Member postings for Martin Botting 2

I should have checked my first post and said it's the variable speed version I have and I had a few of the covers off and the picture Steve W posted in another thread bares no resemblance to whats behind any of the little covers i have taken of thus far, unless its like an advent calendar and I have not found the right one yet. I have had a look at the casing of the motor and the access to the brushes is not obvious so far.

Thanks steve I will go take a look if I can find the thread, I am always a bit scared of the electric-ery I mean I have a toaster that can't pop up a crumpet but when I shove a fork in to get it out it has no problem slinging all 16 stone of me across the kitchen.

Ah thats what its called huh? I thought Mr Ho Lee Warco had a deal with some major oil company. I am going to try spooning dripping in to it it will take longer for it to come out.

The plug is so tight to the drip tray and with the use of mirrors and a much cut down allen key and without the use of a safety net is had to see much under there.

Less than a year I return with another question for fellow warco WM series lathes, last problem was the thread dial, now this wonder of modern equipment has developed a new problem being that it sometimes has a temperamental start up, I switch on and open the NVR "BIG RED BUTTON" select direction and press the "go" button, CLUNK… nothing. hit the stop button clunk… start clunk.. nothing… switch to reverse clunk… motion! hurrah. Stop change direction press start CLUNK…. bugger all, "cover your ears mother!" anyway it sometimes takes 3 cycles of switching and clunking to get it rolling, then away we go and start a cut (nothing like heavy) "whine" power goes and lathe comes to a graunching halt. wind out/ off re start. I have been in touch with warco and they have said several things, "brushes sticking up" "hmmm that does not sound good" and finally after several emails return it to the works for investigation, I have an issue with that I live in a terraced house and everything needs to come through the front door, I wrote another email saying it would be easier for them to send an engineer to look at it on site as when it arrived the helpful delivery driver came at 7pm and said he would drop it at my front step and quoted H&S that he could not help me up the front step into the hallway.

Has anyone else had similar problems with the motor and drive on theirs?

ALSO…. The apron gearbox has never stopped leaking since it was unboxed, there was a puddle in the packing case. I have taken out the drain plug twice now and used ptfe and silicon sealant but its still leaking, Dear Deirdre have i been sold a pup?

Bravo Sir James!

Will you be moving your production back fully to the UK we'll be needing all the work and tax we can get by 2020. I did hear that Nike will need skilled workers to make training shoes for 60 hours a week paying top dollar (2/6) so best get those CV's and degree's polished up folks. Sorry for my acerbic humour at this but kind of think makes me sick.

Yes I probably could by with my luck i would make it then the handle will crumble to dust!

Does he panel think….

My old bullfinch propane torch has just about had it so I sent off for a new burner nozzle and HORROR they have changed the sizes of the threaded end! I bet my old dad would never have bought it back in nineteen canteen if he knew it was not going to be usable in the 21st century.

So the question is: would the Bullfinch 404 type be the way to go?

I am working on a loco so there is the firebox staying issue and blow outs, general hard soldering and some light hard bronze work and lighting a fag when matches can't be found.

Or: the sievert route….

Enquiring minds need answers. Many thanks for any input fellow swarf makers.

Unlike most posters here I guess I am in a dead or dying trade, it is a trade as I had to serve a 6 year apprenticeship with oral examination to gain the licence to work, I found out this week that the powers to be have made changes that will render my licence useless, a dumbing down if you like. through out my career I have worked with apprentices and given them the benefit of my limited knowledge which it seems is bigger than I thought.

apprentices (so called) now only have to get 2 years under their belt to pass exams and where as before you had to get the signatures of 6 qualified (freemen) before you were examined as proof of having done the job to the standard required, it was a matter of pride for me as a freeman to say I would sign a boys papers, those that did not come up to scratch would not get the scribble.

The passing of knowledge is important for safety reasons and while every trade had its high-jinks I firmly that tradesmen are very aware of the importance of training as it keeps standards high, my personal beliefs that many employers much prefer a dumbing down and the death of trades as this makes for bigger profit. In our hobby there are small factories in every poster and readers back yard we are in isolation a lot of the time and producing things we would like not to fill a market or make a profit and we share our thoughts on how to, best practice etc. LONG MAY IT LAST, its just a shame that the world wants it yesterday and 10times cheeper.

As my closing thoughts, don't let your secrets die with you if there is a pair of ears /eyes/ hands and mind wanting to improve then help them and share.

George the centre of the leadscrew is about 26mm from the lathe bed casting. the move of the swing point is probably the thing. BY George you have got it!

Praps mine was built on a friday and the fitter was making for the door when he laid out the centre dot for the driller and was in a hurry to catch the tram home.

Jason, I have counted the teeth on the one I have and thats 30 tooth, when i get home i will have a count of the warco replacement.

Still trying to get my feeble mind around how the numbers work on that and the maths issue of the change wheels.

So to continue the saga of bangs and clunks… Peter at Warco sent out a new threading dial and I tried it and guess what…. CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK… So better get this sorted I machined up a new shaft for the dial and made up a bushing to keep it from dancing about the gear now rides the lead screw on its middle line so the keyway does knock the granny out of the teeth and vicky versa. I have packed up the replacement dial and its on its way back to Warco, Tell me from the pictures posted by George on this thread and the replacement dial there are far more marks on the dial face is that important or just more chances at starting?

I have added these pictures to show the fix, I hope this won't invalidate any warrantee! I would hate to have to walk home from the makers with a bent lead screw on my shoulder.

Posted by Martin W on 07/05/2016 18:58:30:

Martin how do the measurements supplied by George compare to the mounting points on your lathe and the thread dial assembly?

Martin

Much the same. Martin,

George.

the measurements seem the same

Gents. thanks for the comments thus far. The gap and the nut just on is how far down the shaft I have had to let the gear drop to get it to sit on the centre line of the lead screw.

Having installed the Warco 250vf and eager to play I thought time to use the whining wheels and carriage mover part and cut a thread, I followed the destruction of whats wheels go where and tore up the invoice to set the backlash in the gear train a touch of chain lube and away we go…. Ah… the thread dial is not turning, its not in mesh… allen key adjust start again… CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK…. hit the big red button!

It would seem the drive gear is just kissing the lead screw and the milled keyway is hitting the teeth, did some investigations and the gear is riding miles too high above the centre line of the leadscrew. I took it all apart and there is no damage to the leadscrew but the fixing screw is bent and the ends of the teeth on the drive screw have been mauled, I contacted the service dept of warco and a very helpful gent has sent a replacement unit I fitted it tonight and its the same. Now my way of thinking is this, the fixing for it is too high up the apron body as the two castings are the same size I have thought about machining a new shaft to lower the gear into a better mesh. I wonder do any other WM250 owners have this issue? and could anyone have a measure up and see where there mounting holes are. I will add some pictures Any ideas or help please folks.

PS the replacement dial Warco sent has 6 numbers on the face the one as fitted has 4, the lathe is the imperial version.

Martin