My BEST Chinese lathe UPGRADE

In this video I eliminate the lathe cross feed backlash, reduce the spindle backlash. I replace the ball bearings of the front headstock with roller bearings. Installing thrust bearings in cross feed.
Headstock bearings alii.pub/6jgqxd
Thrust bearings alii.pub/6jgqxy
Stl files for the bearing covers drive.google.com/drive/folders/19aP3tOtGQFNVvU389yPeWK6U5EaFjmJZ?usp=sharing

[@Dansssssify]

At first I was very impressed. I saw spindle bearing retainers that looked like actual oil seals. That is the real problem with roller bearings. It does not matter how little play you achieve. They will constantly fill with metal fillings. The true fix is to seal the bottom of the housing, fit actual metal bearing retainers with true oil seals, put a oil level window in the housing and fill it 1/2 full with oil. This also solves the high/low gear lubrication issue. without that, offset sealed bearings would be a better option but they cost $100 After dissembling 20+ spindles and trying many options I have found that a $22 set of made in Japan deep groove NACI bearings will achieve as good if not better tolerances that you show in this video. Then install a grease zirk right above the 2 interior gears in the spindle head. get a small grease gun fill with white lith grease and you can lube the gears without disasembly.

[@michaelmayo3127]

My very thoughts!!

[@vincenzoangelicchio3392]

That would be ideal. Good idea

[@GlennNowOnYouTube]

I love running a lathe. You can doing just about anything with one. And you make it look easy. Good video.

[@ianhaylock7409]

Very much like the "We can do that better" channel. I think having a few text messages explaining what you are doing would be nice.

[@TigerCarpenter]

wow that's some precision work man! well done!

[@thomasvilhar7529]

Thanks now I will fix by bench press by first checking changing the bearings. Nice work.

[@kentdixon5716]

Very good video, I look forward to making the upgrades on my 7x12 Craftex model, thanks for posting!

[@dtj9923]

I've done the roller bearing upgrade on a few different machines now, it makes a world of difference. I have a C6 10 x 20 based home CNC conversion that only had roller bearings in the chuck end, a home built CNC mill that uses a mini mill headstock, and a 1958 9 inch Logan lathe. It's like night and day. The surface finish and accuracy on the lathes improves dramatically. The only thing you have to watch is preload resistance and rolling resistance due to the wider rollers displacing the grease. A really lightweight flouroelastomer spindle grease is your friend for packing these bearings. The heavy stuff used for wheel bearings will eat up horsepower and lower your spindle speed. One hybrid option is a roller bearing on the chuck end and an angular contact on the other end if you want to reduce some drag but the dual roller bearings are extremely stable and pretty inexpensive. Good angular contact bearings are pricey.

[@dtj9923]

​@sourand jaded That's like $29 USD. If they're Japanese, German or Swiss that's a really good deal. I've had very mixed experiences with Chinese AC bearings. I like AC bearings for high speed spindles and especially spindles that use paired AC bearings at either end. So two paired bearings on either end, four bearings total. That gives you low bearing resistance but great spindle stability. But in this case I'm thinking of applications like Hardinge toolroom lathes or high speed mills.

[@dtj9923]

@sourand jaded You got a deal!

[@markjmaxwell9819]

Having researched mini lathes many little things can make a big difference. Such as metal drive gears and the feed for both X and Y axis not using the outside diameter of the lead-screw if possible . Also acceptable play and a means to adjust play are paramount. I always compare any lathe to the Colchester lathes l used to use .

[@MagnetOnlyMotors]

4:00 a much improved upgrade for sure, nice work ! 8:49 nice.

[@Freakydile]

6:11 What could possibly go wrong. Despite, that I hammer the safetyrules into my pupils, and telling them to never ever wear gloves at any machine with turning parts, if finally happened a few years ago... One person did wear gloves, the exact same type as you wear there, and lost half a finger... Torn off... So all be careful, pride comes before the fall. On a lighter note: "Thank you for the great video"

[@sharonschroeder6961]

Had a incident with gloves, happened very quickly.

