Member postings for Brian Morehen

Hi Jake.

Looks good just give youself time you learn slower when you take time dont take one heavy cut i much prefer 3 cuts 2 nearly there and the last one correct, I have no free end play in my spindle perhaps you need another shim or to tighten the spindle nut a bit more . I have a bar that fits into my chuck with the tailstock end turned to fit , there are a number of way to align the lathe chuck centre and tailstock , One a ground steel bar centre each end , And a dial gauge held in the cross slide moved along the bar will show up any misalinement.you can hold the bar in your chuck or use a morse taper each end. or use a set of chuck soft jaws which have been bored to the correct size for the bar you are useing this way you know chuck centre is correct,

Well done Good Luck Brian

Hi Jacob.

Have not got a Q C T P , All of my tools have been ground to match or are shimed up to , match Some of my 1/4 fit into a tool holder to match a 3/8 centre cutting hight. Chuck removal do not engage the back gear for fear of causeing any damage to the gears or a brocken gear , Your gear that is only half engaged may cause uneven wear on the gears used , If you use all of the gear there will be more strength to adjust to get a full engagement wiil mean you have got to add or remove some spacing or shims that are incorrect,. You have a strange looking piece of metal on the end off your drive shaft with a hole in view looks strange Because the bit in front that has a knurled ring round it is the lock nut that removes any slackness , this also ;looks like this has been welded on and the hole has been used for tightening this arrangement in the past. I think that somewhere on that drive shaft to your chuck near the main gear that provides the drive there is pin that slides out to disengage the drive, This then enables you to engage the back gear if you move the lever towards you. When you remove this pin the chuck runs freely ]Andy may have more info on this because his lathe is the same. My Lathe is the Junior.

Have fun and feel free to ask . Good Luck Brian

Bearings is really a matter of choice sealed or not they are normaly grease packed for life,, Prices depends on the dealer if this is a large concern they are normally cheaper , Trade prices can be as much as 80% discount,

Good luck

Brian m

Hi Jacob

Your Pic 25/05/20. I wonder if this is picture is showing correctly , Your Main drive headstock gear only appears to be half engaged with the driving gear.

This may cause uneven wear on both gears, Hope this is just a picture fault ? i Think some adjustment may be required.

All the Best Brian

Morning Jacob.

I guess your Lathe chuck centre is 13mm to its centre from the bottom of your top slide , this should acomodate a 1/2 lathe tool . To remove your Lathe chuck use the chuck key give a hard tap with the palm of your hand this normally works on my lathe with all chucke and my face plate . The thread is 3/4 BSF Right Hand on my lathe I supose yours is the same . If the palm of your hand does not work a sharp tap with a piece wood may be a little more forcefu.

Good Luck Brianl

Check Your pulley keyway and the key for wear , both need to be a good fit , Does you belt show any signs of wear also check the motor bearing for any movement , Have had this problem many times with motors and belt drives. If the motor shaft has any wear then this needs to be rebuilt and then turned down to the correct size and a new keyway cut , the pulley can be rebored and sleeved and a new keyway fitted , Continued use can result in your motor shaft breaking off at the point where this comes out of your motor , A difficult and then complicated repair to due , complete shaft can be replaced .Further investigation required to avoid a possible difficult repair..

Good luck

Brian Morehen

Normal AC motors willnot work on DC Not really woth trying .

Regard BeeM

This is a interesting question , If your motor is not attached to you lathe IE Mounted as a seperate unit it is quite possible that the only connection to the lathe may be your drive belt, This willl not provide any earth connection very easy to over look? You can buy a Plug for 13amp socket which has its own built in protection together with a manual reset in the event of a power failure , If you are using 3 Phase then more important because off the extra voltage to get a Electrician to check and test with a Megger for a Insulation test of either 500 volt or 1000 volt , Your Life is worth more than this simple test .

Take Care and check your equipment is safe for all .

Once remeber asking someone where is your earth connection its that lead there in the bucket of earth.

