Delta 46-700 Reeves Drive issue.

[Lee Krause]

I bought a Delta 46-700 off CL for $125. (I'm saving for a new/better lathe, but $125 seemed ok to get me turning). It's been running fine now for about a month. Well yesterday I smelled something "hot" and then saw the smoke. Lucky for me only the switch burned up. It must have been a power surge in my garage. But at any rate, while replacing the switch I decided to change the belt for the Reeves drive to see if that would make it a bit quieter. WELL I've never had to repair a machine quite like this one, but I don't think this is how the Pulley Assembly is supposed to look. Anyone have one I can compare it to? I've seen one video on youtube, but I'm not sure it's the same model.

The replacement part is $147.00 from a 3rd party retailer. That seems a bit much. I don't want to sink anymore in it than I have to, but I don't have the money saved up for a different/new lathe.

Any advice?

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[Mark Greenbaum]

What does the other side (opposite half) look like?

[Lee Krause]

It's attached with a set screw to the motor shaft. I'll take a picture in the morning.

[Len Mullin]

Lee, I'd say that the lathe that this clutch half is off of, has seen a lot of use. What was the reason for removing it, did it not work right?
Len

[Lee Krause]

While changing out the switch, I decided to change the belt. There was a lot of noise coming from the motor housing. Also the variable speed leaver would shake loose and I'd have to stop what I was doing and turn it up. When I pulled off the cover, I could see that the pulley shown above was not running straight. When I pulled it off I saw the damage.

[Lee Krause]

Here's the other side on the drive. It's attached with a set screw to the shaft of the motor.
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[hu lowery]

Looks like the inner sleeve broke, if I remember rightly that might be part of the other sheave half. The only Reeves drive I have dealt with is the one on my old craftsman but I'd say in your case ignorance was bliss. It was working but noisy when you took it apart and that doesn't look like a fresh break. I'd put it back together unless I could locate the part for more like 20-30 dollars. Run this lathe until it won't run anymore and keep saving your dollars for what you want.

Hu

[robert baccus]

Here's a scary FYI. Most/many of the new auto shiftless tranny's use this same system?

[cody michael]

I believe that is the same lathe as my harbor freight lathe I just posted in the classifieds, you might want to try pricing the part through harbor freight, may be cheaper, you can buy the whole lathe 2-300$ I have mine posted for 150$

[david privett]

It looks to me to that part is a bushing machined with a keyway slot to receive the keyway , that might not be bad to make yourself.

[Lee Krause]

Hehe ignorance was bliss! I should have just changed out the switch! I'll have to start saving for one with a warranty.

[Curt Harms]

Looks like the inner sleeve broke, if I remember rightly that might be part of the other sheave half. The only Reeves drive I have dealt with is the one on my old craftsman but I'd say in your case ignorance was bliss. It was working but noisy when you took it apart and that doesn't look like a fresh break. I'd put it back together unless I could locate the part for more like 20-30 dollars. Run this lathe until it won't run anymore and keep saving your dollars for what you want.

Hu

That would be my thought as well. Unless a 3 phase motor that'd fit fell into your lap. Then add a VFD, but even that route might be more $ than it's worth.

[Ronald Blue]

I read where the Grizzly G0462 sheaves might interchange. Possibly a cheaper source for parts. It appears that the outer movable sheave has had the key eat into it from many hours of turning.

[Bob Hamilton]

The 46-700 was my first lathe and that problem looks very familiar. I had to replace that pulley about every 3 years while I owned the lathe and the price started out quite reasonable ($40?) the first time but each time it was more and the third time ($90?) availability was an issue, where it took a couple of months to obtain the parts. That was back around 2000 or 2001. It would seem to me that an actual engineering solution would be to make that sleeve out of harder material than the key so the key would wear out first. Keys are cheap and easy to replace.

Take care
Bob