[@WayneCook306]

Angular contact bearings are the same thickness makes it a lot easier, anyway love your upgrades thank you.

[@capman911]

Did you use single or double angular contact bearings?

[@WayneCook306]

@@capman911 Single but you can use double row as well.

[@HyperactiveNeuron]

True but they tend to cost a lot more.

[@WayneCook306]

@@HyperactiveNeuron They are about $30 each here in Australia which is no big deal.

[@WeCanDoThatBetter]

Really like your work on the mini lathe! Have to change the bearing on my machine too and also think to install tapered gibs on the carriage :) Thanks for sharing!

[@markbernier8434]

I appreciate seeing this. I just saved a lot of money.

[@gangleweed]

I built an all steel micro lathe in the mid 60's and it has taper roller bearings in the headstock with oil seals in the housings at the outside..........the insides of the bearing housings are open and the headstock casing is sealed to allow oil to be in the bottom of it......the oil level is 10mm deep and .a ring lubricator around the spindle dipped in the oil and lubed the 2 bearings as the spindle rotated......I've been using it for the last 50 years. BTW, you can get double row angular contact bearings that have seals.....I have 2 on my milling machine spindle.....25mm ID X 52 OD......no adjustment needed as they are preloaded, lubed and sealed for life.

[@HM-Projects]

Hope you and your loved ones are safe. Take care.

[@jrbc2013]

agree with the others, very impressive work/mod, one of the best I've ever seen.!

[@brasileirodefolga]

Thats impressive. A lot of good ideias, Thanks for the video

[@AmalgmousProxy]

I have the harbor freight version of this. Thanks for the ideas.

[@NareshKumar-sg9hu]

I HAVE BEEN USING USING TWO PRE LOADED TAPER ROLLER BEARING IN THE FRONT AND ONE PLAIN ROLLER BEARING AT THE BACK WITH EXCELLENT RESULTS.

[@druidnoibn7218]

The tea needs to be hotter... Good video - thank you.

[@williamweesner1191]

Solder crush test add or subtract .002 for preload. (Depending on selective shim location.) Just like the TRBs in a transmission. Awesome video BTW.

[@temyraverdana6421]

I like your upgades. Thanks for share it

[@hammerland4028]

Thanks!

[@ThePottingShedWorkshop]

I'd avoid the habit of wearing gloves around machinery, even if it is "just" a drill press. Safety first. If it needs holding more securely, use a drill vice. Machines, parts, you can replace. Your body parts are a little less expendible.

[@robertbutler8004]

Only fools wear gloves around machinery!!

[@BasementEngineer]

@@robertbutler8004 That also goes for cleaning rags/towels. These are too a no no on running machinery. Use a brush for removing swarf with the machine running.

[@ingvarbergstrom7260]

For a "standard" owner of a mini-lathe this is a great video. It makes the lathe better but, of cource, not best. I assume that you have taken the lathe from its regular position otherwise you should consider bolting it something heavy. Greasing "system" is good enough for this type of product. Pls carry on.

[@hermanpepper3623]

Good starter lathe!

[@oldfarthacks]

For this sort of thing, I like a single row angular contact bearing. Use a sealed one and you don't need to go into the whole oiling thing. I like the 7202 B 2RS TN Sealed Angular Ball Bearing 15x35x11mm type.

[@canonsonico3752]

Love them vids! Keep at it!

[@johnutting9615]

You can wind those tapered bearings up tighter than what you have done to reduce the main shaft movement to less than 2 thou. Have done same on an Emco Compact 8

[@neffk]

Check the pre-load after you use the lathe for a while. Plastics tend to creep.

[@SkillfulMan]

nice work , Ive done similar thing on my lathe too

[@jayp149]

very satisfying video 😍

[@44Celt]

Did you grease those roller bearings ?

