Mini lathe harder to turn closer to the tailstock

[Pcmaker]

I have a Grizzly 7x12 mini-lathe and ever since I got the lathe 2 months ago, the handwheel gets harder to turn as I get closer to the tailstock. I tried messing around with the leadscrew bracket on the tailstock side, moving it around, but I could never get it the handwheel to smoothen out. It's not so easy to feed by handwheel when the force you use turning it isn't so uniform across the board.

Anyone have an idea what it could be?

 

[RJSakowski]

Was this a used lathe?

A common reason for differing force required to move the carriage ( or cross slide) is uneven wear. There is usually a region of most use on a lathe. The region nearest the tailstock is often the least used. aside from scraping or stoning the unworn regions to bring them more in line with the the worn regions, there isn't much that can be done. You can loosen the gibs so you have easier movement in the unworn regions at the expense of play in the most used region.

Re the carriage. Your lathe has vertical stays on the front and back side to prevent the carriage from lifting off the ways. If you have a similar setup, this may be binding. These would be parts 92 in the parts diagram. You could try loosening the attachment screws. If this works, a shim could solve your problem.

 

[Pcmaker]

This was a brand new lathe from Grizzly that I bought from Amazon

 

[higgite]

Could be some paint or dried cosmoline on the underside of the ways where the saddle plates ride.

Tom

 

[Pcmaker]

Just fiddled around with it more.

If I loosen the 2 carriage bolts, the movement becomes a lot easier, but when I tighten, it goes back. Can't seem to find the right position of the carriage bolts. Not sure if there is a right position where the carriage movement is smooth and uniform all the way through.

 

[Kenny G]

there are several youtube vids on adjusting a mini lathe feed screw. It's a fairly simple operation just amounts to loosening the feed screw at the tail stock end (with the tailstock off) and clamping it with the half nut so it finds center and then re tightening the bolts on the bracket. The brackets have a slight enlongation on the bolt holes for adjustment, it actually should be done on both endsworks the same way. There are also gib adjustments and half nut adjustments on the apron. There are also gib screws on both sides of the saddle that may need to be adjusted one set is covered by the apron and a little awkward to get at.

 

[Kenny G]

there are several youtube vids on adjusting a mini lathe feed screw. It's a fairly simple operation just amounts to loosening the feed screw at the tail stock end (with the tailstock off) and clamping it with the half nut so it finds center and then re tightening the bolts on the bracket. The brackets have a slight enlongation on the bolt holes for adjustment, it actually should be done on both endsworks the same way. There are also gib adjustments and half nut adjustments on the apron. There are also gib screws on both sides of the saddle that may need to be adjusted one set is covered by the apron and a little awkward to get at.

 

[macardoso]

Ways could also be machined improperly. The smaller Grizzly stuff is known for some QC problems. Similar issue to wear on the lathe

 

[Kenny G]

on re reading your post this may be more important.

 

[Ken from ontario]

If I loosen the 2 carriage bolts, the movement becomes a lot easier, but when I tighten, it goes back. Can't seem to find the right position of the carriage bolts.

Try this, loosen the two carriage bolts, then lock the threading knob (power feed lever), now tighten the two bolts evenly . unlock the knob and see if the hand wheel turns any easier near the tailstock.
these two bolts don't need to be super tight.