warco 918 bench lathe

[wally robsonParticipant @wallyrobson55094]

I've just acquired a warco 918. Not really impressed with . Biggest problem is The drive belt keeps flipping off when I stop it. Followed the instructions about letting off jockey pulley before starting (odd) but still flips off. Does anyone have a picture or description of drive belt layout as it doesn't look right to me. The motor to ribbed drive belt d rive does not appear to be connected to anything>? did it originally have a longer belt that went over that drive and the aluminium pulleys?

anybody got an instruction manual?

[wally robsonParticipant @wallyrobson55094]

problems

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

I think it's the same as the Grizzly lathe this is the manual for. G4000

Martin C

[wally robsonParticipant @wallyrobson55094]

thank you so much martin . It is the same. I'll be reading it and try to fix errors. many thanks

wally

[Stuart Smith 5Participant @stuartsmith5]

Wally

One of the members of the forum has documented his purchase and experience with his Warco 918.

**LINK**

Stuart

[wally robsonParticipant @wallyrobson55094]

thank you. I have posted on that thread now

wally

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by wally robson on 21/04/2022 18:15:36:

[…]

Does anyone have a picture or description of drive belt layout as it doesn't look right to me. The motor to ribbed drive belt d rive does not appear to be connected to anything>? did it originally have a longer belt that went over that drive and the aluminium pulleys?

.

The illustration in the Grizzly manual looks quite clear … How does this compare with what you have on the machine ?

MichaelG.

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[HopperParticipant @hopper]

We really need to see pics of what you have before any meaningful diagnosis can be made.

Details of how to post pics on this rather odd site software are here **LINK**

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I'd also be checking you have the right length and spec belt and motor is lined up as it should be.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

New belt/s might be in order anyway on a secondhand machine. They do deteriorate with age and can take a "set" if not used for extended periods.

[wally robsonParticipant @wallyrobson55094]

now I have picture of the pulley set up is the same. Checking the alignment it is not in line from motor drive directly to chuck spindle drive used for slower speeds although I cannot see anything has moved. Any way I haven't used the belt in that position yet, and belt twists and flips of the two aluminium pulleys. Maybe it is just a worn belt? A new belt is about £35!!, so maybe I'll invest in one and let you know.

Does any other lathe have a lever that slackens belt on start up to avoid belt breaking? Seems odd to me that you have to slacken belt then switch off motor to stop chuck moving slowly to measure work each time. Maybe it's me being picky?

thanks for your input

wally

[Niels AbildgaardParticipant @nielsabildgaard33719]

100 £ aprox can pay an industrial sewing machine motor.

Lathe can then be modified to something like shown and be easier to use.

[GordonHParticipant @gordonh]

If I remember correctly, this is identical to the Chester 920 which I used to own.

The motor shaft has two pulleys. The inner, ribbed pulley drives an idler pulley, at lower speed. The second belt connects the spindle three(?)step pulley to the second pulley on the motor for high speeds, or the second pulley on the idler for low speeds. The small idler pulley tensions the spindle drive belt and seems to help when starting

Gordon

[wally robsonParticipant @wallyrobson55094]

thanks gordon. Yes they are similar. I have just ordered a new belt for £42 !! hopefully will stop belt flying off. Did you have any problems with the belt on you chester?

wally

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Belts will be cheaper from an industrial supplier or bearing shop etc.

[wally robsonParticipant @wallyrobson55094]

yes but none seem to carry this particularly small vee belt. I've tried four suppliers now. Closest was 8mm wide by 600mm at £12, suddenly mine goes up to £42 at only one supplier who has them at 5mm by 710. Was even contemplating fitting a round belt into it at about £7.50 but don't think I would get enough friction so dis counted the idea

wally

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Ouch!

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

After some sage advice from another owner. I scrapped the ridiculously complicated belt set up and fitted a 3 phase motor with VFD drive. It finished up like Neils' set up. I would have gone for it,if it had been available at the time Once you have sorted out the drive system. You will then find that the whole cross slide top slide arrangement is rubbish.The tool is about as steady as a stiff jelly. There are mods you can do, the simplest is to dispense with the top slide and use a Gibraltar style tool post. There are lots of mods that can be done to bring the lathe up to a reasonable level of usefulness. Google "Tricking out an Asian 9 x 20" and other similar topics on the 920 lathe.

