Lathe clicking noise

[treedoctor]

Ok here's another question from a newbie.
I'm using a Jet Mini 1220 lathe, less than a year old.
I only use it on average, one weekend/month.(not often enough)
I've notice a clicking noise as the spindle turns. As I turn it by
hand, it happens at the same point each revolution. Any ideas on what
it is and how to fix it? Thanks.

 

[Jake Debski]

Make sure the set screws on the spindle and motor pulley are tight.

 

[hockenbery]

I think that lathe may have an index pin.
if it does be sure the pin is locked in the open position.

Check the belt for a defect.

make sure the pulleys are lined up and the belt is on opposite pulleys.

happy turning

 

[pnwradar]

Make sure the set screws on the spindle and motor pulley are tight.

One mine, the setscrews on the spindle pulley like to loosen, which allows the pulley to slide leftwards, allowing the pulley face to touch the index pin (the pulley's face isn't dead perfect flat). The pulley can't spin free on the spindle shaft, but it makes a clicking as it turns. Some threadlock on the setscrews is the fix.

-jon-

 

[Bill Boehme]

Hopefully, it is something simple like what has been mentioned, however, a slight clicking sound is an early sign of bearing failure. Have you ever hammered on the spindle to dislodge a drive taper or applied excessive tailstock pressure?

 

[MichaelMouse]

Clicks are once per rotation, so look toward that. High spot hitting something. Look for wear through the paint or scrapes.

Bearings, in my experience, don't click, since they're engaged all the way 'round. They rumble.

Loose pulley grub screws tend to thump more than click, but any time you check alignment and snug them is time well spent.

 

[herb]

clicking

Hi,

I had a clicking noise in my Powermatic. I discovered that I used too much belt tension. Once I fixed that, the clicking went away.

Herb

 

[rsser]

Check for a woodpecker in there.

 

[Aaron G+11]

It's a long shot, but check the belt. There might be a wood chip or something in the grooves of the belt, An old tooth brush works well to clean it out. While you are at it, take the tooth brush to the pulleys.

Aaron

 

[AnnHerbst]

Oneway 1224 clicking

Clicking in the headstock area was driving me crazy. I searched here and on the Oneway forum site for advice. The only set screws to check are on the two on the pulley on the motors drive shaft not in the headstock area. Increasing belt made things louder. Cleaned out the pulley and belt groves.

It turned out the aluminum handwheel was only hand tightened--when I got out the spindle lock wrench and the wheel bar rod to firmly screw the wheel onto the spindly shaft, the click went away! (The wheel is aluminum so I was careful not to overtighten.)

Needless to say I am happy again.

Ann

 

[turner23]

get your bearings

I would guess you have bad spindle bearings. I demonstrated on a brand new Jet 1220, and I noticed the clicking sound within a few months on light-moderate use. I think the 1220's were released with crappy bearings. You can try to verify this by using a mechanics stethoscope and listening to the headstock.

As already suggested, if the spring holding the index pin is weak, the pin may be catching the spindle as it rotates, but my bet's the bearings.

 

[Richard Kennedy]

I have an axminster m600 mini lathe that suffered from clicking I replaced the bearings- noise gone. I had checked other suggestions but this was indeed the cause. Shouldn't happen in a new lathe but I guess every now and then you get a duff set of bearings just bad luck. If its similar to my lathe changing the bearings was easy only took about 5 minutes!

Hope you get sorted

Richard

 

[Paul Rains]

Jet

It will be your screw in you spindle, get some lock tite, I have same problem with my Jet Midi, just tightening it up will likely not be enough, it wasn't with mine🙂

 

[CBSears]

Ok here's another question from a newbie.
I'm using a Jet Mini 1220 lathe, less than a year old.
I only use it on average, one weekend/month.(not often enough)
I've notice a clicking noise as the spindle turns. As I turn it by
hand, it happens at the same point each revolution. Any ideas on what
it is and how to fix it? Thanks.

I had a similar problem with my 1220. The headstock bearings were bad. WMH sent me replacements in a couple days gratis. After replacement, a new clicking appeared, which turned out to be a loose set screw. A little loctite fixed that. I would start with the loctite, then replace the bearings if the problem persists.

 

[Dave Roller]

What Jake and others have said about the spindle pulley. Next, if your lathe has a digital speed readout, check, with a strip of paper, to make sure that there is space between the pully and the gizzmo that picks up the revolution of the pulley. LASTLY, you may have a bearing problem. If so, do not automatically order a replacement bearing from the manufacturer. Check the number on the bearing and then, if you live in a populated area, check for someone who sells bearings.

I remember buying a replacement bearing from a local Delta/Rockwell dealer for @ $75. I found the same bearing at a supply house here in Baltimore for $15 and returned the other.

 

[Rob Wallace]

Source of bearings on eBay.....

I have had success buying bearings from Bob Hill on eBay - I re-built a headstock from an old Delta 46-525 lathe to make a custom 'finishing' lathe that I'm still working on. After replacing the bearings, the spindle works perfectly - VERY smooth.

You can find the eBay seller 'bobhill' by clicking HERE

He has several different size charts on his store's website which gives relevant diameters and thicknesses of many commercial bearings. You can also search buy bearing number if this is known.

He does sell bearings of different levels of quality, although for the cost, it never pays to buy anything but the best bearings if you are doing the job right.

I am not affiliated with Bob Hill other than being a satisfied (multiple purchase) customer.....

Good Luck...

Rob Wallace

 

[Chipe]

I had the same clicking on my PM3520B. Same as Herb, belt was too tight.