harbor freight metal lathe problem

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hanau

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I just figured out that my table has about .007 play in. I can slide it back and forth from operator side back towards the wall.

Is there anything I can do to correct this or do I need to buy a new one?
 
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hanau

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Found this set screw in the picture that the allen wrench is pointing to.

photobucket-26766-1356217212287.jpg


I tighten it up and the slop went away.
It appears to tighten up against the cross slide threaded rod that you turn byt the handle.
Is this the correct way to take the slop out of the cross table? I don't want to damage the threaded rod.
After tightening it up the turn handle got tight i loosen it up and the handle freed back up. then i adjusted on the allen head till i found a happy medium.

Little drag on the handle but no table slop now.
 

frank123

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By "table" I assume you are referring to the cross slide or the compound? The lead screw or the gibs?

Several fixes, adjustments, and modifications. Look at the mini lathe sites on the Internet, all involve some degree of modification but nothing particularly difficult.

The provided slide adjustment for the lead screw is difficult but works sort of adequately without modification using the built in adjusting method. The slide itself moving up and down -which allows back and forth movement as well- in relation to the bed needs the gibs adjusted which just uses a few small set screws with lock nuts that take up the free space by moving an iron bar against the ways. It is considered a good idea to make new ones out of brass if you adjust too aggressively and manage to break (crack) one of them (which is sort of common). Look at the attachment to the bed from the bottom and this will be clear. Takes a bit of patience, but usually doesn't need to be done very often once things wear in and quit developing excessive tolerances as the wear.
 

skiprat

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I would imagine that the two bigger screws hold the split-nut that the leadscrew passes through. The split-nut is most often just a block of metal with a slot cut half way through it. The small screw then is screwed into the slot which tries to push the two halves apart. This tiny adjustment is enough to spread the two halves so that one side bears against the leading flank of the thread ( leadscrew ) and the other against the trailing flank. This then takes up the slack or movement.
Be VERY careful not to ever overtighten this little screw as it is way too easy to crack the block. :wink:
 
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Ed McDonnell

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Your manual should have instructions on adjusting the cross slide nut to get rid of backlash. It probably involves adjustments to all three of those screws.

Ed
 

randyrls

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John; Backlash in a lathe is not as important as smooth operation. To eliminate backlash, always drive the lead screw and knob in the same direction. If necessary to back the cross slide away from the work, always move further than necessary and then drive in on the cross slide.
 

BradG

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to my knowledge from reading the manual of my Sieg, the hole you are marking out with the allen key is for oiling?
 

hanau

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Brad if you look on the link parklandturner posted for the mini lathe it is part of the adjustment on the cross slide. On other lathe it might be for oiling.
 

BradG

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John, ive just read the link from top to bottom theres some very good tips on there (Thanks for posting Ed) ... though now im wondering if i have a very well oiled nut lol...

Will check it out tomorrow with an allen key.
 

Hexhead

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I have found on these Taiwan lathes when you adjust the Gibbs they'll be some tight spots. I just mine to take out the backlash and movement for the travel I'm working with at that time.
 

frank123

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I will have to search for the manual, but now I know what to look for "backlash"

I have the Harbor freight 7x10
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Hi,

Are you satisfied with your 7 X 10?

We are considering purchasing one.

RAY DEX

You'll be happier with the 7x12 or the 7x14.

The little 7x10 is really cramped for anything very long at all.

I originally bought a 7x10 (all there was at the time, or at least all that I knew about), then bought the longer 12" bed from Little Machine Shop and and now considering getting a 14 inch bed.

Unless you're buying a used one cheap, cheaper and easier to just get the longer one first.
 

randyrls

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I will have to search for the manual, but now I know what to look for "backlash"

I have the Harbor freight 7x10
Hi,

Are you satisfied with your 7 X 10?

We are considering purchasing one.

RAY DEX

You'll be happier with the 7x12 or the 7x14.

The little 7x10 is really cramped for anything very long at all.

I originally bought a 7x10 (all there was at the time, or at least all that I knew about), then bought the longer 12" bed from Little Machine Shop and and now considering getting a 14 inch bed.

Unless you're buying a used one cheap, cheaper and easier to just get the longer one first.

To join the thread; Check the specs carefully as these lathes are sometimes not measured the same. In some cases they measure from head stock spindle to tail stock quill, in others they measure from dead center in headstock to dead center in tail stock.
 

frank123

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The center to center measurement is the distance between a center in the headstock and a center in the tailstock, with nothing mounted on the headstock, it represents the maximum length that can be held between centers and machined -minus the dog that turns the piece- but does not include something like a chuck on the headstock (which may allow the rod to pass through through the headstock) or the length taken up by by a drill chuck or something mounted in the tailstock which can have a distinct effect on the overall length of material you can be working on.

Basically, the maximum length you can be machining would be the center to center length without a chuck mounted on the headstock (which doesn't actually work out that way since a dog shortens it).

Sometimes other dimensions are included along with the c to c dimension but the c to c is what is important. The minilathe through the spindle diameter is 3/4 inch (actually the very close metric equivalent of that, but It is usually just considered 3/4 inch) which allows you to pass a very slightly less than 3/4 inch bar through the headstock to work on one end of it. This inside diameter can be safely reamed out to 13/16 if you want -but no larger- to allow a full three quarter inch bar to pas through with enough clearance to be practical ( an exact tight fit isn't really workable for the most part).
 
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