Zyto Lathe Banjo

[ianday1972Participant @ianday1972]

Hi, I’m new here. After using a lathe at school at the age of 15 I’ve finally scratched that itch at the age of 52 and bought a little ZYTO lathe to play with.

I’ve noticed that the change gear banjo is clamped straight onto the leadscrew and it doesn’t appear to have a bearing or an oil hole. Surely when this is clamped up that adds a lot of resistance to the mechanism? I’ve tried running it a little slack but the gears separate and lose drive.

To get to the point…Would it be beneficial to drill an oil hole into the banjo to provide some lubrication or would this just cause the banjo to rotate and lose drive. If so would a simple height adjuster/prop to prevent this happening be?

I’m just wondering if anyone has tried this in the past before I try it for myself.

Thanks

Ian

 

 

 

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I think you will find that the banjo clamps onto a spigot that sticks out the side of the leadscrew bracket, the leadscrew runs in the bracket/spigot

Watch this from where I have set it to start and also at 33.20

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Yikes! With the black rubber gloves and heavy breathing I thought it was the Gimp in  the basement in Pulp Fiction for a minute there.

Ianday, good on you for getting back into it with an old classic lathe. There’s  a lot of good work can be done on these ancient machines, and I find it more satisfying than doing the same on a modern machine.

[ianday1972Participant @ianday1972]

Thanks guys.

 

The video is helpful, I hadn’t taken it apart beyond pulling the banjo off but I thought it looked like one part. I thought that was a weird set up.

I’m having great fun with the old thing. I picked it up on FB from a lady who’s husband had owned it all his life. It came with a 4 jaw, drill chuck and loads of tooling.

I think I’ve done what everyone does when they buy a lathe…. make parts for the lathe! I’m making some washers and spacers to take the slop out of the change gears and stop them dragging on the banjo.

Thanks for your replies, I think this might be a useful page.

Ian

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Forum is still playing silly tricks with videos 🙁

[ either that, or I am not considered worthy ]

Others have evidently watched this already, but I see white space in Jason’s post.

MichaelG.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I suppose it comes down to what you bought the lathe for. If it was because you wanted a project to get it up to spec then that’s fine if you bought it to use for other hobbies then it is a bind wasting time on the old machine. For me I want to make engines so not having to do anything with my far eastern machines has meant I can spend my time doing what I really want.

Before modifying things get to know the lathe, for example the thickness of the washers on the banjo and their position relative to the gear combinations goes a long way to getting them to run right as does setting the backlash correctly. But if they are well worn and wobbly then that could mean the rest of the lateh is too, although one owner it depends what they did with it. You may need to bore them out and bush them and also skim the studs as washers alone won’t cure wobble from a worn bore/stud.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Michael, I’ve left a space so you it shows

h ttps://youtu.be/b_5NG4ahLFo?si=V6hPEjKuERdgUB5N&t=845

[ianday1972Participant @ianday1972]

The moveable spindles have a shoulder nearest the banjo but it’s the same size as the rotating collar, 5/8″. Whether this is by design or they’ve worn down to that size I’m not sure. This means the gears are able to ride over the shoulder and drag against the banjo leaving a lot of sideways movement. Ideally I guess the shoulder should be larger diameter but for now I’ve cut some brass spacers from some 32mm brass bar, 5/8 I/d and about 2mm thick. These are free to rotate and provide a bearing surface between the gear and the frame. They’re doing a good job at keeping the gears in line too.

I’ve got to cut some new washers for the gear screws too as the ones that are on there are either snagging the rotating spindle or not big enough to keep the gear on! I intend to make some with a relief cut out for the rotating spindle to make sure there’s no drag when they’re tightened up.

I see your comments about buying a new Chinese lathe but mine cost me £150 with all the extras. I could spend 5-4 times that if I bought new and I’d probably still need a 4-jaw etc. I’m happy with it at the moment and it’s teaching me a lot already.

Ian

[Lee RogersParticipant @leerogers95060]

If your on FB there is a Zyto group. It might also be worth joining its close relation the Drummond/Myford group.

A good bunch of people and very helpful Too.

 

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

Michael, I’ve left a space so you it shows

h ttps://youtu.be/b_5NG4ahLFo?si=V6hPEjKuERdgUB5N&t=845

Thanks, Jason … I will watch it shortly

MichaelG.

.

Meanwhile: __ this is how I see your previous post:

 

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, probably looks similar to this one on an old RandA lathe of a similar age, and I think much the same on many lathes of that era.

Regards Nick.

[ianday1972Participant @ianday1972]

Thanks Nick, yes that’s much like it. I initially thought that the thicker section was part of the leadscrew rather than an extension from the bearing mount.

Just to update the above (I bet you’re all dying to know 🤣) the spacers I’ve made up have made a great difference to the gear train and the leadscrew now turns effortlessly by hand. I’ve still got to make up the gear retaining screws but it’s 100% better already.

Ian

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

You won’t need an oil-hole in the banjo clamp… or the manufacturers would have put one in!

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