Don't get me wrong, the lathe can be turned into a useful machine, but it does take a fair amount of work to get there. The Gate's belt can be expensive and you need to know that there are two possible belts x10 and x20 I forget the value of x.. You can get the Gates belts from the US, if you have any US contacts, they are much cheaper there!

Andrew.

[GordonHParticipant @gordonh]

Wally,

Sorry, I can't remember; the 920 and I did not have a happy working relationship, I stopped using the 920 over 10 years ago and gave it away five years ago.

Gordon

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

It's just a standard gates 5M710 belt, loads on the net such as here

Edited By JasonB on 22/04/2022 11:55:22

[wally robsonParticipant @wallyrobson55094]

I've already done some mods . The carriage had 30 thou , yes 30 thou lift in it . so made a stepped gib slide to fit at the back of carriage which eleiminated that, adjusted play on cross slide.

Strange I don't like machine although it looks sturdy and good and yet I'm doing work on it. go figure?

If the expensive new belt works,( and it's about as substantial as the missus'knicker elastic0 I might keep it

wally

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by JasonB on 22/04/2022 07:44:29:

I'd also be checking you have the right length and spec belt and motor is lined up as it should be.

+1

Something is wrong with the setup: Far Eastern lathes suffer from indifferent finish rather than a design that's so bad the belts fly off!

I take it this is a secondhand lathe, in which case check everything – the previous owner may have 'been at it', and moved things, or fitted the wrong belt etc etc.

Correctly fitted belts are reliable, but they are sensitive to misalignments, tension, and the belt matching the pulleys.

A few suggestions:

• Wrong Belt
  • Check the V shape of the belt fits into the V shape of the pulley without hitting the bottom. (Belts come in various profiles and dimensions and they aren't interchangeable)
  • Belt should not be too loose (or too tight). Mine are set so the tightened belt can be depressed slightly by pushing it with a thumb.
  • Correct when new, now wrong because it's stretched or badly worn.
• Motor Misaligned. The motor is adjustable right-left and forward-back. The motor pulley must be parallel to the other pulleys, not tilted in any direction. Check with a straight edge. On a small lathe, the adjustment may simply be two bolts and a few washers sitting in oval slots. Fiddly to adjust and vulnerable to twist if the lathe is overloaded by a head-crash or jamb. If the belt is correct, I think a skewed motor is the most likely cause of belt throwing.
• Pulley(s) misaligned. Pulleys should be parallel. It may be possible for them to move on their shafts, so check and correct as necessary. Start with the pulley farthest from the motor, and then align the motor..
• Bent axle(s). Let's hope not! Unlikely, but perhapsone or more of the shafts are bent. Check the pulleys (without the belt fitted), all spin without obvious wobble. Bent shafts, including that on the motor, are caused by something extreme. Head-crash or excessive belt tightening by a gorilla with a big hammer. (Overtightening is also likely to stretch belts and cause rapid wear.)

It's probably something simple.

Dave

[wally robsonParticipant @wallyrobson55094]

thanks Jason. Foolishly I ordered the £42 one already. The one you said is very reasonable. I should have trusted this forum. Doh!   I bought it from store.lathes.co.uk if any one interested

wally

Edited By wally robson on 22/04/2022 12:17:52

[wally robsonParticipant @wallyrobson55094]

thanks Dave. Great info. I will be checking all that . It is second hand but looks remarkable little used. Paint unchipped and spotless tray. Bed looks good with no sign of wear. Even the chucks and tailstock have that 'sharp' edge feel to them, but obviosly it has been used

wally

[Csl55Participant @csl55]

there used to be a 9X20 lathe group on yahoo. a group of them put together a tricking out guide for these lathes. it contained all the useful mods and add ons. the name Cletus Berkeley compiled it. it should be possible to find a copy. some of the info may have made it to a groups .io group. worth looking for.

from what i remember the problem is caused by misalignment of the idler pulley. i have traded up to a boxford now so no longer have the lathe.

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