MINI LATHE UPGRADES #5: HTD DRIVE BELT TENSIONER

[@GlennNowOnYouTube]

Great job. You must read my mind. Everytime I get on KZbin looking for ideas, for a project I'm working on There you are. I'm doing what I call The big motor upgrade and I'm putting together video 4 and it's making a belt tensioner. The videos won't be out until April. But it's the same belt the main drive belt. I love watching how you do things and how you think. You put it all out there and don't hold back. Thanks for being a Video Creator and sharing your experiences.

[@myharris]

Really appreciate your feedback Glenn, a major part of the motivation for these videos is the support and generosity of spirit I've found in our mutual community of like-minded hobby machinists. I'm finding your videos a solidly useful source of mini lathe mods and tips and would recommend anyone reading this comment to check out your channel. Very best of luck with your belt-tensioner project - hope my screw-ups supply some lessons!!

[@shawnmrfixitlee6478]

I say bravo that will work well , Love your channel .. I like to machine metal as well on my channel .. Enjoyed .. I have been subbed since you started your youtube shares ..👍👍

[@myharris]

Hey Shawn, really appreciate your kind words, and also your long-time loyalty. Your machining videos are definitely worth watching, and I'd recommend anyone reading this to swing by your channel for insights. Thanks again for your support buddy, it really means a lot 🙏

[@stevedavey1343]

Well this was fun. 😊 I've spent the last 8 months or so, fettling my little 7x (partially following the Seig SC3 and C3 upgrade PDFs available on the ArcEuroTrade website and partially the likes of Steve Jordan, ArtisanMakes and We Can Do That Better). Lathe is in bits for the 3rd time as I'm currently adding Steve Jordan's centre saddle plate. Just one suggestion. I saw you using a Stanley knife for deburring on one of your videos. Cheap imitations of Noga deburring tools are reasonably accessible. 😉

[@myharris]

Hey Steve, I'm glad you enjoyed the video and many thanks for the feedback. Thanks also for the steer to the other channels, and also for the tip about the Noga deburrer clone - I keep meaning to hunt one downbut the Stanley knife is always on hand!Good luck with the centre plate - it would be great to see the results when you're finished :) Appreciate you taking the time 🙏

[@davidt8438]

Your lathe is sounding smooth. How do you like the new bearings (smoothness, vibration, etc.) P.S. I like the way your brain works. The sliding adjustment rather than the pivot adjustment is something I don’t think I would have thought of. Good job.

[@myharris]

Thanks so much for your kind words David, that's great feedback! Appreciate you taking the time 😁

[@gangleweed]

Doesn't that motor mounting bracket have slotted holes to allow the motor to tension the belt.....it shows in the end of the video.

[@myharris]

Hery, thanks for commenting. Yes, I did make slots there with tensioning in mind but they're very awkward to get at. The slider arrangement you see in this video is much easier to deal with. Appreciate your input, thanks for dropping by.

[@Bigbigjimbo]

Is your 3D file for the electrical box worth a coffee or two 😊

[@myharris]

Hey Jim, thanks for dropping by. Do you mean the electrical enclosure box on the Sieg SX2P mini mill in the background? If so, check out the video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIK0hpScqd5koqs - it's not a bad video, if I say so myself, plus there are download links there for the box's STL file. As to payment - just click the 'like' button and leave extravagantly flattering comments on all my videos. Deal?! 😂 Appreciate your comment buddy, all the best.

[@Bigbigjimbo]

Not that one the one that houses the stepper controller and the transformer, don’t know the actual size but thinking it might fit the boxes in my country.

[@myharris]

@@Bigbigjimbo Sorry, I'm being a bit slow today! Are we talking about the lathe or the mill? The controller box for the lathe is metal and came with the machine. The mill transformer and controller box likewise. Dial me in a bit! Happy to send some measurements if that would help?

[@Bigbigjimbo]

@@myharris my mistake it is not you that is adding the electronic lead screw, i watch that may of these things lol

[@richardbannister2149]

just an observation why not move the motor out on the slide

[@myharris]

Hi Richard, thanks for taking the time. It's a great question and one I should've addressed in the video. Space is really limited behind the lathe, and it's a proper pita to get to the 4 motor mounting bolts. Trying to get the belt tension right whilst keeping the motor in alignment under those conditions ends up being a multi-hour curse-fest! I wanted something that was easier to get to, and more capable of delivering consistent results. Appreciate your feedback, and great to see someone's giving my little videos such close attention! All the best. 👍