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Thread: Well rats... My HF lathe gave up the ghost tonight...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Salt Lake City, UT
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    749

    Well rats... My HF lathe gave up the ghost tonight...

    I was working on the baby rattle for me 9 day old niece and my old green HF lathe died. Making it high time to get the mustard monster setup. I keep waiting just 1 more week, as we were trying to sell the house and look what it got me. Makes it hard to finish Christmas presents without a lathe. *sigh*

    Either the power switch died or the motor did. But there is clearly power going in but nothing happens anymore. Sigh... What's a disappointed turner to do? Hummm.... what's on TV tonight...

    Joshua

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Harvey, Michigan
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    Joshua - sorry to hear about your lathe problems but a lot of folks get sawdust in the power switch and everything comes to a halt! If you have a compressor - try blowing it out or else, try a shop-vac! Best of luck! Hate to hear of anyone not being able to turn!
    Steve

    “You never know what you got til it's gone!”
    Please don’t let that happen!
    Become a financial Contributor today!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Bummer, but I also recommend you try blowing things out with compressed air as a first step in troubleshooting. The second is to take a meter and try to trace the power. Test both sides of the switch so you can see if the power is flowing toward the motor. That will help you determine if the switch is bad or if the issue is in the motor.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Southern Ontario Canada
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    If it's the standard little red toggle switch we so on so many of these tools they fill up with dust. They do come apart fairly easily so take it apart and clean it. Just make sure you disconnect it from the power first.
    Rick
    I support the Pens for Canadian Peacekeepers project

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Salt Lake City, UT
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    I actually just got off the phone with the guys at HF's tech support. From them my only option is to take it into the store. But I did talk to someone who told me I could disassemble the switch assembly without negating my ability to get a replacement should that not be the problem. So I will try that when I get home tonight rather than carting my 150 lbs lathe around.

    Especially since the 2 local stores don't have one and I would have to drive an hour away.

    Joshua

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Paradise PA
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    3,098
    find a friend, put a wheel on the outboard side, tell them to turn quickly, while you make light cuts. or rig a drill to turn the lathe.
    14x48 custom 2hp 9gear lathe
    9 inch pre 1940 craftsman lathe
    36 inch 1914 Sydney bandsaw (BEAST)
    Wood in every shelf and nook and cranny,,, seriously too much wood!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    HARVEY, MI. NEXT TO STEVE SCHLUMPF
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    Joshua!

    Is the motor not running, or is the belt broken? You can get new belts from HF reasonable.
    Bob

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Salt Lake City, UT
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    Well I spent about 30 minutes in the shop tonight. Turns out that, as suggested, the switch had filled with sawdust. There is a little rubber seal in there that has just given up the ghost. I took it apart and cleaned it up and cleaned the contacts etc... It works again. The old green beast lives. But I can't help but wonder how long it will be before it happens again. What I really need is replace the switch. Anyone got a source for that type of switch?

    Thanks,
    Joshua

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by robert hainstock View Post
    Is the motor not running, or is the belt broken? You can get new belts from HF reasonable.
    Bob
    The belt is fine. It is just the switch. HF seems to use that same switch for darn near everything. So I am hoping they sell it as a repair part and I can get a replacement.

    Joshua

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Southern Ontario Canada
    Posts
    430
    I wouldn't bother, I did mine a couple years ago my belt sander and it is still working. Annual maintenance take the switch apart clean it and put it back together. Now if it was coming on when it should be off that would be different.
    Rick
    I support the Pens for Canadian Peacekeepers project

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Goodland, Kansas
    Posts
    22,605
    Joshua glad to hear it is going again. I had that happen to the switch on my delta belt/disc sander. Cleaned it and it was good to go. Been over a year now.
    Bernie

    Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.

    To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone.



  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Harvey, Michigan
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    Joshua - I wouldn't go through the trouble of replacing the switch as dust is a common problem for everyone. Just remember to vacuum it or blow it out on a regular basis and you'll be fine. Glad to hear that was all there was to the problem and you are back up and running!
    Steve

    “You never know what you got til it's gone!”
    Please don’t let that happen!
    Become a financial Contributor today!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Childress, Texas, USA
    Posts
    1,930
    Joshua, you might try sealing it with some black tape, or something similar. I don't know where it is positioned, but if you fix an awning of sorts over it, it might help keep some of the dust out.
    Allen
    The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close.
    And.... I'm located just 1,075 miles SW of Steve Schlumpf.

  14. #14
    I had the same problem with the switch on my drill press. I noticed that it was the same one as on my old HF lathe (which is broken for other reasons- lousy Reeves drive pulley broken), so I scavenged it off of there and it's still going. My Jet Lathe did the same exact thing. Not very impressed with these switches.... But I have had some high dollar ones fill up with sawdust also. So... big deal. Clean it out and keep going.

  15. #15
    You need to replace the switch with a 3520B! LOL
    If at first you don't succeed, look in the trash for the instructions.





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