[@Boblebe]

Hi Congratulations, your videos are fantastic. And thanks for sharing the stl. I wonder, why did you add an additional thickness of about one/two mm behind the first bearing of the Spindle? what does it have to compensate for? Is that printed too? Sorry for all these questions but I'm new and I want to make the same changes to my lathe.

[@erok268]

invest in a deadblow, also cover your inner race in a wet papertowel, microwave it. if you want even more clearance throw your spindle in the freezer first in a bag. cool video.

[@MechInvent]

I feel like microwaving steel is bad lol. Why can't you just use a torch?

[@petredragulin7794]

Cu tot respectul, alama se prelucrează cu unghi de tăiere negativ al cititului sau burghiu .👍

[@loricastro3772]

Nice video, thanks for share!

[@bambukouk]

Wouldn't it be a lot more honest if they sold their machines as a kit of parts... for you to finish and put together! After all that is what most of the buyers of these contraptions end up doing (to get usable tool). Like your upgrades - subscribed

[@mick1gallagher]

Why should they be honest when they get fools to buy as is

[@TheBipolarBear]

"They" market these mini lathes to people like me - no prior machining experience, unsure if using a lathe will keep me entertained for more than a few weeks - who are intimidated by the thought of assembling a machine which might take your fingers off or send metal parts flying at high speeds. Pure hobbyists, in other words. I am in the market for a lathe, because I want to try something new at an age where others retire, and I cannot even dream of a decent quality lathe, which I estimate in the medium-to-high four figure price range. I envy people who know more about the whole subject, but here I am.

[@jackpijjin4088]

​@@TheBipolarBearOh, don't you know you're supposed to just be born with a full machine shop in-tow? Who needs 'beginner lathes' at a good dabbling price, right? :P

[@TheBipolarBear]

@@jackpijjin4088 Shame on me for not knowing that. I guess I also fully deserve people telling me that my poverty disgusts them. 🤪

[@en2oh]

great video with lots of good tips. Have you released the 3d printer files for the bear seats?

[@hammerland4028]

The link is in the description of the video

[@johnbroadbent9034]

we all crib about the chinese lathes but pound for pound they cannot be beat ,I myself have had many and cannot complain, you get what you pay for ,they can make them better with roller bearings but its all down to cost now you have upgraded yours as would the manufacturer , but as to cost

[@seanwolfe9321]

You got a thumbs up for me….no question, great work, but man! You really need a bigger/better lathe, at least 10” swing. And maybe something that you can’t rock with one hand? Then you’d be unstoppable!

[@gvet47]

The thrust bearings on the cross slide are nice but you still have backlash fron the rod and nut poor tolerance.

[@giovanbattistatiepolo2517]

GRANDIOSO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@GraphicManInnovations]

are you using the lathe with that spindle play?

[@tattoosteveneo]

I see that you “tried” to lube the bearing. But when you installed the race it looks to have covered the hole. Was it offset or did it just look like that on the video?

[@barryvj171]

How do you lubricate the tapered roller bearings ?

[@arduinomaquinas]

Nice ! ❤ love machines😉👍🇧🇷🇧🇷 like 3.4K 👏👏👏👏

[@TlD-dg6ug]

When you own a lathe, everything looks like a diy project. Lol.

[@NeoIsrafil]

Truly...it does...lol. you start to look at bearings or motor shafts and think..."is it REALLY worth paying for someone else to make one?"

[@TlD-dg6ug]

@@NeoIsrafil you can mill with one too, if you hold the endmill in a collet in the nose of the spindle. Use the cross slide as your x. Carriage is your z.

[@rainbowuunicorn9571]

great work !!!

[@hammerland4028]

Thank you

[@nortonp240]

so good

[@user-lm8yn9rp4h]

Если между коническими подшипниками поставить втулку с точно обработанными торцами, жесткость шпинделя увеличится в разы. Один минус - запаришься его собирать-разбирать для примерок.

