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Preventative maintenance and repair of lathes is important for their longevity and accuracy. An experienced repairman can offer advice, but preventative maintenance is key. Common issues include worn drive belts, clamping jaws, gibs, bearings, and gears. Keeping spare parts on hand can save time and money in emergencies.
The lathe functions as a multi-purpose tool in any location from the home handyman’s workshop to a professional setting, performing operations including boring, drilling, grinding and turning. Keeping this valuable tool in good working order through routine preventative maintenance and lathe repair when needed, is therefore an important consideration. Repairing a lathe can also extend its life and keep a shop up and running. The best lathe repair tips include knowing an experienced repairman, keeping an eye on the parts that wear out the most, and keeping spares on hand.
When repairs are needed, an experienced lathe repairman can offer the best advice, as maintaining machine accuracy is critical. This person can examine the lathe for signs of wear and explain to the owner how the machine should be maintained. Unless the owner is familiar with repair tools of this type, he should probably leave repairs to the professionals or the tool manufacturer, in the case of an existing warranty.
Quite often, the best thing the lathe owner can do is perform preventative maintenance. The more consistently the lathe is cleaned and inspected, the less likely it is to need expensive repairs. One of the most common preventative maintenance tasks is to ensure that the lathe is sufficiently lubricated; this will keep the machine running smoothly.
Because even different types of lathes share standard functions and repair needs, during preventative maintenance, you should inspect the lathe for five common lathe repair problems:
Loose or worn drive belts: This problem occurs during the normal wear and tear of a lathe. Worn clamping jaws: Chips formed during the turning process often lodge between moving parts, preventing smooth movement or stopping it altogether. This situation often occurs especially with the cross slide or clamping jaws, resulting in a loss of accuracy, as the jaws can no longer hold a “real” part. Worn Gibs: A gib is essentially a precise shim that allows adequate clearance for movement, but prevents additional movement, or “slop,” which could reduce accuracy. Worn bearings: This problem usually results from a lack of proper lubrication. Damaged Gears: Attempting to change rotational speeds while the lathe is running can severely damage the gears, unless the particular model allows for such changes to be made.
Another tip for lathe repair is to keep spare parts for your lathe on hand. Whether at home or in the workplace shop, having those essential parts in stock can make all the difference in replacing a worn part when it is no longer functioning properly, saving the owner the time and money needed to locate parts in an emergency. . In the long run, even if you have to hire a professional repairman, the cost of the repairs is worth it if it extends the life of the lathe, compared to the usually higher costs of replacing this tool due to improper maintenance.
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