I did a little research before I bought my 7x16 mini lathe and learned that Micro Mart and Little Machine Shop offers minis with a brushless DC motor that does not require that noisy, power stealing 2 speed gearbox. I understand that gearbox lathes can be converted, but it involves lots of expensive parts. It may be better to just replace the lathe. Regardless of what your owner's manual says, Little Machine Shop has free online software that will let you determine what change gears to use to cut any thread that will fit in the mini. After I broke a tooth in one of the change gears I bought a set of metal gears, but only replaced the broken one. That way I do not have metal gears turning against other metal gears.
I know this is an old video but thanks for taking the time to upload it. I've just bought an Sieg C3 mini lathe and it's always nice to see what it's supposed to look like if I need to take it apart. Regards Doc from Australia, mate.
I just bought the same model from eBay. There was no accessories came! not even chuck was included! I have contacted to them . They have sent on separate package.. I am happy so far. Thank you for follow up.
Me too had to change internal gears, after having tried to "lathing round" a square shape of iron piece ( which is the worst: working at low speed, been feared of that piece of iron spinning - but in that days i was just a new lathe-player . . . ). But just a couple of gears were damaged, used to get the lower speed ; so i just opened the lathe gear-box to see what to do. After having seen the distance between the shafts, that i believed to be 46 - 47 mm, i purchased 4 gears, modulo 2, as follow: - 2 pieces with 23 teeth, for the higher speed ( whose radius is 23 mm. , so their center distance would be 23+23 = 46 mm ( 1:1 ratio ). - 2 gears of 13 and 33 teeth each, whose center distance would be 13+33=46 mm. (again) for the lower speed ( 1: 2,538. . . ratio , almost 1: 1'' inches ). Be sure i had to look at mechanics-book before doing this even simple calculation ! With the only speed ( the higher ) still working in my lathe, i had to machine those 4 gears more than a bit, than again i opened the gear-box and went on with changing ( from plastic to steel gears ). Before doing this, i had also prepared 2 steel ( rounded ) spacers ( lathing inexpensive water pipelines ), so i could throw away that unbelieveble plastic spacers. The whole lenght was to be adjusted a bit ( error +/- 0.1 mm ) not to force the bearings or lefting the spin ( chuck ) loose. But all worked ! ------------ Some days ago, i got broken the potentiometer for the speed. My lathe is "Einhell MTB 3000" and i believe it is similar to others coming from China. A switch "normally closed" is integrated with the potentiometer, a 4,7 kohm linear ( i argued ). With the potenziometer to "zero", you are abled to press the green, big ON switch, then you are abled to really start the chuck, increasing clockwise the knob. When you do so, the switch under the potentiometer opens, and the chuck begins turning. ( all this is made for safety reasons, in case of missing and suddenly come back of the power supply in the wall plug : so when you are looking why the lathe had stopped, on coming back of the power supply you can be injuried ! ) So the switch, coming underside potentiometer, is an unusual type : normally closed, opens on turning on the knob ( not easy to find a potentiometer with such a switch in his back ! ) I went on a trick. Using a 4,7 kohm linear potentiometer with PLASTIC SHAFT ( against electrical INJURY ), a microswitch with rolling tip, two pieces of printed circuit board laminates ( without copper ), i went on a "double wall" construction, with some hex spacers as used in electronics. I cutted off the unused pin of the microswitch ( the one wich is normally opened ) and i also had to bend the leg of the microswitch itself ). It works ever better than before, the microswitch has very little gap between its position "on" and "off" , so i can get more lover speed than before. Also, i had to machine ( powering the motor-lathe with an outside regulating supply ) a sort of wheel - fixed and turning on the potentiometer, with a milled space for the rolling tip of the microswitch, so when i set the speed to zero, the microswitch can close its contacts. Cause too little room inside the electronic box, and the microswitch leg bended, now speed increase anticlockwise, and my friends ask me if i'm english . . . Cheers, Alessandro from Italy.
Honestly I prefer the plastic gears, they don't need lubrication and they prevent you from breaking something more expensive. The instruction manual tells you not to change the gears while it's running. You should have ordered the Angular contact spindle bearings from Arc Euro Trade and replaced the deep groove ball bearings.
