Need some Jet mini bowl advice

[Steff Pace]

Howdy, getting into turning on a Christmas present Jet 1014i, started doing pens, nach, then itched for something different. Went to a wonderful class at the Appalachian Center for Craft on green wood turning. Did some green bowls, and some dry, and was able to bring home some started dry maple bowl blanks. These were started with a worm screw and tail stock support, don't have the tenon done yet for the jaw chuck. Went to put one on the lathe tonight, and the darned motor, which is under the ways, won't allow the tool rest and the tail stock to slide to the left far enough to get the bowl blank on. I have the Barracuda 2 chuck with the worm screw in it, and the bowl blank is 2" thick and on the screw about 3/4 inch-any less and it wobbles. I ran the tail stock out as far as it will go with the little wheel thingy, but I still have a gap of at least an inch or so. Very frustrating. Any ideas??? Hubby was NOT amused when I suggested a lovely yellow Powermatic with variable speed like I used in the class!

Steff

[Scott Conners]

I'm a bit confused...you said the tailstock and banjo can't slide far enough to the left? They should both be able to slide freely all the way until they hit the headstock. The motor hangs below the cross braces of the ways, so they would be hitting a crossbrace before the motor itself, unless somehow the motor is raised very high up. If you have the belt set vertically (all the way to the left on both pulleys @ 500 rpm for starting a bowl), the motor should not be near the bolt and washer that clamps the banjo. Try loosening the belt-tension lever and making sure they motor is all the way down, sometimes some woodchips can get in places and keep it from dropping all the way, I jog mine up and down a few times and it usually clears the chips.

[Steff Pace]

Thanks for the assist, I sorta "forgot" I had the belt set hi for pens, I will move the belt to a lower rpm setting (duh) and see if that makes a diff. There are no cross ways to get in the way, and the bolt and washer of the banjo is what's hitting the end of the motor. Gotta do it tomorrow (today?) Too late and too tired to start up on anything now! Thanks again,
Steff

[Don Orr]

I think Scott has it right here from the sound of your description. The motor should be in the same position regardless of pulley position of the belt. If the motor is raised up too high the belt is loose and the spindle probably won't turn. Always make sure what is supposed to be tight is tight and what is supposed to be loose is loose.

I have after-market blocks under my banjo and tailstock which are thicker than the original and they hit the motor if too close to the headstock. They are square and keep the banjo and tailstock from slipping.

Also make sure the wood blank is firmly seated against the chuck jaws on the worm screw. If even slightly off it will wobble and vibrate like crazy.

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

[Steff Pace]

Thanks, Scott, I feel kinda sheepish-I moved the pully belt to the 500 rpm setting, and the tail stock slides right up to the headstock now. 500 is good for rough turning, right? the outside is fairly shaped, the teacher turned it down from about 11 " so it would fit on the mini. I had just kept the belt on the middle speed the whole time I have owned it, just for pen turning. And Don, I wondered why once in a while when I took a little heavy cut or had a catch the whole thing would quit turning. The motor must have been up too high and the belt loose. So even with the belt positioned for high rpms the banjo should slide right up to the tailstock? And those little levers to move the motor are so hard to move for me, I use light hammer taps. If this is harmful, is there anything else I can use besides my husband to get the levers to move easier? I have ended up with bruises on my palms!

Thanks for your help, guys, and when I get the dang thing done I'll post a pic!

Steff

[Mark Burge]

Steff: You need leverage, not your husband. A length of metal pipe that will fit over the lever handle and stick out a bit will probably be enough. I have a Jet mini and I have never had trouble with the tool rest hitting the motor at any speed, but it is a tight fit right there and if the motor was not set down enough it might hit. Good luck, Mark

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I don't have problems either. And I got the big blocks to stop the dreaded tailstock creep.
You do know that you should have the belt straight up and down. If you use different pulleys, that does raise the motor so the banjo hits the motor. They probably designed the lathe that way. I've done that inadvertently. More than once. When I'm in a hurry and my face shield is fogging up.

[Gordon Seto]

Steff,

Something doesn't sound right. When I move the motor to the highest position (the belt is hanging with lots of extra room), there is still a big gap between the motor and the bottom of the banjo assembly. The banjo is free to move along the whole ways. Can you show a picture where your problem is?
Don't set the belt too tight. That is the reason for early bearing failure. When the belt is not slipping, that is enough belt tension.

[Jim Underwood]

I've had the same problem several times.

And every time it's that I don't have the belt tight.

The washer under the adjustable handle tends to "cock" and slide under the motor bracket, and then the motor won't go down far enough for the banjo bolt to clear. You'll think you have it tight, because the adjustable handle is tight. But that doesn't mean the belt is...

Also make sure that your belt is lined up on the pulleys. It is possible to get the belt across two pulley steps that are not in line with each other, thereby messing up the belt adjustment, and the location of the motor. It'll run that way, but I think it will damage your belt in the long run.

[Mark Burge]

As I think about this more, I occurs to me that the motor could be hitting something that is stuck under it and is covered up by shavings. Or maybe you clean up more that I do.

[Don Orr]

Glad to hear you have things working better. The banjo should easily slide right up to the headstock with the belt in any position. The belt is inside the head and the banjo is outside it. As for the motor locking lever below the headstock, it should not have to move much more than 1/4 turn to lock or unlock the motor-maybe 1/3 turn. Clockwise to tighten and counter clockwise to loosen. The lever itself is adjustable for position. If you pull the part of the lever that has the nut in it straigth out you can change how the lever sits on the nut-kind of a ratchet type of thing. Much harder to describe than show. I have mine set so it is about pointing straight out from the machine when tight and I can just push down on the lever to loosen it to lift the motor. Tighten it to hold the motor up while you change belt positions, loosen it, let the motor drop under its own weight and tighten the lever again. That's all the tension you need as Gordon mentioned.

Looking forwar to seeing the bowl !