Won't turn on????

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Brooks803

Brooks803

Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
Messages
5,632
Location
Aiken, South Carolina
Well I finally tried using my (new to me) HF metal lathe. It was my first time using one and it worked great. I made myself a mandrel no problem. However, later that same night I did something to blow the fuse. It wasn't trying to hog too much material though, I know that. I turned it off to unchuck the piece I was working on and went to turn it back on and nothing, nadda!

So I got a new fuse and no go. Checked the outlets, plug, everything I could think of. So now I come to you guys. Any thoughts as to what I might have done and how I can get it started back up? Maybe the power switch? Thanks in advance for any help....off to try and google something.
 
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Check the toggle switch next to speed control. Easy to flip into neutral position. Also check emergency stop button to be sure it is not pressed down.
 
Jonathon,

Call me tonight. I had the same problem with mine. I think it is the switch. Atleast mine was.....We might be able to figure it out on the phone.
 
Jonothan, is it variable speed? Mine has a fuse in the plug, another one on a removable button on the back and the one that always seems to blow...one on the inside on the VS card.
If it's not VS then switch it on and spin the chuck, if it then runs it means you've popped the start capacitor ( if it has one )

Good luck
 
I'm getting ready to buy a metal lathe as well...no idea what to look for but I know it's not going to be like my wood one. Hearing this just freaks me out. How did you choose yours Jonathon?
 
did you try closing your eyes and making a wish?
my lathe runs on hopes and dreams. guess that's why it hasn't been turned on in a month.
 
PTownSubbie said:
Jonathon,

Call me tonight. I had the same problem with mine. I think it is the switch. Atleast mine was.....We might be able to figure it out on the phone.
Click to expand...

If I don't get it running I'll definitely be calling ya Fred! Probably will anyways, lol

wiset1 said:
I'm getting ready to buy a metal lathe as well...no idea what to look for but I know it's not going to be like my wood one. Hearing this just freaks me out. How did you choose yours Jonathon?
Click to expand...

Craigslist! The offer was too good to pass up even for HF stuff. I got the metal lathe AND a mill for less than the lathe brand new. Plus the lathe came with pretty much all the tooling I'd need for a while. Quick release, collets, drill chuck and some bits, several cutters....Had to go for it.

skiprat said:
Jonothan, is it variable speed? Mine has a fuse in the plug, another one on a removable button on the back and the one that always seems to blow...one on the inside on the VS card.
If it's not VS then switch it on and spin the chuck, if it then runs it means you've popped the start capacitor ( if it has one )

Good luck
Click to expand...

It is variable speen Steven. I could only find 1 fuse and that's right above the power switch. I'll snap a few pics here in a min to show everything...plus I'll look around for other possible fuses.
 
LOL, lets hope it's something simple....like you left the chuck guard in the up position. I know someone who nearly stripped an entire machine to figure that one out!!:tongue:
 
Here's a few pics. Skip, I opened and checked every panel I could for other fuses....none. Oh, and no chuck guard. I haven't done anything to it other than turn it on, this is how I bought it.

Sorry the pics are a tad big and not very good. My camera is still on the fritz so I had to use my cell.

Image of the entire headstock area:
2012-01-10_12-27-21_631.jpg


Controls. The fuse is right above the power switch.
2012-01-10_12-27-01_281.jpg


The blown fuse:
2012-01-10_12-28-34_822.jpg


Inside the control panel:
2012-01-10_12-35-19_371.jpg


Up close on the switch:
2012-01-10_12-35-03_194.jpg


Hope that will generate some idea as to what's going on. Thanks for the help thus far everyone!
 
This may sound silly... but is there a funny smell, like a bandaid? Blown pc components always smell like bandaids to me. Possibly something else is blown besides that fuse...?
 
This may be even more silly, but once I had a problem like this on a miter saw and come to find out it was plugged into an outlet that was run in a series with a gfci outlet across the garage. Pushed the reset button on the GFCI on the other side of the garage, and shazzam back in business. Hope your problem is found to be a simple one.

Dave
 
Jonathon,

If you have a volt meter see if you are getting power to the switch, if you are turn the switch on and see if you are getting power out of the switch, if not then it is the switch. If you have power then check the variable speed rheostat the same way.
 
Jonathon, I might be wrong, but in the photo of the switch the reverse/forward toggle sure looks like it's in the OFF position.
Earl
 
Jonathon:
Two places to inspect closely are the fuse holder and the power switch.

The design of these fuse holders frequently cause the fuse to arch against the lathe body. First make sure that the fuse holder makes good contact on both sides and isn't "smoke" colored. If it is, clean it. Also make sure that the wire is still soldered to the fuse holder on both sides.

Next, take a volt meter and check for voltage in both sided of the switch. If there is voltage on one side of the switch and not the other and flipping the switch does not change this, the problem is the switch. If there is no voltage at the switch, the problem is in line before the switch(probabally at that cheap fuse holder).

If working with live voltage bothers you, the ohm meter can be used to check continuity without voltage applied.
 
I had the same exact problem. It sometimes would turn on and others not....I would sit there and turn the switch on and off until it actually came on. I ordered a new heavy duty switch from LMS and it works great now!

I tried a cheap switch from RadioShack but it almost fried the whole system! Sparks and all! But luckily no long term damage.

The contacts are probably dirty as heck from sitting so long.....cycle the switch.....
 
YAY it works now! Fred, thanks so much for the call! You had it spot on. The switch contacts were cruddy and it wasn't getting power. After cycling it a couple dozen times it started back up! I'll order a replacement switch bc it will go out eventually. Thanks everyone for the help! Back to work it is!
 
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