I have a 1890 vintage metal lathe that I have had for about 10 years.
It has always been a bit loose and noisey. It got so bad that I either had to fix it or put it out to pasture. I have grown very attached to it for some reason so I opted for the repair plan.
A buddy of mine in Florence offered to fix it so I broke it down and drove up to see him. It only took 6-8 months.
What I have now is nothing short of fantastic. My friend turned the spindle and made new babbit bearings. He added those little oilers to the top. He did not like the rubber V belt that I was using so he made me a flat belt, a spare and a kit for making my own if I ever wear out the two he made.
The old lathe runs better than it has since I had it. All of the tollerances are tight with a capital T.
It does not stop there. He asked me how much I would like to have total controll over the speeds. I thought that it would be fantastic as it was a one speed lathe the way it was set up. The next thing you know I have a three phase motor hooked up to a control box with a knob that you simply rotate to change the speeds. It doubles the max speeds offered by the 1750 rpm motor and retains the torque. So yes, it will run at 3500 rpm though I feel that this should be limited to short runs due to the age of the lathe.
I am thrilled with the results.
If any one wants to make their lathe variable like that I can get you in contact with my friend. He manages a electric motor repair company.
He can sell you what you need.
Just thought you guys might like to know.
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