- Joined
- Aug 26, 2014
- Messages
- 132
Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,
Ok. My first metal lathe was an Harbor Freight 7x mini lathe. I bought it a while ago, and in making some improvements and modifications, I’ve taken that machine apart all the way down to the bare bed and put it back together several times.
I’ve never accidentally damaged anything on the way in or out, and I generally don’t think of myself as an insensitive brute who has to torque every bolt 200 foot pounds.
I just bought a partially rebuilt/refurbished HLV-H, and I feel like at every turn, something goes wrong:
This happened yesterday:
The power feed didn’t work when I got it, and it I had to replace the “potentiomenter” (it’s actually a bunch of circuitry in addition to the potentiometer encased in what looks like foggy amber) with a solid state module which I, then, accidentally damaged because the power feed motor wires weren’t labeled and I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.
The start/stop light went out, and when I went to try and replace the bulb I was able to determine that the bulb worked fine, but the switch was not working. Price for a replacement? Hella expensive.
The little aluminum bar that serves as the spindle speed indicator stopped operating because somehow (SOMEHOW!) the little wire that connects it to the speed control assembly got bent.
With my old lathe, I could take things apart and fix them, and it was all pretty simple, but I get the feeling that this lathe just doesn’t want me to touch it. It seems every time I try to do anything, something else goes wrong.
I don’t even know what I’m asking. I just…ugh. I just moved into a new house, I’ve burned a HUGE amount of money getting this lathe here (enduring a move with “professional” machine movers who needed my help in the move, and) and on the new shop, and I’m just so fed up and tired of always having to **** with this, to get to this, to get to this, to get to this, to get back to work actually making parts! I’d go get drunk if I thought it would actually help.
Smoke Walker
Ok. My first metal lathe was an Harbor Freight 7x mini lathe. I bought it a while ago, and in making some improvements and modifications, I’ve taken that machine apart all the way down to the bare bed and put it back together several times.
I’ve never accidentally damaged anything on the way in or out, and I generally don’t think of myself as an insensitive brute who has to torque every bolt 200 foot pounds.
I just bought a partially rebuilt/refurbished HLV-H, and I feel like at every turn, something goes wrong:
This happened yesterday:
The power feed didn’t work when I got it, and it I had to replace the “potentiomenter” (it’s actually a bunch of circuitry in addition to the potentiometer encased in what looks like foggy amber) with a solid state module which I, then, accidentally damaged because the power feed motor wires weren’t labeled and I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.
The start/stop light went out, and when I went to try and replace the bulb I was able to determine that the bulb worked fine, but the switch was not working. Price for a replacement? Hella expensive.
The little aluminum bar that serves as the spindle speed indicator stopped operating because somehow (SOMEHOW!) the little wire that connects it to the speed control assembly got bent.
With my old lathe, I could take things apart and fix them, and it was all pretty simple, but I get the feeling that this lathe just doesn’t want me to touch it. It seems every time I try to do anything, something else goes wrong.
I don’t even know what I’m asking. I just…ugh. I just moved into a new house, I’ve burned a HUGE amount of money getting this lathe here (enduring a move with “professional” machine movers who needed my help in the move, and) and on the new shop, and I’m just so fed up and tired of always having to **** with this, to get to this, to get to this, to get to this, to get back to work actually making parts! I’d go get drunk if I thought it would actually help.
Smoke Walker