Reeves drive pulleys?

[Kevin Lucas]

Yesterday I noticed on the harbor freight 34706 lathe that it would not want to go past 7 on the speed selector. Thats 1200 rpm or so and I usually don't go past it but I was curious why. After taking the cover off it was the belt getting loose and "bowing up" is the best I can describe it. I put the cover back on figuring a new belt soon.

Today turning some snowmen the belt broke. Oh well a trip to the hardware store I can do that. When I tried to put it on it wouldn't go of course. The casing wall is way thick by the spindle pulley and it was hard to feed it past it. So here came my bad idea... a screw driver to help me feed it over the lip. Needless to say I broke a bit out of the pulley. Just a small half moon but Boy was I mad. ^%&* cheap pot aluminum.

Ok plan 2 take the C clip off the spindle shaft and remove the pulley. I had to tap the pulley to get it off. That works I thought but now the pulleys are closed up too much. Well crud! Out come the hex bolts so I can remove it. Hmm bolts missing for the gear puller, searching, searching no luck. Maybe I can tap it... nope one ruined back side pulley part!

An hour or two of searching I find parts. Both pulley halves (I might as well knowing my luck) and 50$ in parts and shipping later I still cant get the spindle pulley off. The bottom one looks to be no problem even with the spring and clip but no clue on the spindle one. Any ideas?

[Dick Strauss]

Kevin,
The fixed pulley half of the reeves system usually has a spring clip and one or two set screws. Get the screw(s) loose and your odds will improve significantly.

FYI-Never apply pressure at the edge of those cast pot metal pulleys (DAMHIKT!!!!) or the edge will break without much effort.

[Kevin Lucas]

yeah the clip is off and the 2 set screws but darned if it wont budge

[Kevin Lucas]

Here is an update. After looking at the exploded view a few times I removed the speed selector handle and uses a bar clamp to hold the cast piece with half the pulley and bearing in it. Removed the spring and used a wheel puller to pull on the cast part and got it off. Result no more top pulley I really chewed it up before I figured this out. Using a big socket I reversed the turn of the puller and used it as a press to remove the bottom pulley after I fought for a while with the C clamp (I hate those things).

The bottom pulley front half came off fine with the puller but the back (fixed one) broke apart and I had to tap and pry to even get it started off the shaft. The end result it's apart, 3 out of 4 pulley halves trashed, frustration at the manual and enough grease to make my wife shake her head at me.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Here is an update. After looking at the exploded view a few times I removed the speed selector handle and uses a bar clamp to hold the cast piece with half the pulley and bearing in it. Removed the spring and used a wheel puller to pull on the cast part and got it off. Result no more top pulley I really chewed it up before I figured this out. Using a big socket I reversed the turn of the puller and used it as a press to remove the bottom pulley after I fought for a while with the C clamp (I hate those things).

The bottom pulley front half came off fine with the puller but the back (fixed one) broke apart and I had to tap and pry to even get it started off the shaft. The end result it's apart, 3 out of 4 pulley halves trashed, frustration at the manual and enough grease to make my wife shake her head at me.

This is exactly why I advice against getting a lathe with the cheaply made Reeves drive, they are always trouble and frustrating to work with even if you do clean them in time and lubricate.
My advice fix the lathe and sell it, than get a better lathe with EVS on it

[Don Alexander]

heres a suggestion (and not being a smartaleck either) ................ try reading the manual on changing the belt it gets a whole lot easier to do and without all the fuss

[Kevin Lucas]

Yeah Leo I know but it worked good so far. It's like any thing else it comes down to budget. If it wasn't I'd see a Unisaw and a bigger bandsaw I dream of ) I'g going to try graphite when I put it back together and hopefully that will make it easier when I have to do this again.