Take care Bee M

Be very carefull you do not melt the solder at the next join on your armature segment either side of where you are resoldering good luck

Regards Brin

Hi Andy

Seems years since i last used any belting like this , Hard work together with luck before you win Looks like all of the info given Toghether with your patience and time you won Not suprised you had to add more suport heavy casr iron pulley

Regards Brian

Hi Jake

When you move and lock the gears you then disconect the dog clutch and then you will engage the back gear for a very slow speed for screwcutting . Bought both 3/8 and 1/4 tools with my lathe , Most of the 3/8 were high speed and in better condition because the 1/4 were only carbon steel so most off my tools 3/8 for general work..Your Oil cap I think is original as some of mine were the same..A general rule seems to be the lager the tool the better the lathe is i have some1/2 that have been cut down to 3/8 height for cutting 3/8 down to 1/4 Its more a choice of which you prefer good luck the more you try they say the better you get.

Regards Brian

Hi Jake

Your toolpost rather looks like this has a piece welded on the bottom , looks a little like a untidy weld to me , your 13mm gap beetween your centre and your top slide would allow you to use a 1/2 inch tool if than lump was missing on your toolpost. My Faircut is the Junior , I have checked the gap on my lathe , this just under 10mm or just right for 3/8 Tools.

Regards Brian

Hi Jacob,

My toolpost is the same as Andy,s Why yours has a base on it is puzzle that is why i wonder if it has been ,made or altered. , Using your leadscrew when cutting a lenght of bar I often use mine this way saves time a seems to produce a more even finish . only problem is you have to stop this at the right place unless you have a automatic stop on the leadscrew that disengages the dog clutch you do not have to stop the motor. Ihave a toolpost that fits onto my cross slide with spacer that fits beneath it and gives the correct height for cutting of the cross slide at the back. I also have all the gears and bits if you requre any further info.let me know

Regards Brian

I wonder how many more Faircut owners there are around ,

Regards to all Brian

Hi Jacob

Looking at your pics the tool post holder appears to have a base on it , On my Faircut the cutting tools sit on top off the slide 3/8 tools line up great with the chuck centre, Another thought has your top slide been altered resulting in the height being raised diffecult to tell from pics., Cross slide slackness the small cylider thats fits on your leadscrew is the grub screw engageing in the leadscrew thread and fitting tight up to leadscrew holder at the end , your hand wheel should then fit tight onto the other side of your leadscrew holder , Any slackeness here before your cross slide moves must then be a slackness in the leadscrew nut, My lathe had this problem worn Phosfor Bronze nut. Leadscrew and nut replacement had made, Over the years lot of mods keep being made .

Regards Brian

Put a piece of cling film or polythene over the neck then put your top back , I always due tthis silicone Araldite Etc Never Failed me yet , Give it a try .

Best of luck

Brian M

Hi Andy.

Have the same on my cross slide in the shape of a T fitted in the centre of the gib plate great for locking the cross slide if you are doing any milling cuts Also cut a 3/8 whit thread in a piece of 3/8 Ali just for a trial run.

Regards Brian Morehen

Hi Jacob

Lathe looks nice lots of fun a games ahead when working with it together with results

Brian Morehen

Hi Jake

Re Toolpost for your Faircut Lathe I have a toolpost that fits onto the botton slide you could make one with a suitable block of solid steel and then mill out a suitable slot for larger size tools hope this make sense if not i will try and send Andy a pic to forward I have not complety got the nack for sending pics

Good Luck

Brian Morehen

Hi Andy

So pleased your headstock taper has worked out O/k Have rechecked mine this must be original because I have Tapers that fit perfectly I believe these are Brown & Sharpe taper No5.., The leadscrew nut was identified by the person who helped me to set my lathe up when I first got it ,who stated that I needed a new nut , i will make you one when you take it apart. sadly this did not happen because he passed away . A very clever man who built his own lathe styled on a Drumond round bed but with two round beds and a adjustable headstock , Your tool holder is the same as mine 3/8 Tools fit perfectley. Very Pleased i needed some 6Ba Nuts llast week I made some without any problems .

All the best Bee M