Line shaft speed

[David]

I'm far from an expert but the presence of the arms on the banjo tells me that there's a bunch of missing gears.

 

[Susquatch]

I can't imagine people hand cranked it for anything that wasn't a roughing cut. Especially on something longer than a couple inches?

Actually, now that you mention it, I did hand crank many many cuts - some MUCH longer than a few inches.

FWIW, I have no problem imagining my grandfather hand cranking all day long. He had infinite patience and I think that patience was pretty common back then.

 

[Megar arc 5040dd]

There is indeed a large gear that goes on the banjo. It just wasn't on when I took the photo. I have almost a full set of change gears, I think I am missing one if memory serves.

 

[Megar arc 5040dd]

Didn't see these photos before my last post. Mine doesn't look like that. Not sure I can help.

Other than the fancy belt, is that all original?

Other that the motor mount and new belts from what I can tell its all original. I even have a steady rest for it and full set -1 of change gears. The goal is for this to become my main lathe instead of my 10 inch atlas one day. That is if I can get it as dialed in and working as well as my atlas.

 

[Bandit]

Susquatch, patience has been lost in many ways, mostly when you know there is a faster way to do the job.
I was told my grandfather had to cut a large shaft off on a old steam yarder many years ago. It took him a few days with a hack saw, and a large pile of hack saw blades. He couldn't let a blade get to worn before changing it as a new blade would bind casing more grief. Most likely not even bimetal blades. Not a very long stroke as large shaft.

 

[Bandit]

Can any of the gearing in the head driving the feed pulley be changed? There also doesn't appear to be any way of reversing the feed screw or the feed shaft (one with the belt drive). Not seeing it or missing? Never there? Are there 2 banjos? Or is one of the levers for the lead screw reverse and no gears on it?
Not sure how much end play in the spindle, but it sounds like it is fairly easy to adjust, run with no load and see how warm bearings/ caps get. Tighten end play a bit and check again with no load. Make sure oil caps have oil. Should be able to feel a small amount of play. Basicly, no load, very little to no warmth, under load (cutting etc.) slightly warm, if you can't hold inner wrist against it, to warm. Like checking baby's milk. Please stop lathe before checking tempature.
One of the things I remember reading for how to be a good lathe/machine operator was "oil before it starts to squeak and back off the tail stock as things warm up".

 

[Megar arc 5040dd]

Can any of the gearing in the head driving the feed pulley be changed? There also doesn't appear to be any way of reversing the feed screw or the feed shaft (one with the belt drive). Not seeing it or missing? Never there? Are there 2 banjos? Or is one of the levers for the lead screw reverse and no gears on it?
Not sure how much end play in the spindle, but it sounds like it is fairly easy to adjust, run with no load and see how warm bearings/ caps get. Tighten end play a bit and check again with no load. Make sure oil caps have oil. Should be able to feel a small amount of play. Basicly, no load, very little to no warmth, under load (cutting etc.) slightly warm, if you can't hold inner wrist against it, to warm. Like checking baby's milk. Please stop lathe before checking tempature.
One of the things I remember reading for how to be a good lathe/machine operator was "oil before it starts to squeak and back off the tail stock as things warm up".

The leaver on the left can be moved up and down in turn moving the gears on the right changing the direction of the drive pulley for the power feed as well as the drive gear for the lead screw.

 

[Bandit]

I was wondering if that might be the case, but could not see if it was.