Lathe HELP please

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Brooks803

Brooks803

Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
Messages
5,632
Location
Aiken, South Carolina
Went in the shop earlier to complete a CA finish and after about 5min of having the lathe on I started hearing something odd in the headstock. Turned everything off and while turning it by hand it sounds like something rattling inside, loose. Took a quick video with my cell. ANY help would be great. Lathe still runs but I don't want to damage anything further. Model is a Rikon 70-100 and has been perfect until now. Thanks for any help yall.

http://s1136.photobucket.com/albums...ew&current=photobucket-2167-1309884339705.mp4
 
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i have the same lathe.

there is a little set screw on the shaft that had worked itself out on mine, its part of the indexing lock pin.

you disassemble the headstock to get to it ...took me 30 minutes or so???

If I recall, i took off the locking pin on top, shined a flashlight in the hole and could see the indexing gear (?) that was loose and the hole where the set screw used to be.

Does your indexing pin lock the shaft ????
 
I had a similar problem with my Turncrafter. I thought it was a bearing going out on it as well. The spindle would be very hard to turn and was getting to the point that the motor would not even turn it. When it was being run, the outside of the headstock would be almost too hot to touch. I took the headstock apart and found that the drive pully has a screw in it that holds it onto the spindle. This screw was loose and was the culprit for all that was going wrong because it would allow the spindle to get in a bind whenever I tightened the tailstock up. Everything works great now.

Good luck!
 
Thanks for the feedback yall. I haven't had a chance to get back into it yet, but I'm thinking a set screw. The headstock turns fine, no resistance, no squeaking, but sounds like something is loose in there.

Gonna have to dig into it in the AM since I just got a custom pen order earlier today!
 
Use screwdriver as stethoscope

Take your largest screwdriver (hopefully 12" plus) and place the tip on the bearing housing. Place the handle end on your ear flap. Push against the flap with enough pressure to close the flap. Spin the shaft, bad bearings will sound with scrapes, pops, chatter, noise, bangs, etc. Good bearings will sound with a smooth "whirl". A "only one bad bearing" should be changed as a set of two. Move the tip around for all parts of the system. Closing of the flap filters out the background noise. You will be amazed with what you can tell with this method.

BE CAREFUL: DO NOT ALLOW SCREWDRIVER TO CONTACT MOVING PARTS!
 
Check the set screw on the pulleys. Mine worked loose recently and was causing an odd, intermittent sound. Re-tightened the screw and sound went away... YMMV
 
GOT IT!

Alrighty,
It took a bit to get the headstock removed from the bed, but we got it. My wife was a big help today. Her smaller hands were desperately needed to fit inside the headstock once we got it apart. What came loose was the set screw that holds the index lock in place. That worked itself loose and that sound was from the gear scraping against the inner wall when the lathe was turning. Bearings are good, no worries there. Put everything back together and now I get to have some play time later tonight! Thanks everyone for the help! Especially to my wonder wife for her help today :highfive:
 
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