Thread: TNC lathe

Hi,

I thought I'd share my latest spur of the moment purchase. I was having a look on Gumtree last night and noticed a Sheraton 9" for sale, the seller also had a TNC mini lathe for a reasonable price.

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/gymea...ono/1078746713

That's his other lathe. Long story short, went out and bought the little TNC. I also have a Super Adept of English build to match.

First thing I noticed was the headstock has been removed and replaced with a homemade affair. I guess the original headstock cracked, my Super Adept has a cracked headstock. Apparently its a common fault.

This is the UK lathes page for the TNC:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/adept/page2.html

I fired it up this afternoon. Everything works but the AC motor smokes the first time you use it, its a share because its a nice looking old motor. There's also a home made handwheel on it.

Sorry about the quality of the photo's, one day I'll get a newer phone.

Ben.

It is a shame about the motor. I wonder what will happen in another 50 years when these era machines are considered collectable and no one has a correct vintage motor. I think these motors are so much more appealing to look at than the modern ones.

Hi Ben,
those old Century motors are pretty well indestructable - unless seriously overheated.
If the blue smoke came out when you just turned it on, there is a chance that it was burbing off dust or conduction dirt.
I would carefully take the motor apart, look for the source of the smoke (burnt surfaces) and clean everything throroughly - without using solvents! I think Kero or turps should be OK though. Then get someone to test the insulation and resistances of the coils and see what you find.
I agree with DSEL it would be a shame to loose the period motor.

This is probably a bit late but I recently was given one of these little lathes. It looks like it was used for wood turning rather than metal work, the chuck has been removed (and is missing) only to be replaced by a drive spur out of a wood lathe. The tool-holder seems a little odd but perhaps the tool is held at some strange angle to the work?

I'm sure in another 50 years time you would be able to 3d metal print an identical Motor to the original quite easily

Originally Posted by DSEL74

It is a shame about the motor. I wonder what will happen in another 50 years when these era machines are considered collectable and no one has a correct vintage motor. I think these motors are so much more appealing to look at than the modern ones.

Well stix012 wanted a picture. I have a picture. I found the icon to click on to upload said picture. I clicked on the icon and a little window opened that said upload picture. And then the merry-go-round stopped...... I can right-click, left-click, double-click anywhere in, or on, said window and nothing happens. Cut-and-paste does not work either. Sorry stix, no picture.

Hi Old Hilly,

You need to click on "Reply to Thread" and then click on "Go Advanced" at the bottom,
Then scroll down to "Manage Attachments" then click on that.
A window will come up where you can select and upload a picture from your computer, select your picture, upload it. When it has uploaded you will see it in the box at the bottom. Now click on "Insert in Line" and it will get placed at the cursor in your post !

HTH,

Well, that was an interesting exercise in futility! I had to allow my computer to run an "Outdated version of Adobe Flash" which got the little box working and then selected said image, clicked on "upload" and waited while the little blue line moved across the window. Pitty it never got to the end. Repeated the exercise, the line went a bit further and then stopped. Looks like Telstra's super-fast wireless internet is, in reality, about as slow as a snail on Valium.
Sorry stix.

Hi Old Hilly,

That is disappointing ! I don't run any Windows operating system and don't use ""Flash" ! There maybe a Linux alternative, but it must be hidden somewhere in the works. My upload speed is not fast, only 500 to 650 Kbm, so your issue I would say is not speed, but since you say you are on WiFi the I would suspect that you have some kind of interference source causing retry's and time out.

You tend not to notice things like that when using text. I would try and change the WiFi channel to see if there is one that works better.