# How tight should lathe spindle bearings be??



## taiwanluthiers (Sep 30, 2022)

I noticed in every youtube videos their lathe spindles are really easy to spin by hand, while mine are tight as hell (I had to use the chuck key to get it spinning because it was nearly impossible to spin it by hand). 

I just took the cover off and loosened the spindle a BUNCH before I am able to get it to spin freely.

Just how tight should they be?


----------



## matthewsx (Sep 30, 2022)

Should spin freely, what machine?


----------



## taiwanluthiers (Sep 30, 2022)

Machine I have is a Victor 1630, Taiwan variant (means it doesn't have the D1-6 spindle).


----------



## Richard King 2 (Sep 30, 2022)

I found this one.  




Turn off the power on the wall and put a lock out on the electric box.

I like to also check the bearing tightness with a dial indicator.  I usually loosen the bearings and then move the tail stock up to the chuck tighten it to bed.  I remove the cover on the back of the head or left end.  Mount a mag base on the head casting and using a .0005" indicator I put it on the spindle on left side end.  Leave a lot of pressure and then put a 2 x 4 piece of wood between the end of the tailstock and chuck  and tighten the TS screw and push the spindle to the left.  then tighten the bearing nut slowly and watch the indicator and as it gets tighter the indicator will move.  You have to loosen the TS screw in the process.  when it gets tight loosen the 2 x 4 and then use a medium pry bar and pry on a gear inside the headstock.  Be careful and watch the indicator once it doesn't move and you don't get any indicator movement tight the nut another 1/4" of movement.  lock everything, button it up and run the head at a medium speed for about 20 minutes.  Feel the headstock and the head behind the chuck should be getting warm. If you have a a temp probe it should not exceed 1 20 to 130 F.  Be patient as it has a learning curve.   It may take a few tries and pushing on the spindle.


----------



## Alcap (Oct 1, 2022)

Do the spindle bearings get tighter with age ? I would have thought they would loosen up ?


----------



## graham-xrf (Oct 1, 2022)

Real good video from Adam 
He adjusted the axial play out of the taper roller bearings such that the free-spinning chuck would "slow down some", as compared to before he started adjusting, and the chatter reduced considerably. That's a good, practical way to go.

Are some taper roller bearings ever adjusted to apply a estimated pre-load?


----------



## Richard King 2 (Oct 1, 2022)

I found several You Tube shows about spindles  -  check out a few.  So much easier then trying to write it.


----------



## taiwanluthiers (Oct 1, 2022)

In fact when I loosened the spindle so that it spins free, now I'm able to start the lathe at 1800rpm whereas before it would trip breakers (I'm using a rotary phase converter).


----------



## rabler (Oct 1, 2022)

taiwanluthiers said:


> In fact when I loosened the spindle so that it spins free, now I'm able to start the lathe at 1800rpm whereas before it would trip breakers (I'm using a rotary phase converter).


Is this a new lathe?  If not, I'd be concern that the bearings are bad


----------



## taiwanluthiers (Oct 1, 2022)

It's used and has some wears at the part of the way the tailstock slides on. 

I had tightened the spindle initially watching that abom video, but perhaps I had overdone it.


----------

