Hobbymat MD65

Hi Modellers, I'm new to this forum and joined to get help with my newly purchased MD65 hobbymini lathe. The model I purchased is a classic yellow east german original. I have just started rejuvenating it and have found that BOTH rotary panel switches (On/Off and Reverse direction switches) have had-it!

So, I just wondered if any of you kind and knowledgeable folks could point me in the right direction to finding a replacement new pair of rotary switches for the beast?? All help would be appreciated. My searches on the internet have not been fruitful so far.

Thankyou everyone!

Chris Henderson

You can often get spares for the Hobbymat on that well known auction site - BUT - beware that prices can be higher than you may wish to pay.

There is no need for the switches to be of the rotary type - toggle switches would work just as well as long as you ensure that you can't accidentally toggle them when you don't mean to! some sort of simple cover should do the necessary.

Hey Mr Bizibilder, thanks for that, my colleague also suggested I use ordinary toggle switches too, maybe I'll look into rewiring it a little; I did try that well known auction site you mentioned and found a few items relating to the MD65, but alas no switches! Thanks again....nice to be in contact with the like-minded community.

Hi Christopher, when I bought my Hobbymat, the on/off was busted and so was the Formica type plate the switches were mounted on.

These were both slide switches not the rotary ones, but the forward/reverse switch was OK, but I replaced the on/off switch with NVR start stop switch, made a new plate and in good old Blue Peter style, covered it with sticky black plastic. The NVR makes it safe in the event of a power cut or the plug top fuse blowing.

You can view more photos of my refurb in my Hobbymat Album and there is a wiring diagram there too, if you need one. Yes you can use a suitable DPDT toggle switch for the reverse switch.

Regards Nick.

I would also recommend installing start stop buttons to give a no volt release as were fitted to the latter machines.

Get the type of NVR switch that has an extra terminal (yes costs a little more) to allow an additional emergency stop button to be fitted, If you read all the posts from the last ten days you will find a thread about this giving a wiring diagram. I can' t remember the title of the thread.

Hi I may be late on this post, I have the original HOBBYMAT booklet with my lathe dated1986. It shows the Wiring diagramas originally supplied. The motor centrifugal switch failed a few months ago, and following advice from Essell ? engineering it was converted to capacitor run, it now works OK. I can copy the diagram for you if you wish.

regards Hush.

I'm sure that would be useful, regardless of type of lathe.