# Ckeaned my gears ob a Craftsman 6x18 lathe.



## pipehack (Sep 28, 2013)

*Cleaned my gears ob a Craftsman 6x18 lathe.*

I picked up a Craftsman 6x18 lathe. #101.21400. The person I got it from husband was a wood worker. It was packed with saw dust. I took the gears off today and cleaned them in diesel fuel. It's the cheapest parts cleaner that I can find. I reassembled it and started to use it. when I engage the lead screw it sounds like a gear drive off of a hot rod. It didn't do that before. I took a picture of it before I disassembled it so it's together the right way. What's the hub bub? Did I do something wrong? Is this normal. I don't think so. It's oiled with some 50 weight because that's what is on hand. I stopped using it for the evening and just looking for some answers.  Thanks folks.           Bill.....Pipehack


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## TOOLMASTER (Sep 28, 2013)

you took off the nice wood dust that kept it quiet..


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## pdentrem (Sep 28, 2013)

Likely too loose or tight. I found that I had to play a bit with the lash to make the gear train a bit quieter. It will never be quiet! Grease will work but clean up is longer but oil is messier as it will sling off at the higher RPMs.
Pierre


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## francist (Sep 28, 2013)

You could check the gap between the screw gear and the next one up the banjo from it. Sometimes they're a bit close together so the sides of the gear teeth kind of gnaw at each other as the gears rotate. Mine does occasionally, slightly oversized hole in the gear allows it to wobble ever so slightly.


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## Sweeper (Sep 29, 2013)

Check the clearance first, but if the lathe has had much use, the gears might have developed a wear pattern.  Carefully inspect them to determine the existing wear face and reinstall them accordingly.  
This happened to me once.  I stripped a tooth off the main gear on my Logan and a kind person on the Logan Yahoo site sent me a replacement from his parts box.  It HOWLED so bad I had to buy a new one. It turned out the used gear was worn tapered ever so slightly.


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## pipehack (Sep 29, 2013)

Thanks guys.  Toolmaster. I think you may be right. I'll check everything again. Lathe is I pretty decent shape. The gal I got it from, husband was a wood worker and I believe he turned wood on it. I'm slowly taking a little then using it. I'm having a terrible time getting any kind of decent finish on anything I turn. I'm making some weld in bungs for my motorcycle. Looks like Ray Charles used a beaver to cut it.


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## wulf11acr (Sep 29, 2013)

Gears are made of a type of metal called zincalloy  they will wear out fast if they are not lubed with a grease with carbon added.You can make this grease yourself by taking a wheel bearing grease and adding some carbonblack  such as the type used for common locksets . Most hardware stores carry this, comes in small tube. or you can shave up a bunch of pencil lead..  messy but will keep your lathe running quite and a lot less wear.
William


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## Privateer (Sep 29, 2013)

Bill,
When I first got my lathe I had a terrible time getting anything resembling a decent finish. I later determined that was due to several reasons. Firstly, I hadn't properly leveled the bed on my lathe. Secondly, I was using second hand tools that weren't as sharp as they could be. And third, speed/feed rates,depth of cuts, and those areas I'm really lacking in experience with much much more to learn. Of course there are a variety of other potential causes, but I would start there.

Terry


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## flutedchamber (Sep 29, 2013)

Not familiar with your particular lathe, but am with others of the same type, such as Logan, etc.  

Other than the play between gear teeth being too tight or too loose, it is also possible that you installed one or more gears backward, that is the gear flipped over so what was facing the headstock is now facing the cover.  If the shafts are just a bit misaligned, a wear pattern was established from previous use.  Flipping the gear over will make all kinds of noise because of the offset in the wear pattern.


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## Armor (Sep 29, 2013)

wulf11acr said:


> Gears are made of a type of metal called zincalloy they will wear out fast if they are not lubed with a grease with carbon added.You can make this grease yourself by taking a wheel bearing grease and adding some carbonblack such as the type used for common locksets . Most hardware stores carry this, comes in small tube. or you can shave up a bunch of pencil lead.. messy but will keep your lathe running quite and a lot less wear.
> William



Talking about Graphite there buddy.

Jeff


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## itsme_Bernie (Sep 29, 2013)

TOOLMASTER said:


> you took off the nice wood dust that kept it quiet..



Hah hah hah!!  Exactly!

- - - Updated - - -


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## itsme_Bernie (Sep 29, 2013)

*Re: Cleaned my gears ob a Craftsman 6x18 lathe.*

Hey Bill

The gears should not be right up on each other. There needs to be enough room in the gears to allow a piece of "cigarette paper" in between the gears. You should be able to wiggle each them a little bit back and forth. 
If they are too tight, they will be LOUD. 

I used kerosene to clean. Make sure you really get anything that is packed down into the root (bottom) of the gear teeth. I had that problem once- packed in so well, it looked like part of the gear!!  

Be careful with that ZAMAC quite brittle if you drop it.


Bernie


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## wulf11acr (Sep 30, 2013)

Right you are, couldn't think of the word, old age. But it is very important on the zinc gears or they will wear badly
William


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