• Beware of Counterfeit Woodturning Tools (click here for details)
  • Johnathan Silwones is starting a new AAW chapter, Southern Alleghenies Woodturners, in Johnstown, PA. (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Peter Jacobson for "Red Winged Burl Bowl" being selected as Turning of the Week for April 29, 2024 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Soft Clicking sound from PM3250B headstock

Raul McCai

Raul McCai

Joined
Oct 29, 2014
Messages
469
Likes
90
Location
nj
I've heard this before, I've seen posts on the topic. Some have suggested it may be loose set screws in the pulleys - it ain't that. I think it's the bearings. It happens at a speed around 600 or slightly less and happens after I've applied a load by way of taking a heavy pass.

Increase the RPMs and the noise goes away

the video is not for looking at Cos there's not much to see, but rather listening. It's loudest inside the head stock with the panel open
What do you think? Bearings falling inside the races?
 
Raul McCai

Raul McCai

Joined
Oct 29, 2014
Messages
469
Likes
90
Location
nj
not the belt. I should try to replicate it in low range.
Anybody seen the bearings from the head stock? The sound reminds me of a ball bearing without the cage component and where there is space between bearings and the bearings are literally dropping onto each other as they rotate.

Wouldn't surprise me to see plain ball bearings in the head stock disappoint a little, but not surprise.
 
Last edited:
R

robo hippy

Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
5,497
Likes
2,848
Location
Eugene, OR
No real idea. On my A when I had it, I had 2 different clicking sounds. One was a loose pulley wheel which was out of like, and fixed by adjusting the set screw. The other was a burr on the slot where the locking pin went into the headstock bearing. I did wear out the bearings in the headstock, and it wasn't a clicking sound, but a grinding sound. The shaft was getting difficult to spin, and I was sanding when it went out, so going very slow speed.

robo hippy
 
john lucas

john lucas

AAW Forum Expert
Joined
Apr 26, 2004
Messages
8,340
Likes
3,601
Location
Cookeville, TN
The clicking that I found on a demo powermatic lathe was related to the spindle locking pin. It's been too many years to remember exactly what the problem was but I remember removing or adjusting something in the locking pin mechanism. You can also get a clicking sound when the spindle lock collar is slightly out of position.
 
Raul McCai

Raul McCai

Joined
Oct 29, 2014
Messages
469
Likes
90
Location
nj
Bill Boehme said:
If all else fails, in a few years when your hearing isn't quite as good as it is now things will be just fine. :D
Click to expand...

There ya go. I gotta figure out the speed sensor thing and see if it's that. There is so little going on in the head stock. It's not like an Engine lathe with multiple shafts and gears.
 
M

Mike Johnson

Joined
Jul 26, 2016
Messages
2,326
Likes
1,105
Location
Nebraska
I have stereo speakers wired into my lathe room, I turn the volume up when machines
start making strange noises. Just like driving a car. :)

If you can pull a cover off and run the machine with the cover off you might be able to
narrow the sound down to the immediate area of the source. Holding a long handled
metal tool with the handle up to your ear, you can move the metal tool around and place
it on the different locations of the lathe head stock and listen to the sound level transmitting
to your ear, this can narrow your search for a hard to locate sound.
 
pete marken

pete marken

Artist
Joined
Feb 17, 2014
Messages
27
Likes
354
Location
Calera Alabama
I had a new 3520B for less that a year and got rid of it due to bearing noise. I did all the checks that PM customer service suggested and none of them fixed it. In fact they could not give me a torque spec. for the lock nut on the rear bearing. Finally gave up and sold it and got an American Beauty. My wife also had a Jet 12-21 VS for less than a year when her headstock started making noise. Had to replace spindle and bearings.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top