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Thread: Reeves Drives

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Colby, Washington. Just across the Puget Sound from Seattle, near Blake Island.
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    931

    Reeves Drives

    I constantly hear complaints about Reeves Drive speed control mechanisms and really can't understand it. Yes, they do get mangled and need to have parts replaced, but that's almost always operator error. I've had three lathes with Reeves and not one has ever failed; never jammed up, never slipped, never broke. Right now, I have a Jet 14-42 with thousands of hours on it and it's solid as a rock. I mean, this design certainly is better than the old four-stage pulley system, and the price tag is significantly less than an electornic speed control.

    I'm curious to hear the experiences of other woodturners. Problems? Complaints? Endorsements?

    (For those who aren't familiar, the continuiously variable transmission, aka Reeves Drive, is a speed control with two-part pulleys that change size under pressure. When one is forced to a higher or lower diameter, the second spring-loaded pulley adjusts accordingly. The key to using them is to never, ever change speeds unless the lathe is turned on. Here's a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8ExzaUq5GI )

    Russell Neyman
    .


    Writer - Woodworker - Historian
    Instructor: The Woodturning Experience
    Puget Sound, Washington State


    "Outside of a dog, there's nothing better than a good book; inside of a dog it's too dark to read."

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Belden, Mississippi
    Posts
    2,742
    I'm with you. No problems at all with my Grizz 1067Z. I keep the drive clean and lubed as you are supposed to do.
    Bill
    On the other hand, I still have five fingers.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Houston, Texas
    Posts
    274
    My Jet 1236 was handed down to me by a good friend. He had it and used it for years, I've had it for five or six years, never had a problem. It's louder than I'd like, but otherwise, it runs every time I turn it on!
    Don't let it bring you down,
    It's only castles burning,
    Just find someone who's turning,
    And you will come around

    Neil Young (with a little bit of emphasis added by me)

    Board member, Gulf Coast Woodturners Association

  4. #4

    All Reeves Drives Aren't Created Equal

    Depends on the particular implementation of the Reeves drive. I have the old Craftsman. Poorly designed so the tiny primary drive belt can be destroyed because of the hardware rubbing on the back of it and no way to lubricate the sliding half pulleys other than take them apart and try to get a little lube on them. Mine were frozen when I got the lathe, new, unused, had been sitting for years. The pulleys jammed over and over, I took things apart, sanded with fine sandpaper, tried colloidal graphite and several lubes. One or the other seemed to have worked for awhile but I think my pulley has stuck again, haven't looked to see.

    Some other brands with the Reeves drives better designed and with grease fittings and such make people much happier. With the price of electronic variable speed drives coming way down the Reeves will be less popular all the time. Annoying to forget to turn the drive down before chucking something on the lathe and realizing the speed is far too fast. I have bumped the start button a few times and snuck speeds down but I think we all know that is bad practice. Started a piece of wood between centers just yesterday, got it all ready to turn and realized the speed was way too fast. I had been turning finials. Weighed trying to bump the speed down hitting the start button but eventually said a few choice words and took the wood off before starting the lathe empty to change speeds.

    Should get in the habit of turning the lathe down before hitting the stop button but easier said than done. No need to do it starting and stopping two or three times making the finial, then done for the day.

    From what I have read probably over 75% of the "I hate Reeves drives" posts come from Craftsman owners or former Craftsman owners. Someone that turns at least three or four times a week and maintains their Reeves drive doesn't have nearly the issues of an occasional turner with a drive that is almost impossible to maintain to begin with.

    Hu

  5. #5
    I agree..I've used a Griz for 20+ yrs and zero issues, except for the hum/noise. Been perfect.
    Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning, the devil says, "oh crap she's up!"


    Tolerance is giving every other human being every right that you claim for yourself.

    "What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts are gone, men would die from great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts will happen to man. All things are connected. " Chief Seattle Duwamish Tribe

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Colby, Washington. Just across the Puget Sound from Seattle, near Blake Island.
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    931
    Lathe maintenance is something many of us overlook. I'm certainly including myself in that group. It says a lot for the Jet application of the Reeves system that I've had so few issues. All this came up when our club was given a Jet 14-42 (exactly the same unit as my personal lathe) with a bashed up set of pulleys, and someone expressed the opinion, "Yep, that's what you can expect from that system." We're in the process of bringing it up to snuff so we can auction it off.

    When I sense something is loose on mine, I open up the cover and tighten all the set screws, blowing out the dust and adding some graphite to the shafts while it's open. I've worn out a belt, but that's it. I bought it used and believe it to be nearly seven years old and it's a solid-running machine.

