Put bigger feet on my G4003G

[JLDavid]

After using the lathe with the old foot extensions I couldn't get the surface finish I wanted. No matter what I did it was rough, not smooth like when the lathe was new. I adjusted me gibbs, checked tool height, changed speeds and feeds but nothing made much difference. Before converting to 3 phase I thought I would put some 5/8" plates with 4 leveling feet under each end and put isolators between the motor and the mount. I also got segmented belts from Harbor Freight so I will put them on after I get the motor mounted back up. The leveling feet will be here tomorrow. I have the casters in to roll the lathe around to work on it. Makes it pretty handy!!

 

[coolidge]

I owned a G4003G back in 2016 and this sounds familiar. Great surface finish when new then the finish went to pot. I changed belts, changed motors (Upgraded to a Baldor 2hp 1PH), checked and adjusted spindle bearings, gibs, had a priest speak Latin at it while making cross signs nothing worked.

The solution was to isolate the motor from the lathe casting with rubber isolation mounts. BAM surface finish issues GONE! All that buzzing vibration you could feel with your hand anywhere on the lathe from the motor almost completely gone. I never got over the retarded tippy lathe stand design though and got rid of the lathe. I'm back in the game now with a G0709 this year.

 

[JLDavid]

I have studied all your posts and threads about this. I ordered isolators but the motor base must have changed because the ones I ordered from McMaster-Carr have studs that are too short. I sent them back and exchanged them for ones with a stud and female threads on the other side. I will mount it all back up when they get here. I also got segmented belts to drive it. Seems like a lot of people had good luck with them. I have also kicked around the idea of taking the compound off and mounting the QCTP to a solid base on the cross slide. For now I will see what the motor isolators do for me. Thanks for posting on this forum. I have learned a ton from this site.

Osondo,
David

 

[JLDavid]

Coolridge,
Forgot to ask, would you suggest 4 leveling feet under each cabinet or just 2 each in the holes the moving casters are in?

David

 

[coolidge]

I have studied all your posts and threads about this. I ordered isolators but the motor base must have changed because the ones I ordered from McMaster-Carr have studs that are too short. I sent them back and exchanged them for ones with a stud and female threads on the other side. I will mount it all back up when they get here. I also got segmented belts to drive it. Seems like a lot of people had good luck with them. I have also kicked around the idea of taking the compound off and mounting the QCTP to a solid base on the cross slide. For now I will see what the motor isolators do for me. Thanks for posting on this forum. I have learned a ton from this site.

Osondo,
David

Are you trying to use the factory cast iron motor mount? The issues I ran into with that are, the rubber isolation mounts position the motor further to the rear, which changes the angle of the belt up to the spindle pulley, the belts then rub on the headstock end cover. Also as I recall there's an issue with the chip pan clearance with the motor moved further to the rear by the isolation mounts. Hence I machined a new motor mount out of aluminum for my G4003G and designed it for the 5/8" long rubber isolation mount studs. Just saying.

As for lathe belts, my current recommendation is BESTORQ Raw Edge X5 EPDM V-Belts. WOW possibly the best cogged belt ever. These belts are high quality and 100% flexible. There's no molded in curve or kink, they are round with no molded in stiff areas. I ordered mine from Amazon but here's a brochure on the belts https://www.bestorq.com/library/techinfo/Bestorq X5 Tech Info.pdf

Belt FAILS - Obviously the factory Grizzly belts, wow the belt dust just from the lathe break in was embarrassing. Naturally one of the first things I purchased was a set of link belts like I used back in 2016. I noticed there are a LOT of complaints about the lack of quality now, stretching, etc. Back in 2016 the link belts I used were manufactured in Eastern Europe and I was quite happy with the quality. Now they are made in China and the quality has turned to crap, shocker. I tossed the new link belts I purchased in the trash ugh! Next I purchased a set of Goodyear cogged belts, okay but had the stiff molded in curves at each end.

 

[JLDavid]

Yes my plan at this point is to use the factory cast motor mount. I drilled out the 10mm holes and threaded them to 3/8"x16 for the isolation mounts. I screwed the isolators into the mount and had just a few threads on the stud to hold the motor on. Looked like everything was going to fit/clear just fine. Maybe I am missing something. I will look into the round belts on Amazon.

 

[coolidge]

Coolridge,
Forgot to ask, would you suggest 4 leveling feet under each cabinet or just 2 each in the holes the moving casters are in?

David

4 on the headstock and 2 on the tailstock. I want the weight of the headstock very well supported and stable.

And because we live in earthquake risk PNW and these things are quite top heavy and tippy for the G0709 I went with extreme leveling feet. Look at these 6.25 inch diameter monsters, hell yeah!

I ordered these from Grizzly but they were on sale for 50% off at the time. Even I balked at the regular price damn. PM sells a slightly smaller version but they are out of stock.

 

[JLDavid]

Thank you for the advice. Now just waiting for parts. I will update my progress as things get here.

David

 

[coolidge]

On a side note, Baldor motors...if you are of the mind to change motors one advantage we have in our area is there's a Baldor warehouse over in Clackamas off 212. The next is Advance Electric Motors on 1612 SE Brooklyn St, Portland, OR 97202 my go-to shop for all things Baldor. This small electric motor shop sells Baldor motors at a serious discount vs other local and online sellers.

I was pricing motors for the G0709 recently and the USA Baldor wasn't much more than the Taiwan/China motors. Ended up buying the exact same sealed Farm Duty motor I had put on the G4003G. The factory motor is a joke in comparison.

 

[JLDavid]

That is good to know. I have a co-worker who makes weekly trips out east to visit our work sites. I could see if she could haul a motor out here for me and save me a trip. Have you considered going to 3 phase with a vfd or has upgrading motors and isolating taken care of all things evil in Grizzly metal working machines?

David