[@user-dg2ru4vf3f]

Нужно изготовить втулку из свинца и с ней отрегулировать затем разобрать изамерить размер после обжатия свинца и изготовить стальную сразу в размер -время сэкономиш

[@sonoflocksmith]

01:03 How about plastic gears do you think replace them? I heard that plastic gears will break in this lathe.

[@hammerland4028]

I will not replace the plastic gears, they serve as protectors against more serious breakdowns. Better buy some spare plastic just in case

[@ryebis]

Nice upgrades. Spindle deflection of 0.05mm seems a big high, is that due to the spindle shaft flexing ?

[@hammerland4028]

I think yes

[@lefrancoisjeanpierre3098]

Wow im french and say Nice !!!

[@werschkowdennis6533]

Знакомое видео и знакомые переделки. -)

[@hammerland4028]

Это дежавю)

[@user-cs9qe3eg6t]

Ёпте, думал что-то новое увижу, потом думал что кто-то спиз....л контент у нашего земляка. А это тоже самое, ээээ, расходимся. :)

[@dannymullane9252]

Fantastic

[@SamGlasser]

Still no repacking the bearings? Don't expect them to last.

[@ThanasisThomas]

why did you change into a new black spindle flange?

[@uwewatermann5463]

Ich habe eine Frage was hast du für ein Motor in deiner drehbank ❓❓❓meiner hatt 550 w Drehzahl ok aber keine Kraft mfg Uwe

[@thegearhead6053]

Can you share the stl files for the bearing covers you printed?

[@hammerland4028]

drive.google.com/drive/folders/19aP3tOtGQFNVvU389yPeWK6U5EaFjmJZ?usp=sharing

[@hedning003]

Have to ask-have a chinese-lathe whit a problem that i hasnt seen anyone mentioned-i struggled whit getting the compound to be stable,finaly i measured the ways back and front,and they are not even..the back way is thicker at tailstock-end and front is thicker at chuck end,so need to do some grinding on the underside of the ways- has anyone come across this before? -the compound "pinches in the back on a long workpiece,and pinches at the front near the chuck..had to tighten and schim the brackets on the underside in a weard way,now it's managble,but quite hard to turn the handwheel

[@Andriu_FPV]

I almost lost a finger doing what you did at 6:11. NEVER use gloves with any rotary tool 😢

[@backwardsmachining7526]

I hate drilling brass and aluminum it always wants to grab and try to kill me.

[@chrisford9045]

Regrind the drill tip geometry so that there is zero angle in the longitudinal plane and then it won't grab ever again

[@LongPham-ic7if]

Rất nhiều video hay ❤

[@stevemitchell9520]

I know nothing about lathes so I'm wondering, is it true so many commentors have said it's cheaper to buy a better quality ( non Chinese) lathe than replace bearings etc? I would assume everything ( motor, gears, switches, lathe body etc ) would be better quality making it much more expensive.

[@Dansssssify]

That is to be debated. first answer would be yes but then comes in reality. A true lathe currently made in USA would be very hard to find if it even exists. If it does the price would be at least 5 to 10 times higher. The second option is an old made in USA lathe. Then if the bed is not worn out or rusted you still have to rebuild it end to end to include a modern motor. Still plenty of work and money. Next up is a quality import, likely a knock off of a US lathe and made in Thailand. Yes, that is your best bet but only if you have $4K and the room for such a lathe. also consider this, by the time you fix your mini Chinese lathe, you will actually know how to use a lathe and it fits in your garage, even upstairs in an apartment.

[@hanslanda994]

1:51 CX Bearing made in China for a Polish seller.

[@kyushoar]

I NEED YOU TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU DID. I HAVE THE SAME LATHE BUT DOES NOT UNDERSTAND. THANKS.

[@Diesel-ui4ui]

I used angular bearings and has very little run out

[@MagnusNemo-xc5nx]

How do you know when the tapered roller bearings need a shot of lube without a visual inspection, lolz?

[@hammerland4028]

I add a little lube before every job

[@dnosal]

Is there polish eagle on Chuck? 9:55 or Im creazy?

