As with many such "inexpensive" products the manual and documentation has
the basic safety stuff to try and mitigate liability, but not a lot of
operation detail. Never having played with a metal lathe before I am
learning how to make tools and fixtures (I think I have a grasp of the
distinction now) and accessories.

One little project was made easier by use of the feed, but I noticed
something odd. In forward feed (right to left with chuck turning towards
the operator) I have to hold the gear engage lever up or it drops out of
gear and stops feeding. It's a very positive feel like that is what it is
supposed to do. However, when reverse feed is engaged (left to right) It
does not drop out. It stays positively engaged. Is this normal? Should it
drop out when I let off the lever in either direction or should it stay
engaged in both directions? Or should it do exactly what it does. I just
now took the gear cover off to take a look, and except for swapping gears
for different feed rates or thread spacing there is no obvious way to change
its operation.

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
As with many such "inexpensive" products the manual and documentation has
the basic safety stuff to try and mitigate liability, but not a lot of
operation detail. Never having played with a metal lathe before I am
learning how to make tools and fixtures (I think I have a grasp of the
distinction now) and accessories.

One little project was made easier by use of the feed, but I noticed
something odd. In forward feed (right to left with chuck turning towards
the operator) I have to hold the gear engage lever up or it drops out of
gear and stops feeding. It's a very positive feel like that is what it is
supposed to do. However, when reverse feed is engaged (left to right) It
does not drop out. It stays positively engaged. Is this normal? Should
it drop out when I let off the lever in either direction or should it stay
engaged in both directions? Or should it do exactly what it does. I just
now took the gear cover off to take a look, and except for swapping gears
for different feed rates or thread spacing there is no obvious way to
change its operation.

P.S. I am not crazy about this lever being behind the lathe so that I have
to reach around or (EGAD!) over the lathe to engage it. I would think for
safety it would be better to be in front.

On Dec 30, 11:50*am, "Bob La Londe" wrote:
As with many such "inexpensive" products the manual and documentation has
the basic safety stuff to try and mitigate liability, but not a lot of
operation detail. *Never having played with a metal lathe before I am
learning how to make tools and fixtures (I think I have a grasp of the
distinction now) and accessories.

One little project was made easier by use of the feed, but I noticed
something odd. *In forward feed (right to left with chuck turning towards
the operator) I have to hold the gear engage lever up or it drops out of
gear and stops feeding. *It's a very positive feel like that is what it is
supposed to do. *However, when reverse feed is engaged (left to right) It
does not drop out. *It stays positively engaged. *Is this normal? *Should it
drop out when I let off the lever in either direction or should it stay
engaged in both directions? *Or should it do exactly what it does. *I just
now took the gear cover off to take a look, and except for swapping gears
for different feed rates or thread spacing there is no obvious way to change
its operation.

Is this a 7x mini? "The Mini-Lathe" by David Fenner may help, covers
the 7xs. Amazon and others have it, it's British. There are also
quite a number of web sites devoted to the 7x.

Not too sure what you mean by "gear engage lever", the half-nut lever
on the carriage or the direction changing lever on the headstock?
Either one is supposed to stay put until you change it. If it's the
directional change lever("tumbler"), I'd have to look at mine, but I
believe that lever has a dog that engages a dimple or hole in the
headstock to hold it in place. Mine's a few years old and who knows
what they've done to the design lately.
This thing is so small I normally don't use anything but hand feeding
for the parts I turn on it. If it's your half-nuts that don't stay
engaged, you need to do something about the detent in the apron.

Stan

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
As with many such "inexpensive" products the manual and documentation has
the basic safety stuff to try and mitigate liability, but not a lot of
operation detail. Never having played with a metal lathe before I am
learning how to make tools and fixtures (I think I have a grasp of the
distinction now) and accessories.

One little project was made easier by use of the feed, but I noticed
something odd. In forward feed (right to left with chuck turning towards
the operator) I have to hold the gear engage lever up or it drops out of
gear and stops feeding. It's a very positive feel like that is what it is
supposed to do. However, when reverse feed is engaged (left to right) It
does not drop out. It stays positively engaged. Is this normal? Should
it drop out when I let off the lever in either direction or should it stay
engaged in both directions? Or should it do exactly what it does. I just
now took the gear cover off to take a look, and except for swapping gears
for different feed rates or thread spacing there is no obvious way to
change its operation.


The best mini-lathe/mini-mill manuals are on the Little Machine Shop web
site:


http://littlemachineshop.com/Info/getting_started.php


--
Michael Koblic
Campbell River, BC

On Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:16:19 -0700, Bob La Londe wrote:

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
As with many such "inexpensive" products the manual and documentation
has the basic safety stuff to try and mitigate liability, but not a lot
of operation detail. Never having played with a metal lathe before I
am learning how to make tools and fixtures (I think I have a grasp of
the distinction now) and accessories.

One little project was made easier by use of the feed, but I noticed
something odd. In forward feed (right to left with chuck turning
towards the operator) I have to hold the gear engage lever up or it
drops out of gear and stops feeding. It's a very positive feel like
that is what it is supposed to do. However, when reverse feed is
engaged (left to right) It does not drop out. It stays positively
engaged. Is this normal? Should it drop out when I let off the lever
in either direction or should it stay engaged in both directions? Or
should it do exactly what it does. I just now took the gear cover off
to take a look, and except for swapping gears for different feed rates
or thread spacing there is no obvious way to change its operation.

P.S. I am not crazy about this lever being behind the lathe so that I
have to reach around or (EGAD!) over the lathe to engage it. I would
think for safety it would be better to be in front.

What kind of lathe do you refer to? If you mean one that looks like
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93212
which has two levers on the back (one for feed direction, one for high/low
gear), both of those levers latch into place. You pull out fairly hard on
the end of the spring loaded lever, push it to the right place, and release.
Take a look at the detent holes and pin and see if they are ok. If you
can't shift a lever quite far enough because of gears out of sync, perhaps
rock the chuck back and forth a ways.

Also, take the spindle end housing off and look at the two identical
meshing gears on a rocker controlled by the feed direction lever, and
see how they engage when you move the lever.

Re safety, neither lever should be moved when the lathe is running.

--
jiw