    Russell Neyman
    .


    Writer - Woodworker - Historian
    Instructor: The Woodturning Experience
    Puget Sound, Washington State


    "Outside of a dog, there's nothing better than a good book; inside of a dog it's too dark to read."

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Midwest
    Posts
    2,043
    Russell,
    I think it all depends on the quality of the drive pulleys. I always keep my lathe well lubricated but had the spindle half pulley that moves separate at the hub after about 6-8 years of light use. After I removed the broken parts with no issue, I discovered that the original pot metal casting was less than 1/16" thick at that junction between the hub and drive vanes that flare outward.

    The reeves drive pulleys on the motor side were already replaced under warranty.

    The older Delta, Powermatic 45/90, and General lathes all used cast iron reeves drive pulleys that are much more robust from I undertsand.

    I am in the process of completely rebuilding the lathe without the reeves drive using a VFD.

    If anyone needs reeves drive parts, let me know!
    Last edited by Dick Strauss; 04-21-2015 at 8:35 AM.

  8. #8
    I picked up a Jet 1442 and discovered both pulleys were worn, even the stationary one.
    So I guess they do wear out, but I'm wondering if it wasn't from lubrication issue.

    I've got a new drive, new shaft and new bearings but haven't gotten around to putting it back together yet.

    I haven't been able to find an answer as to the best lubricant to use on the shaft.

    Nothing in owners manual and haven't gotten around to calling Jet.

    Does Jet recommend graphite?

    Thanks.

  9. #9
    i will fess up.....my first lathe was a delta reeves drive....12 swing, 42 I believe length.......I was glad to see the jet hit the shop.......2 problems....I would forget to unlock the spindle, or think it was unlock....start lathe up....this is not good.......other problem was start/stop......after several trips to delta service center I got local electrian to put a light switch on it for on/off......I understand that the brushes wore out quickly on the same models in the artisan center......I ended up improving the drive center, not much bite.....but when the lathe was working...it did a good job.....a little light and high start up speed, but ya got to start somewhere to find out what you like

  10. #10
    The OLD Rockwell, Yates American & Oliver reeves drives were bullet proof, little maintenance needed and they lasted for years. The design itself is not a problem but doing it right is expensive, the cheap versions have issues.
    _______________________________________
    When failure is not an option
    Mediocre is assured.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Colby, Washington. Just across the Puget Sound from Seattle, near Blake Island.
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    931
    Quote Originally Posted by charlie knighton View Post
    i will fess up.... I would forget to unlock the spindle ... problem was start/stop......after several trips to delta service center I got local electrian to put a light switch on it for on/off....
    So you hardwired a light onto the lathe? Lathe on, light on? Not sure I understand.

    Russell Neyman
    .


    Writer - Woodworker - Historian
    Instructor: The Woodturning Experience
    Puget Sound, Washington State


    "Outside of a dog, there's nothing better than a good book; inside of a dog it's too dark to read."

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Russell Neyman View Post
    So you hardwired a light onto the lathe? Lathe on, light on? Not sure I understand.
    Russell, I believe he means that he had a light switch installed to be used as the on/off switch.
    Len

  13. #13
    Russell, I believe he means that he had a light switch installed to be used as the on/off switch.
    Len
    Len, you are correct.......it worked fine.....as far as I know, it is still in place as I sold the lathe several years ago

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Lancaster PA USA
    Posts
    254
    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis Ford View Post
    The OLD Rockwell, Yates American & Oliver reeves drives were bullet proof, little maintenance needed and they lasted for years. The design itself is not a problem but doing it right is expensive, the cheap versions have issues.
    Yates used a large solid heavy aluminum setup unlike most of today's which also includes having an oil cup to lube . Easy to maintain but you must keep up with the oiling. The castings are completely smooth , no recesses in the casting of the sheave where the belt rides but it also uses variable speed belts which are thick and heavy unlike the usual V belt used on today's lathes . Delta/Rockwell used a similar setup on at least one of their metal turning lathes. The old setups are much more stout than today's. I had a Harbor Freight lathe for a few years , the reeves drive on that worked ok , only had to get some lube into it once in a while but it did chew up it's V belts. The pulley's castings were cheap and rough.
    Last edited by Brian Myers; 04-21-2015 at 10:24 AM.
    I know the voices in my head aren't real but boy do they come up with some good ideas !
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  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Finger Lakes, NY
    Posts
    57
    Quote Originally Posted by Russell Neyman View Post
    Lathe maintenance is something many of us overlook.
    Anyone know of a tutorial on what proper Reeves drive maintenance consists in?

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