Need help diagnosing lathe noise

[Aaron Wingert]

Hey all, I have what I think is the beginnings of a problem with my Jet 1220vs. I've had the lathe for 13 months and it has seen a huge amount of use in my shop making duck and turkey calls. I'm hoping for some help with a diagnosis from those of you that know the inner workings of the headstock better than I do.

Lately I'm hearing a noise coming from the headstock. It is a sort of ticking noise that seems to correlate to the revolutions of the shaft. Kind of a thud-thud-thud-thud noise. Not too loud, but noticeable. The lathe used to be almost silent.

I'm thinking that a bearing somewhere in there has some play in it or some other bearing problem? There's no noticeable play in the shaft and the lathe still runs true. I've checked the belt tension and it is not too tight, not too soft. The noise happens at all speeds and varies in speed depending on the lathe's rpm's. Frankly, the noise is irritating because it tells me that the machine isn't running quite like it should be, but it isn't affecting the lathe's function...Yet.

Assuming it is a bearing, what am I in for? Are they replaceable at home or will I spend half of what the lathe is worth shipping it to a service center and paying for parts? Any ideas on what that bearing costs?

I doubt the machine is still under warranty but I'll find that out when I call Jet. I'd just like to be able to have a fair idea of what the problem could be when I do call them.

Thanks!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Aaron my Jet 1220 says it has a 5 yr warranty and I have had mine about a year. One thing you might check is to see if the belt has a crack in it. Mine did and made kind of a thunking sounds that changed with speed. Also check and see if there is anything stuck in the pulley like a chip or something.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Also check and make sure all the set screws on the drive pulleys are tight.

[Aaron Wingert]

I'll check both those things as soon as my kids go to sleep. Thanks for taking the time to assist! Stay tuned.....

[Bob Borzelleri]

This is probably not applicable, but I noticed a slightly higher pitched rattle/thunk with my Nova today. After checking everything out, I narrowed it down to one of the lock nuts on the threaded foot on the leg. It had backed off just enough to send reference sounds out to all parts north. I snugged it up and it was back to quiet time.

[Reed Gray]

My PM used to do that once in a while. A couple of times, the set screw for the pulley had come loose. Another couple of times there was a burr where the spindle lock engaged, and a quick filing took care of that. See if there is any play in the headstock spindle. That would mean bearings, but they don't give as much of a timed thump sound, but more squeaks that occur through half or more of a revolution.

robo hippy

[Aaron Wingert]

I checked a few things.

The belt is in good shape
The set screws on the pulleys are tight
The pulleys are clean
When I run the motor without the belt attached to the headstock it is silent. So, the noise is in the headstock spindle
Going to have to give Jet a call!

[Joseph M Lary]

My 1642 made that kind of noise but it was comming form the motor they sent me a new one , and it been about 6 months and it has started up again.You might want to check that out also . I dont know what im going to do about mine run it till it quits, it not even a year old yet.

[Steve Vaughan]

I don't have a jet but could it possibly be from the motor shaft bearings? Might be quiet when there's no belt, thus no tension, but when the belt's hooked up, you got a strain on the motor?