Hi. I just got a 20 year old Vicmarc VL300. What common repairs and maintenance should I be looking at? Thanks.
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Routine Maintenance and Common Repairs on a Vicmarc 300
- Thread starter Curt Yaws
- Start date
If the electrics are working correctly, then I would look at the state of the head stock bearings and the belt.
There isn't much to go wrong with that era of Vicmarc lathes, from a mechanical point of view that is.
There isn't much to go wrong with that era of Vicmarc lathes, from a mechanical point of view that is.
The maintenance tasks for my PowerMatic 3520b are shown below. These are probably similar to those needed for the VicMarc 300.
Motor & Drive
Motor & Drive
- Blow out motor & drive
- Inspect power cord for fraying
- Blow out area
- Check belts for any cracks (inside and outside)
- Check pulleys
- Ensure the bed is level
- Ensure fasteners are tight
- Clean way surfaces & apply light coat of oil or paste wax.
- Clean Morse taper
- Clean threads
- Clean indexing holes
- Ensure locking handle secures the headstock, and tighten the cam lock nut if necessary
- Clean & lubricate tool support opening on banjo
- Ensure collar secures the tool support securely
- Clean & lubricate clamping shaft and cam
- Clean & lubricate screw locks
- Ensure locking handle secures the tool support, and tighten the cam lock nut if necessary
- Clean Morse taper
- Clean & lubricate quill threads and entire quill body
- Clean & lubricate clamping shaft and cam
- Clean & lubricate screw locks
- Ensure locking handle secures the tailstock, and tighten the cam lock nut if necessary
- Clean way surfaces & apply light coat of oil or paste wax.
- Clean spring and pivot area, and apply light coat of oil to spring.
- Ensure top and insides are aligned with lathe's ways / bed. Tailstock should slide easily onto swing away.
- Ensure retaining bolts are tight.