years with the exact same working life and conditions, checking its rusty lifeless body buried in the workshop i can see it has similar double sealed low friction seal bearings.

Jon, Difficult to explain, I make jewellery for stretched body piercings, to me 3" and 4" are an incredibly rare occurrence (as in i have turned that size range maybe 5-6 times) most unsupported cuts are happening an inch and under away from the chuck to clean up and shape faces of pieces cut on a bandsaw removing 2/3mm of material, Hollow pieces are drilled on the lathe (something Jet is as you know, well recommended for) going about half way each side (or about 6mm from each end, as most pieces are only 12/13mm thick) and fully hollowed with parting tools and skews to shape, i wouldn't say this is terribly taxing on the lathe and bearings

for those interested, this is my company and example of my work.
http://southshoreadornments.com/

 

[chipmunk]

Jon, Difficult to explain, I make jewellery for stretched body piercings, to me 3" and 4" are an incredibly rare occurrence (as in i have turned that size range maybe 5-6 times) most unsupported cuts are happening an inch and under away from the chuck to clean up and shape faces of pieces cut on a bandsaw removing 2/3mm of material, Hollow pieces are drilled on the lathe (something Jet is as you know, well recommended for) going about half way each side (or about 6mm from each end, as most pieces are only 12/13mm thick) and fully hollowed with parting tools and skews to shape, i wouldn't say this is terribly taxing on the lathe and bearings

Ahhh, seems I was wrong then - Sorry.
I think you have a point.
Jon

 

[gandy]

Out of nowhere Axminster offered me a full refund on receipt of its return, unfortunately owing to the fact I'd have to buy a new lathe, thread adaptors etc (and them not specifying how a refund would be made) it would still cost me money and down time still ha.

New bearings (and belt because sods law it'd go the week after a swap) arrived this morning and will attempt swap this weekend.

The hunt for a reasonably priced, reasonably good conditioned Jet Lathe begins as a back up/main lathe.

 

[gandy]

Ok.... Bearing swap was pathetically simple..

some hiccups, Axminster's rubbish bearings had corroded against the spindle and took a minute to soak in wd40 and hammered out, i also found a small section of the seat for the rear bearing had been broken in the previous bearing change by Axminster (not clean metal) It's in an incredibly thin portion near the indexing stem, i wonder if this has caused issues?

still, she's up, running incredibly well and i absolutely did not put the pulley back on the wrong way around once....

 

[Lons]

Ok.... Bearing swap was pathetically simple..

some hiccups, Axminster's rubbish bearings had corroded against the spindle and took a minute to soak in wd40 and hammered out, i also found a small section of the seat for the rear bearing had been broken in the previous bearing change by Axminster (not clean metal) It's in an incredibly thin portion near the indexing stem, i wonder if this has caused issues?

still, she's up, running incredibly well and i absolutely did not put the pulley back on the wrong way around once....

Axminster are a reputable company so why not return their bearings with photos if poss and your explanation and ask them for some compensation as a goodwill gesture for their previous poor repair.
A credit voucher is nothing to them but secures you as a customer and underlines them as a company the rest of us can trust.
Obviously if they do that then you would post on here to tell us. :wink:

EDIT:
Forgot to add that I own a little Jet 1014 which has served me well though light use and since treating myself to an excellent Axi 1416vs last year is now used for drilling pen blanks and sanding / polishing. I think you've been unfortunate.

 

[gandy]

Ok.... Bearing swap was pathetically simple..

some hiccups, Axminster's rubbish bearings had corroded against the spindle and took a minute to soak in wd40 and hammered out, i also found a small section of the seat for the rear bearing had been broken in the previous bearing change by Axminster (not clean metal) It's in an incredibly thin portion near the indexing stem, i wonder if this has caused issues?

still, she's up, running incredibly well and i absolutely did not put the pulley back on the wrong way around once....

Axminster are a reputable company so why not return their bearings with photos if poss and your explanation and ask them for some compensation as a goodwill gesture for their previous poor repair.
A credit voucher is nothing to them but secures you as a customer and underlines them as a company the rest of us can trust.
Obviously if they do that then you would post on here to tell us. :wink:

EDIT:
Forgot to add that I own a little Jet 1014 which has served me well though light use and since treating myself to an excellent Axi 1416vs last year is now used for drilling pen blanks and sanding / polishing. I think you've been unfortunate.

Have done, but since that email went out at 4pm on a Friday I wasn't expecting a reply any moment soon ha.

 

[gandy]

The eventually reply came.

It sounds as if they got the bearings from Jet as they are going to report my findings back to them, if thats the case that is disappointing. however they sent me £30 gift card to redeem my costs in the bearings and inconvenience (This) time. Have picked up a ring live centre.

Now the lathe has been run for some time with multiple jobs can report back 0 heat in the headstock or bearings, and while it could be me, im sure it's producing better results now. the only thing i've noticed is a little more then normal vibration, its minor but it's there, I think it's the belt. If it doesn't settle i'll put the old one back on.