Warco WM 250 advice needed

[raysalParticipant @raysal]

Hi All

I have been reading posts on this site for quite a while now but took the plunge to register after reading a members concearn on his new Warco WM 250. I had a new one of these delivered from Warco yesterday after using a old Boxford for a few years . I see on here there is a fix for the noisy gear train using the paper method, I will certainly have to carry this out (I thought the bearings were wearing ) Anyway, my question is, is the 6mm backlash in the leadscrew handwheel acceptable? also the two gear knobs are very hard to turn, do they loosen with use? I have not turned anything yet as I had to wash all the packing grease off. The one thing I don't like compared with my Boxford is the way the chucks are removed ( three bolts) please note this thread is not a complaint, the machine looks good.

[raysalParticipant @raysal]

new machine

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

It depends where the 6mm backlash is. At the periphery of the saddle (longitudinal) handwheel dial, the backlash on my 4 1/2-year-old WM250V measures nearly 7mm, but this equates to just less than 1mm of actual saddle motion. It's never been a problem for me. If I'm after a short precision length turning, I'll touch the tool to the work, lock the saddle and use the compound, which is very accurate. If it's milling in the vertical slide, I'll touch the tool to the work, zero the saddle handwheel and hope I can be accurate to a tenth or so of a division, ie. one or two thou. Usually I get near enough.

The paper method works well for quieting the geartrain – work back from the leadscrew pinion to the spindle. The pinion bushes are tight at first and ease with use. Squirt of oil helps, and they do run much easier and quieter with time – mine's now quite a comfortable chatty hum.

I think my gear knobs were awkward too when new. IIRC I used to turn the chuck by hand to help engage. Now I don't bother, and change them whilst running even though it says not to do that at high speed. Maybe I don't use high enough speeds to get into trouble – I rarely exceed 1000 rpm. The 'B' setting for the coarsest feed needs a bit of care in selection.

Chuck changing is indeed a pain, and I do it as little as possible. Maybe I was lucky, but my 3-jaw is truer as it came than any I ever found in industry when I was doing it for a living, and a set of soft jaws for thin work was a very worthwhile buy.

Edited By Mick B1 on 13/11/2019 13:20:00

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

I have a WM 250V-F bought at Harrogate exhibition back in 2012, that Mick B1 says I can concur with, every thing has eased off now. As Mick says, I can switch feed from left to right without stopping so I wouldn't worry too much at the moment,let it run in for a while until you get used to it then take stock again. I'm at the end of a pm if you need any help.

George.

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

My elderly WM250 (c2007) is still going strong. The paper between the change wheels definitely help as does a good helping of grease. The leadscrew handwheel play is about the same on mine no way of easily reducing it without re-positioning the rack. Never found it to be a problem the handwheel dial is accurate provided you are always going in one direction, I find it quite easy to cut up to a shoulder at the desired length. Just wind the tool up to touch the work set the dial to 0 and then turn as required always cutting towards the headstock. The gear change knobs can be a bit sticky just ease the pressure off by moving the chuck by hand. Invest in some smooth face flange nuts for the chuck easier than playing with nuts and washers in the 12mm gap!

A few bits and pieces about my lathe here Journeyman's Workshop if you rummage about in the site map or menu there are a few pages to do with the lathe, some mods some hints & tips. Just be aware that your lathe will be a bit different, especially the drive train, as it's a good few years younger than mine.

John

Edit: Typo

Edited By Journeyman on 13/11/2019 14:46:50

[raysalParticipant @raysal]

Thank you chaps for the promp help. I have in fact read Journeymans excellent review on the WM250 and probably bought it on the strength of that review. Nice to know that the lathe will run nice after bedding in. I probably sounded impatient asking questions before I have even used the lathe but as I had to strip most of it down for degreasing I though that if there were any adjustments you recommend I could carry them out while cleaning..

Ray

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

One of the mods I did was to get rid of the excuse for a gib strip on the compound slide; I replaced it with a brass replacement, see my album 'compound slide'. The depth & width ,on mine, were/are too deep, I think a few others commented on the same problem. Another mod was to add a compound slide locking screw in place of one of the gib adjuster screws, see same album, helps with rigidity when parting off. Also, as journeyman suggested I changed the flange nuts to smooth faced flange nuts. Re the paper exercise to set gear backlash, have a look in album 'miscellaneous' iirc for pic.

George.

Edited By mechman48 on 13/11/2019 16:16:49

[Niels AbildgaardParticipant @nielsabildgaard33719]

First operation on my chineese lathes has been to thin the flanges 4-5mm.

This make chuck change less than two minutes routine

Edited By Niels Abildgaard on 13/11/2019 16:00:36

Edited By Niels Abildgaard on 13/11/2019 16:02:01

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

That mod makes the flange less stiff? I use flange nuts on my Warco 290 lathe & studs just the right length & I suppose I can change a chuck in approx 2 minutes if I was counting.

Tony

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

I just use ordinary M8 nuts on my WM250 chucks. Each one has three kept with it, so I just spin off the ones on the fitted chuck, and pick them up later. I tighten a length of stuck in the chuck, and use that to wiggle it off which means I have both hands on it.

2 minute chuck changes are easily possible if you take your time……

[AlanWParticipant @alanw96569]

On my WM240 I also use smooth flange nuts. More expensive than the serrated variety but bigger and easier to hold, no washers to fiddle with. I had to shorten mine though.

[Niels AbildgaardParticipant @nielsabildgaard33719]

Posted by Tony Pratt 1 on 13/11/2019 18:01:10:

That mod makes the flange less stiff?

Tony

No .

Not when nuts are tight.

If ME can harbour short videos here we can make a contest .

Start with a ThreeJaws in place and secure.

Loosen nuts,take it down ,put on four jaw and secure.

If video is then speeded up say five times it will only be about 25 seconds.

It must then be possible to unite three videos side by side and compare.

Great fun for very few.

Edited By Niels Abildgaard on 14/11/2019 16:51:49

[Niels AbildgaardParticipant @nielsabildgaard33719]

Have just tested it.

90 seconds

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