I have had the original plastic gears in my lathe since i got it 3 years ago, I have never had any issues and the other day i took it apart to inspect the gears and very little wear and i use the lathe all the time. Metal is sure much more durable but it has several disadvantages to the plastic that many people are failing to see, First of all plastic is much more forgiving than metal, Meaning for the inexperienced lathe operator he or she will eventually crash the tool into the chuck or the work will bind up causing a tooth to break on the plastic gears with the metal ones this might cause more expensive damage. Secondly and i see this to be more of an issue with the metal vs plastic is the noise generated from the meshing of the gears without them being in an oil bath, Not to mention the fact of no lubrication on metal to metal parts will cause major issues in the not to distant future of their use. I know you can grease the gears but the first time you start your lathe your going to fling off the majority of the grease you put on the gears when installing them, Even if you were to fill the entire void with grease eventually the moving parts would move the grease and pack it into areas not in contact with the moving parts, The only ways to ensure the gears are lubricated at all times is with an oil hole where before every use of the lathe you squirt oil onto the gears and keep doing so during the process to ensure all metal to metal parts are well lubricated, The other far better but much more difficult due to seals is to submerge the gears partly into an oil bath, This would keep the gears well lubricated and quite, The major issue here is there are several holes that would need oil seals installed in order to do this without a huge mess.
good video the ball bearing court me out to, i replaced the metal High Low gear much better i also replaced my spindle bearings with Angular Contact Bearing gives greater spindle accuracy they also came from arceurotrade.
I have just fitted metal gears to my cj18a i bought them from amadeal off ebay they cost £30. They were one piece same as original not 3 pieces like in the vid they have more teeth that are smaller supposedly to reduce noise, I had a problem that the smaller gear did not slide on the shaft and I had to grind a little off the shaft key with my dremel, also the selector fork was a very tight fit due to it being poorly casted I had to grind some lumps off the fork to make it fit.
I noticed when you out the head back on the lathe you talked about alignment of the lead screw gearing. It looks like the headstock has two pins that fix the position so they must not be doing the job?
Hi, Can you tell me what's the specification/markings on your pulley belting? I can't seem find anything on mine and the local suppliers can't seem to get a compatible one. Thanks and cheers!
Well done for very clear instructions. It's going to save me a lot of time and headaches
Glad its of help
I did a little research before I bought my 7x16 mini lathe and learned that Micro Mart and Little Machine Shop offers minis with a brushless DC motor that does not require that noisy, power stealing 2 speed gearbox. I understand that gearbox lathes can be converted, but it involves lots of expensive parts. It may be better to just replace the lathe.
Regardless of what your owner's manual says, Little Machine Shop has free online software that will let you determine what change gears to use to cut any thread that will fit in the mini.
After I broke a tooth in one of the change gears I bought a set of metal gears, but only replaced the broken one. That way I do not have metal gears turning against other metal gears.
I'm doing this job tomorrow, big gears are one solid piece now, iI'll use for reference, many thank's for uploading it
Pleasure. Hope its helpful 👍
I know this is an old video but thanks for taking the time to upload it.
I've just bought an Sieg C3 mini lathe and it's always nice to see what it's supposed to look like if I need to take it apart.
Regards
Doc from Australia, mate.
Hey Doc thanks for the kind words. Nice to know iv helped someone out there.
I just bought the same model from eBay. There was no accessories came! not even chuck was included! I have contacted to them . They have sent on separate package.. I am happy so far. Thank you for follow up.
Merhaba Serkan. Ebay de kimden satin aldin?
@@MansHobbsInterests Shop name "uptotool"
@@MansHobbsInterests Merhaba bu arada. Sizin tecrubelerden istifade edecegiz sanirim. :)
@@serkanozkan8793 do you have the link to the ebay store?. I will check it out for you :)
@@MansHobbsInterests www.ebay.de/itm/273881536526
great video i need to do the same thing thank you
Me too had to change internal gears, after having tried to "lathing round" a square shape of iron piece ( which is the worst: working at low speed, been feared of that piece of iron spinning - but in that days i was just a new lathe-player . . . ). But just a couple of gears were damaged, used to get the lower speed ; so i just opened the lathe gear-box to see what to do. After having seen the distance between the shafts, that i believed to be 46 - 47 mm, i purchased 4 gears, modulo 2, as follow:
- 2 pieces with 23 teeth, for the higher speed ( whose radius is 23 mm. , so their center distance would be 23+23 = 46 mm ( 1:1 ratio ).
- 2 gears of 13 and 33 teeth each, whose center distance would be 13+33=46 mm. (again)
for the lower speed ( 1: 2,538. . . ratio , almost 1: 1'' inches ).
Be sure i had to look at mechanics-book before doing this even simple calculation !
With the only speed ( the higher ) still working in my lathe, i had to machine those 4 gears more than a bit, than again i opened the gear-box and went on with changing ( from plastic to steel gears ).
Before doing this, i had also prepared 2 steel ( rounded ) spacers ( lathing inexpensive water pipelines ), so i could throw away that unbelieveble plastic spacers. The whole lenght was to be adjusted a bit ( error +/- 0.1 mm ) not to force the bearings or lefting the spin ( chuck ) loose.
But all worked !
------------
Some days ago, i got broken the potentiometer for the speed.
My lathe is "Einhell MTB 3000" and i believe it is similar to others coming from China.
A switch "normally closed" is integrated with the potentiometer, a 4,7 kohm linear ( i argued ). With the potenziometer to "zero", you are abled to press the green, big ON switch, then you are abled to really start the chuck, increasing clockwise the knob. When you do so, the switch under the potentiometer opens, and the chuck begins turning.
