Repairing an older Craftsman Lathe

[Aaron Broomhead]

Guys,

I am not an avid turner and my skills are very basic. I have been using a small JET mini lathe for some time, but just recently was able to obtain a large Craftsman lathe (model number 351.21 7170). Its 60" long and 15" high, definitely a difference from the JET. I'm not sure on the year built, but was I able to find the manual on-line which was printed in 1999.

Judging by the look and �feel� of the lathe, I don�t think that it was very well taken care of. It�s missing some parts although nothing that prohibits the use of the lathe. I have a few issues with the lathe that I need help with.

This first thing is the noise!!! The motor runs louder than it should, or what I assume it should run. I have pulled the headstock apart as much as I feel comfortable with and attempted to lubricate the bearings. I have blown out the motor with air and cleaned off any caked-on dust.

The second problem is that as much as I have tried, I cannot get the centers of the headstock and tailstock parallel and to match up. The hard part for doing this is that under the headstock is a bolt that requires you to tighten it when you have it parallel.
Every time the headstock moves even if it�s a 1/16th.

My other issues are more cosmetic or just require some work. For instance the bed needs to be cleaned really good and smoothed out better than I have it.

The manual has a real basic schematic of the motor, but nothing detailed enough that helps. The �maintenance� section in the manual is so basic that my 4 year old son could do it. I really need something more. I�m not sure if Craftsman restricts information on their equipment or if it�s information you have to buy, but unlike other tools I cannot find information on this lathe on-line. I was able to find the manual after several days of searching, but it is terrible as far as manuals go.

If anyone has any suggestions on websites, books, past experience or anything that would help I would appreciate it. Also if pictures would help?

[Aaron Broomhead]

Not sure what the unpside down questions marks followed by the 1/2 symbol are there for!!!

[Bill Bolen]

It sounds like the same lathe Bernie suffered with. I'm sure he will pop in on this post soon. If I remember right he ended up sending it to the recycle pile.
Here is a link to some work done on the big craftsman lathe. Might help a bit.
http://www.aroundthewoods.com/lathemaintenance.html
..Bill..

[Mike Ramsey]

By the P/N 351217170, that is the 15" x 36" lathe, not 60". It is one of the biggest POS machines ever made. Are you sure the bed is 60" long?
The lathe I'm thinking about has a reeves drive & no circuit board.


184590

[Roger Chandler]

Aaron,

I had the same model lathe, and it was good until it broke a gear shaft in the headstock, and I could not find a replacement on this planet, or even have one machined because it took specialized hobbing tools and cutters. The lathe has a 10,000 rpm DC motor that is geared down mechanically with gears and gear shaft that link up with the shaft coming out of the motor. You will likely be able to use this to gain a lot of skills, etc, until the time a part goes bad...some parts are still available from sears, but the controller, motor, and circuit board are not available as of Oct. 2009.

You can align the headstock and tailstock by getting you an alignment tool, which is basically a double ended morse taper #2, and put them in the spindle and tailstock quill, and then tighten. You can also turn one out of a hardwood, and use it.

I had my headstock apart to try and repair it, so I am intimately aware of the insides, and I hope yours will last a long time. If you have further questions, then you can send me a private message over this forum, and I will try and assist you where possible.

I ended up taking mine to a scrap metal yard for disposal. Had to buy a new lathe.

[Aaron Broomhead]

I appreciate the quick responses. I went and checked the number on the back of the lathe and it is 351.217170. Mike you're right, that comes back to a different lathe which is why I had such a hard time finding a manual for it. I'm not sure if Craftsman messed up on the numbers or what? I literally started looking to match the picture of my lathe up to a picture of a lathe on the Manuel in order to find the right one.
And that's my mistake!!! I listed the 60" long which was referring to the overall length, not the bed. The picture that Mike has posted is roughly the same lathe, just a more sleek modern looking one then I have. I took a few pictures to post, so this may help anyone out.
And Roger...You have listed that you broke a gear shaft in the headstock. Did this eliminate the use of the lathe completely or just make the sound of the motor louder? Again I have only been around a half dozen lathes, but none of them sounded like this. Of course none of them were Craftsman (sorry to any Craftsman lovers out there). I kind-off came to the determination that it's just the sound the lathe makes. But I'm still not ready to admit defeat and just get used to it.
I hate to scrap it. When I received it, I was excited since it opened up a new realm of possibilities going from the small JET to this. The lathe was free so I felt more disappointed then mad that it had some issues. This picture might help

184596

[Aaron Broomhead]

Just a quick update. Bill I checked into that article that you listed in your post. Good info! but it got me wondering if it was the same setup as my Lathe (Reeves Drive) I pulled my motor open a little and can see that it is gear driven. There are no pulleys or belts. If this helps spark any further suggestion

[Roger Chandler]

Aaron,

This one you show is the same model I had. It does have some mechanical noise in the headstock, and some of that is normal operation. I THINK Istill have the manual for mine, and no longer need it, but would have to look and see if I discarded it when I got rid of the lathe. I think John Hart. who used to be a moderator on this forum also has the same model.

Just make sure you do not strip the gears when trying to take a chuck off the spindle. Use a nylon spindle washer on the spindle before you mount the chuck, and use both wrenches that came with the lathe to remove the drive spur, by backing the nut off the threads.........this will help you avoid the chuck sticking and stripping the gears inside the headstock trying to remove the spur drive and chuck. Also, there should be a little steel pin to put into the indexing holes on the outboard side of the wheel, so as to lock the spindle down with the hand wheel, and that will help in removing the chuck as well.

[Jeff Nicol]

Aaron, Sears has had the Palmgren company make a lot of tools for them over the years and I am not sure if this one was made by them or not. If it is as stated a high rpm DC motor with a gear reduction for speed control that is direct drive to the spindle that is not a very good design. Depending on what the gears are made off they most always will be noisy if they are not precision gears and adjusted and meshing well. One thing you have is a fairly nice bed and tailstock to start with and you could make a different headstock for it using a different motor like a 3phase and a VFD for varible speed control.

Hope you figure something out with it, but free is free,

Jeff

[Mike Ramsey]

Aaron, the pic your showing is of a pretty good lathe by craftsman, it does have a circuit board for electronic control I believe. A member here, John Hart I think has that lathe & has turned some great stuff on it.
You could try to pm John to ask him about it.
Duh, I read up a couple & noticed Roger already mentioned John.

[Bernie Weishapl]

It is the same one John Hart had and my neighbor had. They no longer make most parts for the motor including bearings. No brushes, brush holders, etc. or circuit card assembly. The only info he found was on Sears Parts. They showed a break down of the headstock and nothing more. He never did find any info. My neighbor finally got so frustrated with his he to it to a metal salvage yard and bought a Jet. I had the other one with the reeves drive and I took mine to the metal salvage. It was a total POS.