The joy of fixing something outside your realm

[8squared]

Had my lathe for almost two weeks now and when i got it the DRO wasn't working... i didn't think it would be a problem BUT having it right there in front of me every time i use it was a little annoying as i like things to work that should work.

An email response from Axminster said the DRO was £24.91 ex VAT... that's ok i thought, i'll buy one next week.

Then a day or two ago i opened it up to look at it not knowing anything about electrics and spotted a possible design floor/problem.........

On the back of the circuit board is a capacitor (i googled it) that sits just above the second pulley... it seemed to have a rub mark on it and also had a kink in its leg... after a little play it seems that if the belt isn't moved carefully it could catch and cause damage to the capacitor.

Ordered two new ones on ebay (£1.09) and they arrived today.... twice as big.

With a careful and measured bend and twist of it i got it to fit without rubbing.........


The thing works... although i'm not sure how accurate it is... the lowest and fastest speeds on the first pulley are listed as... 650 - 1450 but the DRO says 750- 1550.

Simple pleasures but i'm happy a s a pig in @@@@.


Feel free to share your story

 

[sunnybob]

Most digital counters have calibration adjustment screws. you just need to find out where on the board the little devil is.

 

[OscarG]

Well done fella!

Know what you mean. I recently installed a new garage roof on my parent's place, I got some very useful advice from MikeG and others on here.

Saved my Dad about £2,500 on a pro-roofer doing it, well happy with that!

 

[dzj]

Well done, indeed!
There's hope for humanity yet, when an inquiring mind can fix a problem without reverting
to computer diagnostics.

 

[novocaine]

There will be a hall effect sensor somewhere, hopefully on the output shaft of the headstock but it maybe somewhere in the gear train, all it is doing is sending a pulse to the an encoder once (maybe 2/3 or 4 but I'd have thought once) every revolution. it being out by 100 or some rpm suggests there isn't a fault with it (360 doesn't divide by 100 very well so it's unlikely to be a multipole magnet on the shaft with one magnet missing) and it's the lathe thats out, possible due to a change somewhere in the gearing or wear and tear if it's oldish or has plastic gears/drive pulleys.
Only way to do anything is to get an tacho and check it first across the speed range, then go digging.

also, well done for going digging and finding the solution well out of your comfort zone, sometimes a win like this can spur a new interest.