Banjo comes lose

[Joe Van Norman]

This weekend I decided to clean the ways on my lathe (Wilton 99177) and for the first time took the banjo off to clean it too.

Last night I noticed that the banjo kept sliding on me. At first I thought I hadn't tightened the banjo down. Upon testing, the rod in the banjo appeared to be flexing when I tighten the banjo down, and coming lose as soon as I released the lever.

Has anyone seen this type of problem before?

[Jeff Nicol]

This weekend I decided to clean the ways on my lathe (Wilton 99177) and for the first time took the banjo off to clean it too.

Last night I noticed that the banjo kept sliding on me. At first I thought I hadn't tightened the banjo down. Upon testing, the rod in the banjo appeared to be flexing when I tighten the banjo down, and coming lose as soon as I released the lever.

Has anyone seen this type of problem before?
The nut on the bottom may be to tight, so when you tighten it the cam action is not going far enough over center to stay in place. That is why the rod is flexing and not holding. It may only take a half a turn to get it right again, that is one of the troubles with the inexpensive lathes.

Jeff

[Curt Fuller]

Like Jeff said, it might be too tight or it could be too lose. Also, what did you clean the ways with? It might also be that what you cleaned the ways with is acting as a lubricant. The banjo and ways need to be metal to metal with no wax, or anything like wd-40

[Richard Madison]

that is one of the troubles with the inexpensive lathes.


No need to put down another person's stuff. Most folks are doing the best they can with their available resources. Also nothing wrong with having the very best stuff, but not good form (or good manners) to be snobby about it.

[Joe Van Norman]

I cleaned it with WD-40. The issue is not the banjo now sliding, but that the rod turns after tightening it so the washer holding the banjo in place is no longer tight.

I suspect Jeff is correct that somehow the nut moved and is tighter than it used to be.

No offense taken to the "inexpensive lathe" comment. My lathe has been a great value. My wife has put off the purchase of a new lathe until I wear out this one...so I'm going to have this one for a long time. :)