clicking in lathe head

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

I finally got a chance to spend time at my lathe and I find it is making a noise that sounds like when we used to put a playing card on out bike forks and let it flap against the spokes. It's a six month old 3520B and I really wasn't expecting problems so soon.The noise started quietly but suddenly and has gotten to where I don't feel like I should run it until I speak to tech support. The sound coming from the driven shaft. When I remove the belt and spin only the motor there is no noise. I looked all over hoping to find something simple that required tightening or adjusting but I can find no cause. The sound amplifies when I have a chuck on the lathe. I suppose it is resounding through the additional metal.
The good news is my wife and I just became grandparents :) and I am building a crib for my grandson. I surely like the sound of "grandson". Unfortunately, he is 3 1/2 hours away. Anyway, he is sleeping in something called a "Moses Bed" for the next couple months until he is big enough for the crib. It's almost finished so until I resolve the lathe problem, I still have a labor of love to enjoy.

[Roger Chandler]

Faust,

Are the set screws that lock the pulleys on your spindle and motor shaft down tight? Just something to look at ........sometimes a clicking can start when a screw gets loose.

[Mary Thompson]

Check the holes that are used for indexing. Chips can go in them and click as the lathe rotates.

[Jack Mincey]

The PM I turn on at school does the same thing at times. It has always been fixed by adjusting the tension on the belt and sometimes even making sure the belt is lined up properly.
Good Luck
Jack

[gary Zimmel]

I also have a 3520B Faust.
The same was happening to mine last week. Thats clicking noise was baffling to me.
I made sure all the set screws were tight but the noise was still there.
After scratching my head for a long time I found out it was the key in the top front pulley. It was sticking out a bit, so all I did was loosen the set screw and slide it in some more and tightened the set screw again.
No clicking sound any more..

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Gary,
I tried everything anyone above suggested. I checked all set screws, blew out the indexing holes and adjusted the belts. I did not look for a key that may be protruding too far. I will run out the the shop and give a look. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll let you know how I make out.
faust

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Gary and All,
Did anyone suggest a drop or two of oil down one of the indexing holes. After nothing else worked, that's what I did. The noise stopped immediately. The thing is, I wasn't expecting a need to lubricate anything on this unit. I don't remember reading anything when I set it up but I will certainly review the data to see if I missed something. Thanks to all. Now we have another cure to add to all of yours. I think I'll turn a while.
Faust

[Dick Strauss]

Faust,
It may not be drive pulleys but rather the pulley that allows you to lock the headstock spindle. The set screw comes loose quite regularly.

Take care,
Dick

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Thanks Dick,
I tried that also. I had to take out the speed indicator to get at those screws. Did you notice how little of the grove in the lock the lock bar actually catches. I was going to move the lock pulley a bit more left so the lock bar caught more of it but there was barely 1/8" it could move. The oil fix only lasted a short time and the click came back. I will speak with PM tomorrow if I can. Thanks.
faust

[Art Kelly]

Faust,
It may not be drive pulleys but rather the pulley that allows you to lock the headstock spindle. The set screw comes loose quite regularly.

My little Rikon made that noise for a while then quit. Next time I tried to engage the indexing pin, nothing happened. Set screw came completely out of the index wheel.

Post the fix when you find it.

Art

[rich croce]

I had this same ticking on my nova. turned out to be an ajustment to the head stock locking pin where it goes through the indexing holes. the nova has an acorn type nut on the lock nub.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

I called PM. Very nice people but no definite answers. They suggested I tap out the shaft (not difficult) and see if something was caught in an index hole. Nothing was. However, when I put the shaft back in place I found the problem. The speed indicator gets a signal from a square pulley on the main shaft. The corners of the square section are cut off at a 45 degree angle. There is a magnetic pick up mounted on the back of the LED tachometer. It is mounted very close to the mitered corners. One corner was hitting the plastic housing on the pick up. It was not visible through the access door but when I loosened the screws holding the tach in place the noise stopped. I merely placed tiny spacers behind the mounting plate of the tachometer and solved the problem. Easy fix, tough diagnosis. Thanks for your thoughts.
faust

[gary Zimmel]

Thanks for the update Faust.
As chance would have it, my clicking came back.
But it seems if I take a bit of tension off the belt there is no clicking. Next time I'm in my shop I will check the magnetic pickup and see if that is my problem.
Thanks for letting us know what the real fix is.