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Angular contact bearings

Best to focus on one thing at a time.
Something is causing the gear train to turn into powder. The knurled handle at the back has 3 detents, place it so that the 2 small gears that it controls are not connected to the spindle. then check the noise. If the noise is still present, then try shifting the handle at back with black plastic to one of its positions.

Also turn that gear train manually (once disconnected from the spindle). If it is stiff, then figure out why and resolve that issue. I think you already did that and the sound got worse so then I would assume that it is the motor bearings (unless the motor is still turning other things inside the headstock).
 
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va2fsq said:
Well since this thread has started and I'm in better shape than I thought, I just noticed that the cross slide has play in it. If I grab it and push it to the back of the lathe it moves. Same as if I pull it to the front. Shouldn't this be rigid or is it determined from the play in the dial mechanism?
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Also adjust your backlash if a method is provided to facilitate that. But also know that some backlash is inevitable and must be taken into account when the lathe is used. It's pretty standard procedure.
 
Yes, found a video on adjusting the cross slide backlash. Can't get it perfect but up to now, didn't realize you need to take into account the backlash.
Lots to learn. All the rest, are rock solid.
 
va2fsq said:
Yes, found a video on adjusting the cross slide backlash. Can't get it perfect but up to now, didn't realize you need to take into account the backlash.
Lots to learn. All the rest, are rock solid.
Click to expand...

Do you have the manual for that lathe?
 
va2fsq said:
Many thanks for that link! The missing manual that answers all.
Tom
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Hey Tom, I am just thinking about all the fun you are having recently. Back when you first joined, you said your primary interest was astrophotography. I think many of us started machining through other interests, benchrest shooting and related precision gun smithing in my case. But time seems to change that and the joy of machining becomes a goal of its own.

I too share an interest in astronomy. But my photographic skills need significant work.

Can you share a bit about your astrophotograhic projects and potentially teach us all a few things we didn't know?
 
Sure. Here's an overview on some of the photos.

www.astrobin.com

tomb18's gallery

Astrophotography by tomb18 on AstroBin
www.astrobin.com www.astrobin.com

If you think lathes and accessories cost alot, think again.
One filter for imaging can cost $2000 and you need 3 of these....
I take the photos from a Montreal suburb and the light pollution is strong. The consequence is I need to take longer and more pictures for any given object. Most of the photos there are 16 hours of exposures or more. You need a high precision mount to follow the stars. We are talking tracking stars to a position of one arc second.
 
va2fsq said:
Sure. Here's an overview on some of the photos.

www.astrobin.com

tomb18's gallery

Astrophotography by tomb18 on AstroBin
www.astrobin.com www.astrobin.com

If you think lathes and accessories cost alot, think again.
One filter for imaging can cost $2000 and you need 3 of these....
I take the photos from a Montreal suburb and the light pollution is strong. The consequence is I need to take longer and more pictures for any given object. Most of the photos there are 16 hours of exposures or more. You need a high precision mount to follow the stars. We are talking tracking stars to a position of one arc second.
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Beautiful Tom! Can I hope you let the camera / telescope do its thing while you sleep?

You might love it here at my farm. It's not the darkest site in North America, but it's pretty darn good. I'm far enough from Chatham and most of the other light sources around that it can get pitch black on a moonless night.

I have 2 Scopes. A 5" Meade and an 8" Lx200. I keep the 8" just inside the barn door so I can haul it out into the yard for quick and easy observing. I do love exploring the many deep sky objects on nice dark nights with good seeing. But I've never been successful at good photos. One of the projects on my machining list at 24Riiib is to repair an equatorial wedge for my 8". Its been on my list for 12 years or so, so it's probably overdue to get it done! LOL!
 
Those scopes are difficult for imaging. You need a good mount, off axis guider and lots of patience. A better choice from a dark sky is a 70mm and up refractor.
Tom
 
va2fsq said:
Those scopes are difficult for imaging. You need a good mount, off axis guider and lots of patience. A better choice from a dark sky is a 70mm and up refractor.
Tom
Click to expand...

Might help to have younger eyes that actually see stuff too......
 
va2fsq said:
Those scopes are difficult for imaging. You need a good mount, off axis guider and lots of patience. A better choice from a dark sky is a 70mm and up refractor.
Tom
Click to expand...

Btw - Your photos are beautiful...... And inspiring too....
 
va2fsq said:
So maybe I don't need to do any of this.
Click to expand...

Amen.

There are two things that will determine the accuracy, the class of the bearing, and the manufacturer...... in other words if they say they are P4, do you have any reason to believe they actuall are? (A $700 price and from a SKF dealer is a good reason to believe it lol)

There are armies of skateboarders out there rolling on ABEC 9 skate bearings. They are convinced they need them, so the offshore mfg prints ABEC 9 on the package, list it for sale for $3 and everyone carries on.

and btw, A/C's are not an upgrade from taper roller bearings, all else being the same. A/C's can handle very high speeds (irrelevant on a lathe) while tapered rolling bearings can handle higher loads. If they were garbage tapered bearings and you put in high end A/C it might be an upgrade, just don't come away thinking its a thing that A/C's are better than taper roller bearings
 
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