cl4 record power lathe problem

[les sysum]

Hi everyone,i wonder if anyone could give me some advice on a second hand cl4 lathe i have not long purchased,problem being when turning and pressure is applied to the piece im trying to turn the speed slows down,i did have a bad catch and it seems worse since then and also seems alot noisier. I cant feel any movement in the berings but being a complete newcomer to woodturning i would be glad of any advice anyone has to offer. Thanks Les

[GBF]

You might have bent the shaft.Is it still under guarantee.

Regards George

[Redtails3]

Hi
If the lathe is green in colour then I doubt you have bent the spindle/ shaft I think what you
May have done is disturbed the bearing which is made of phosphor bronze.
Get hold of the lathes hand book and it will show you how to put it back to where it was prior to your catch.
It may have not been adjusted  on a regular basis.
Keep it well oiled and adjusted you should have no more problems. 

[les sysum]

Hi George,thanks for your reply,its not under guarantee but i see you can buy a replacement shaft ,bearing and drive belt kit for about 95 quid.Do you think it could be anything else before i splash the cash lol.thankyou Les

[GBF]

Redtails might be right check that first .I think the bearings are tapered and might need ajustment as he says.I do not like the very thin shafts on these lathe's.

Regards George

[les sysum]

Thankyou Redtails for your reply,it is the green lathe so i will check the bearings first,i have got hold of a hand book and i see there is a video on youtube about changing the bearings so i hope it is one of these things.If not i dont no what else it could be unless it is motor related,is that a possiblity ?

[Redtails3]

Hi
George they are undersize for what you can do on these lathes with a little care and maintenance but they are solid ,it's the same with the bearings they will take some abuse with care and good maintenance.
I would try slacking the bearing ring nut off at the back of the spindle and undue the Allan screw at the back and tap the shaft forward  not too much though.
When you have  done this adjust to the manual.
Checking all the while that the shaft is free to rotate when you are close put some oil and start the lathe up keep checking that the spindle has not locked up.when you are happy with the adjustment try running on a slow speed you should have min oil escape.

[Redtails3]

Hi like I say they are an easy lathe to maintain , keep them adjusted and lubricated and you will have no trouble.
Do not panic your self into buying new a new spindle and bearings be positive think of the timber you can buy with 92 quid good luck

[John D Smith]

 Hi Les,
           Silly question from me is the drive belt correctly adjusted ?

                                        Regards John

[Derwent Woodturning club]

Hi Les,
John just beat me to it. But as well as the belt being tensioned properly, is it clean.  Belts not used for a while tend to get 'shiny' especially if there's been a build up of dust on them. Try rubbing it gently with very fine abrasive to give the rubber good purchase on the pulleys.
Good luck,
Paul

[les sysum]

Not a silly question John,as i said im totally new woodturning and i have not got an engineering background either lol,the belt seems ok and it does not seem to be slipping either,thankyou

[Redtails3]

Hi
Have you sorted lathe headstock out ok or to be precise the spindle and bearing ?

[les sysum]

Not yet redtails but thanks for asking.I will change the spindle and bearings very soon ,it can do no harm,what i did notice when i looked again was the grubscrews in the bottom pully were loose so i have replaced those and the slipping seems to have stopped.Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to reply it has helped me out alot in knowing what to look out for in the future and i warn you all ,it wont be the last time i will be asking for your advice lol.Changing the subject does anyone turn fir tree wood,i found two lovely pieces but i have heard some people say its not good for turning,any thoughts ? thank you Les