My BEST Chinese lathe UPGRADE 

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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.

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

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 .

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

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.

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

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"

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

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

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

I like your upgades. Thanks for share it

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.

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.

nice work , Ive done similar thing on my lathe too

very satisfying video 😍

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

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.

Love them vids! Keep at it!

Nice video, thanks for share!

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

great work !!!

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

Good starter lathe!

Did you grease those roller bearings ?

are you using the lathe with that spindle play?

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

so good

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

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

Fantastic

How do you lubricate the tapered roller bearings ?

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!

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

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

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?

Wow im french and say Nice !!!

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

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

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

Знакомое видео и знакомые переделки. -)

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

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

why did you change into a new black spindle flange?

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

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

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

I would have not used plastic spacers for the timkin bearings, you should have used arbor shims to prevent deformation.

Rất nhiều video hay ❤

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

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

some words would be nice!

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

I used angular bearings and has very little run out

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

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

es verdadera escuela.

Файно!)

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

Good upgrade Brother Are you from Poland

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

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.

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

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

👌⚙️

tapered bearings are not suitable for high and fast rotating lathes.suitable is the closed face bearing.

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.

Ha, just seen it at 4:47 🙄

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

Ye kaha milega iska dham kitna hi my khareedna chahataahu

What amature holds parts by hand in a drill press?

I suggest a dumpster instead of new bearings

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

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

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

Those bearings need to be packed with grease before installation.

You should do videos without music

So what are you doing? A little narration please!

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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 !

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

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