Mini-lathe dying..?

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 17/11/2018 11:50:44:

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 17/11/2018 10:31:06:

My mini-lathe had a hole in the control box where it went over the leadscrew. Bad design because it allowed swarf inside where a streamer of aluminium dropped on the electronics could blow the board! Newer mini-lathes are fitted with a grommet.

Tell me about it… happened to my CL300M, I converted it to a VFD and 3-phase motor but used teh same control box, with added grommet.

Neil.

One of the first mods that I did to my mini-lathe was to make a cover for the hole in the control box by punching a hole into the lid of a 35mm film container, waxed the leadscrew, removed the saddle and tail bearing, slid the device along the leadscrew then filled the cap with neutral cure silicon rubber before pressing it into place against the control box.

This was over ten years ago and it's still functioning quite well. It is flexible enough for when I occasionally swap between metric and imperial leadscrews

Also, while the saddle was off the lathe I made a perspex cover for the saddle traversing gears, a very worthwhile mod imho.

Months of perusing the mini-lathe forum **LINK** was invaluable when setting up the little beastie

* Danny M *

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Danny M2Z on 18/11/2018 06:46:10:

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 17/11/2018 11:50:44:

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 17/11/2018 10:31:06:

My mini-lathe had a hole in the control box where it went over the leadscrew. Bad design because it allowed swarf inside where a streamer of aluminium dropped on the electronics could blow the board! Newer mini-lathes are fitted with a grommet.

Tell me about it… happened to my CL300M, I converted it to a VFD and 3-phase motor but used teh same control box, with added grommet.

Neil.

One of the first mods that I did to my mini-lathe was to make a cover for the hole in the control box by punching a hole into the lid of a 35mm film container, waxed the leadscrew, removed the saddle and tail bearing, slid the device along the leadscrew then filled the cap with neutral cure silicon rubber before pressing it into place against the control box.

This was over ten years ago and it's still functioning quite well. It is flexible enough for when I occasionally swap between metric and imperial leadscrews

Also, while the saddle was off the lathe I made a perspex cover for the saddle traversing gears, a very worthwhile mod imho.

Months of perusing the mini-lathe forum **LINK** was invaluable when setting up the little beastie

* Danny M *

When it happened to me, the ribbon of aluminium vapourised inside the controller with a scary blue flash and pop. Opening it up I found no obvious damage to the board : I guess I got lucky and the ribbon shorted out a capacitor and fused before causing mayhem. After removing a few bits of swarf I powered up and found everything was still working.

My cure was simpler than Danny & Neil's. I just positioned short strips of electrical insulating tape around the hole to protect the gap.

I also protected the saddle gears with a bit of meat pie box plastic window rather than Danny's professional perspex. Swarf in the gears doesn't do any damage but the gritty feel is annoying.  It's true – I am a dreadful bodger.

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 18/11/2018 10:11:56

[Anthony KnightsParticipant @anthonyknights16741]

                  I never liked the lead screw going through the electronics box. I fitted the speed control circuitry in a new box and mounted it on a spacer. The bigger box also allowed me enough space to use a standard potentiometer with a cam operated microswitch instead of the specified component..

Edited By Anthony Knights on 18/11/2018 12:16:29

Edited By Anthony Knights on 18/11/2018 12:17:08

Edited By Anthony Knights on 18/11/2018 12:17:45

Edited By Anthony Knights on 18/11/2018 12:18:19

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 18/11/2018 10:09:32:

 

When it happened to me, the ribbon of aluminium vapourised inside the controller with a scary blue flash and pop. Opening it up I found no obvious damage to the board : I guess I got lucky and the ribbon shorted out a capacitor and fused before causing mayhem. After removing a few bits of swarf I powered up and found everything was still working.

My cure was simpler than Danny & Neil's. I just positioned short strips of electrical insulating tape around the hole to protect the gap.

I also protected the saddle gears with a bit of meat pie box plastic window rather than Danny's professional perspex. Swarf in the gears doesn't do any damage but the gritty feel is annoying. It's true – I am a dreadful bodger.

Dave

Dave,

I never consider anything a bodge if it works and like you out came the roll of tape for a quick fix. I will do a Blue Peter on it though as I have some 1mm thick sticky back plastic which I can fashion a cover from.

Ron

Edited By Ron Laden on 18/11/2018 14:03:58

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

I fitted one of Arc's lead screw grommets…
**LINK**

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

Posted by john carruthers on 25/11/2018 08:56:27:

I fitted one of Arc's lead screw grommets…
**LINK**

Thanks for that John, I didnt realise you could get one.

Ron

[Author]

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