please "help me" to set up my lathe.

[steven bough]

Hello.
I have a Xipp lathe,but im not sure if its correctly set up,has i have know experince with lathe's in the past.Im going to after buy a new diamond bit for my lathe,has my cuurent one don't seem to be doing a good job,ive tried putting my carbide one in & have simlar problem.Ive also noticed the beerings on my lathe near to the cutting tool are not always spinning,so im about to order v,blocks.but i need to lurn how to set up the cutting tool correctly,what method do you use,(please bear in mind i have no exsperince with lathes in the past.e.g how do you know if the cutting tool is in the centre or is to high or to low??

Any help would be very much appreciated

[burgie]

I have no experience of Xipp lathes, but I do have an eagle lathe.

The secret of skimming is taking as little as possible off with every pass. Draw a line on your comm with a felt tip pen so you can see when you are touching the comm - you want to "polish" the comm not cut it. This will ensure a smooth finish even with a carbide tip. Also ensure there is no copper clogging the end of your tip.

As for height adjustments of the lathe, I assume it was pre-built by the factory, so this should be set.

If your bearings are not spinning, ensure they are clean and oiled. I always put a drop of 3 in 1 oil on mine before I use the comm.

As long as everything is clean, and free from copper dust/particles you should be fine, but remember take as little off as you can every time. and always do a couple of passes with each setting. The more often you skim your motor with fine passes, the longer the comm will last

[George Stoker]

You can check the tool is set correct with this simple check.
Use something like a 6" steel rule held flat against the com and wind in the cutting tool so that it 'lightly' holds the rule in place.
Looking at the end of the armature, the rule should either be:

i: Vertical

ii: sloping forward - something like this =/O )

iii: sloping backward - something like this =O )

The ideal situation is for it to slope slightly backwards ie: the tool should be just below the centre line.
Apply this theory but bear in mind the direction your armature rotates in the lathe.
In these instances I am presuming it is rotating anticlockwise, and you are cutting right to left.

Hope this helps - if you can understand it :)

[John Stones]

when i use my hudy lathe the comm rubs againts one of the posts. Do i use washers to stop this?

[marcoski]

You do! I use a washer at each end - keeps the windings away from the left hand post and the comm away from the right hand one.

[George Stoker]

I use the small silicone 'o' rings from shocks.
This provides the necessary space and lets the armature be tightened in certain lathes.

[MikeS]

You can check the tool is set correct with this simple check.
Use something like a 6" steel rule held flat against the com and wind in the cutting tool so that it 'lightly' holds the rule in place.


Sorry George - do not do this with a diamond tip tool!

[John Stones]

You do! I use a washer at each end - keeps the windings away from the left hand post and the comm away from the right hand one.


could i just use the ones in the motor which are used to pack it out?

[steven bough]

Thanks for the repliy's!!
At the moment ive put my carbide tip in because im not sure what state my diamond tip is in..But from reading other lathe threads,ive noticed that most people that have had there lathes for 6-12months seem to be having problems because of the beerings,and has a result they have jammed the beerings to make it the same has V,blocks and by doing this they have solved there problems!I have also notice that if i oil the beerings just before i cut a com-there is no friction to turn the beerings,but if i just spray with motor spray they work o.k.But i have stuck to oiling them because of thr genral rule..What im going to do is to order some V,blocks of Mike Smith-and then go & see him so that i know it will be set up correctly..

Thanks for your Repliy's & "Help"!

Steve

[steven bough]

I would not use the motor washers,has they are fragile & if the com is tight at bothe ends then it could destroy them,just use a plastic spacer Or the O-ring sounds a good idea!
also when motor washers are running in a motor they are not packed tight,were has if you use them on a lathe it may be to tight and bend them,etc

[Doomanic]

Washers are the best bet.
Associated do a pack of axle spacers that are perfect for the job, #AS4187.

The problem with o-rings is that they allow lateral movement of the comm, which can lower the quality of the cut.