[@hammerland4028]

This is a Polish coin

[@khanabdulrehman3913]

Good upgrade Brother Are you from Poland

[@hammerland4028]

Thanks! I'm from Ukraine

[@khanabdulrehman3913]

@@hammerland4028 good I will meet you if I come to Ukraine

[@haudenlukas2720]

some words would be nice!

[@richardhead8264]

_What is the blue goo at _*_4:47_**_?_* 🤔

[@hammerland4028]

Bearing grease

[@gundanaveenkumar8267]

Ye kaha milega iska dham kitna hi my khareedna chahataahu

[@robinblank3882]

What is the diameter of the chuck？100mm or 125mm?

[@hammerland4028]

100

[@florenciopacorevollo8379]

es verdadera escuela.

[@SuperSla1]

Файно!)

[@DavidM2002]

8:53 It looks like your whole gauge is moving so the needle hardly moves. That gauge needs to stay rock solid to get a proper measurement.

[@union310]

No matter how much you polish a turd, it's always a turd.

[@CSGATI]

Made in China fixed in America. I have done it many times.

[@44Celt]

Ha, just seen it at 4:47 🙄

[@jimbauer6822]

Making a lot of parts on a lathe that you have torn all apart

[@stewartfrye]

I suggest a dumpster instead of new bearings

[@felixtorres1895]

You were my hero until I saw you use channel locks.😢😢😂😂😂😂

[@Airtight215]

Those bearings need to be packed with grease before installation.

[@bigbob1699]

What amature holds parts by hand in a drill press?

[@RBkaj]

You should do videos without music

[@RBkaj]

It's like asmr without

[@hugowalterher5384]

no puedo creer que ustedes puedan comprar un torno donde lo mas importante que son los engranajes sean hechos de pastico . ustedes son unos -----------

[@hammerland4028]

Plastic gears are the best in this machine

[@ellieprice3396]

So what are you doing? A little narration please!

[@johnwick7175]

I like how the chinese bothered with steel parts just to fill the machine with plastic gears :P

[@EricTViking]

Don't wear gloves using rotating machinery and don't hand hold parts on a pillar drill. A great video apart from the cringeworthy safety.

[@aviatoriintrepidi6873]

An upgrade of chinese quality is use hig quality bearings and not use Tapered roller bearing

[@chauvinemmons]

If you're going to wear gloves they have to be all rubber they cannot have any fabric inside the rubber just rubber it will tear.

[@JamesSimmons-gv4ow]

This would be a lot more watchable without the incessant drum beating in the background. Is that really necessary?

[@MegaRich7]

The best Chinese lathe upgrade would be to trade it in on a European model.

[@glenntaylor6201]

Why not just wait and save a bit more and get a better lathe.

[@grahambird1570]

First thing I do is change every single Bearing ( As s Chinese Bearings are complete Rubbish ) Secondly, replace all the Plastic Gears with Steel Gears, Thirdly, re-work all the Guide Ways. Fourth, re- align the Tail Stock. . . . etc etc Then you might have a half decent Lathe !

[@tomrecane6366]

I guess I don’t understand the economics of lathe manufacturing. The changes you made could easily be done at the factory. If roller bearings added $50 to the price, so what?

[@aviatoriintrepidi6873]

😱Tapered roller bearings for main axle😱 are not a upgrade. And this tipe of bearings need a gap of installation, and not tigtening hard

[@user-xg1jg5zu6q]

На хрена нужен этот мёртворождённый винт поперечки, да и продольный такой же, сейчас нет, а через 1 час люфт снова будет недетский. Я поставил швп 1002 на поперечку и 1604 на продольную, рукоятка подачи стала сбоку и не размыкается, но дело привычки. Вот тут уж я и забыл о люфтах.

[@dimitartenchev9338]

grease in spindle bearings ??? plastic flanges plastic gears wtf is imma buy one for my kids when i have kids