With some help, who am I kidding, a LOT of help from a fellow Creeker, Stive, I got the VFD, tachometer, and potentiometer installed. The VFD is programmed, and the lathe is puuuuuurrrrrriiiiiiinnnnngggggg. I couldn't be happier.
Right now, she's a bit of a Frankenlathe. With my arms not well enough to A) move the lathe around and put it in its "spot", and B) drive to get to the BORGs and such to figure out mounting, we decided to get everything hooked up with long cords/wires to get it up and running. When all the logistics are figured out later, I can cut cords shorter and rewire it as needed.
To all that said I didn't need the tach, I say PPPPPTTTTHHHHHHHHHHTTTTT!!!!!!! Boy am I glad I got it! The dial is WAY off. Not sure why...old belt...whatever...but with the tach dialed down to 60 rpm, it is DEAD ON. Whey I put the variable speeed manual handle on the lathe to 550, I am actually running at 880 rpm! So, while "turning/adjusting by feel" is great, if someone were to have told me that for a large blank you should be turning at 300-400 rpm at first, I would have been WAY off.
While many of you already knew this, MAN is this thing smooooooth. I can't wait (well, I CAN, and I HAVE to) wait to put it in its spot and make some shavings.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOU INPUT, SUGGESTIONS, CAUTIONS, AND OPINIONS REGARDING MY INTERESTS, FROM UPGRADING FROM MY OLD LATHE TO DEALING WITH THIS ONE. YOUR HELP AND GUIDANCE HAS BEEN PRICELESS.
And, again, a special thank you to Steven Cherry for spending the time and showing so much patience with me. Sorry there aren't any pics. I always get so wrapped up in the moment that I forget...
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Originally Posted by Steve Schlumpf