( all this is made for safety reasons, in case of missing and suddenly come back of the power supply in the wall plug : so when you are looking why the lathe had stopped, on coming back of the power supply you can be injuried ! )
So the switch, coming underside potentiometer, is an unusual type : normally closed, opens on turning on the knob ( not easy to find a potentiometer with such a switch in his back ! )
I went on a trick. Using a 4,7 kohm linear potentiometer with PLASTIC SHAFT ( against electrical INJURY ), a microswitch with rolling tip, two pieces of printed circuit board laminates ( without copper ), i went on a "double wall" construction, with some hex spacers as used in electronics.
I cutted off the unused pin of the microswitch ( the one wich is normally opened ) and i also had to bend the leg of the microswitch itself ). It works ever better than before, the microswitch has very little gap between its position "on" and "off" , so i can get more lover speed than before. Also, i had to machine ( powering the motor-lathe with an outside regulating supply ) a sort of wheel - fixed and turning on the potentiometer, with a milled space for the rolling tip of the microswitch, so when i set the speed to zero, the microswitch can close its contacts.
Cause too little room inside the electronic box, and the microswitch leg bended, now speed increase anticlockwise, and my friends ask me if i'm english . . .
Cheers, Alessandro from Italy.
Honestly I prefer the plastic gears, they don't need lubrication and they prevent you from breaking something more expensive. The instruction manual tells you not to change the gears while it's running. You should have ordered the Angular contact spindle bearings from Arc Euro Trade and replaced the deep groove ball bearings.
I have had the original plastic gears in my lathe since i got it 3 years ago, I have never had any issues and the other day i took it apart to inspect the gears and very little wear and i use the lathe all the time. Metal is sure much more durable but it has several disadvantages to the plastic that many people are failing to see, First of all plastic is much more forgiving than metal, Meaning for the inexperienced lathe operator he or she will eventually crash the tool into the chuck or the work will bind up causing a tooth to break on the plastic gears with the metal ones this might cause more expensive damage. Secondly and i see this to be more of an issue with the metal vs plastic is the noise generated from the meshing of the gears without them being in an oil bath, Not to mention the fact of no lubrication on metal to metal parts will cause major issues in the not to distant future of their use.
I know you can grease the gears but the first time you start your lathe your going to fling off the majority of the grease you put on the gears when installing them, Even if you were to fill the entire void with grease eventually the moving parts would move the grease and pack it into areas not in contact with the moving parts, The only ways to ensure the gears are lubricated at all times is with an oil hole where before every use of the lathe you squirt oil onto the gears and keep doing so during the process to ensure all metal to metal parts are well lubricated, The other far better but much more difficult due to seals is to submerge the gears partly into an oil bath, This would keep the gears well lubricated and quite, The major issue here is there are several holes that would need oil seals installed in order to do this without a huge mess.
good video the ball bearing court me out to, i replaced the metal High Low gear much better i also replaced my spindle bearings with Angular Contact Bearing gives greater spindle accuracy they also came from arceurotrade.
Great video, thanks for uploading! Really helpful as my Low Gear has just died. Can I ask - where did you get the 4" chuck?
My lathe come with it here in the uk.
I have just fitted metal gears to my cj18a i bought them from amadeal off ebay they cost £30. They were one piece same as original not 3 pieces like in the vid they have more teeth that are smaller supposedly to reduce noise, I had a problem that the smaller gear did not slide on the shaft and I had to grind a little off the shaft key with my dremel, also the selector fork was a very tight fit due to it being poorly casted I had to grind some lumps off the fork to make it fit.
Lee Birdsall same here had to grind, mine is a bit noisier now
Mine is a bit noisier than with plastic cogs but i think i would be even more noisier if it had fewer larger teeth
I have a Warco version of this it came with metal gears which are extremely noisy - any tips on making them quieter?
I noticed when you out the head back on the lathe you talked about alignment of the lead screw gearing. It looks like the headstock has two pins that fix the position so they must not be doing the job?
Thanks for the video man
Hi,
Can you tell me what's the specification/markings on your pulley belting? I can't seem find anything on mine and the local suppliers can't seem to get a compatible one. Thanks and cheers!
My lathe broke the metal gears to turn aluminum the shafts seems to fare apart the gears bearly touch when engaged
how did you get the box apart and how did you take off the bearings and fit the new ones ?
i ordered a catalog from arc.
From WHERE you purchase gears, what is their reference number?
www.arceurotrade.co.uk/
Can you give me link to your lathe? Or model?
Sure. Try www.amadeal.co.uk/acatalog/Mini-Lathe.html
But you can also find them on ebay
l took my mini lathe apart and did two motor mods with belt and pulleys. “steve jordan yt channel/UK,,, & “artisan makes yt channel/aussie.