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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking Machines > Benchtop Machines > Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    10

    Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Hi, everyone; brand new forum member.

    I'm also a brand new mini-lathe owner since yesterday when I bought a lathe from an advertisement in the classifieds - I couldn't pass it up, it was only $150.

    The problem, is I don't know anything about the machine; the make, model, or country of origin, etc., and the label appears to have been stripped.

    If possible, can someone help to identify this machine so I can search for information about it.

    Thanks, in advance, for any attempts of assistance.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    5717

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Looks identical to the Harbor Freight 7x12 lathe. Made in China. https://www.harborfreight.com/7-inch...the-93799.html
    Jim Dawson
    Sandy, Oregon, USA

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    10

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Thanks Jim, much appreciated.

    Do you think I did ok for price buying it for $150? or did I potentially waste my money?

    Cheers.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    1943

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    As far as brand, it doesn't really matter as all of them are virtually identical except for paint colors.

    If the motor runs it is a good buy. It looks to be in good shape with little use. I had one and the problems I had were:

    1. Motor control board failure
    2. Plastic gears
    3. Lack of cross travel

    It was an ok machine for making small parts but was lacking features for manual turning of parts. I have actually been thinking of getting another one to convert to CNC, but may take another route.

    Good luck with your lathe. It just looks a little dusty but fine otherwise.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    2083

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    going by the power switch it looks like an early version of the mini lathe

    my version has a large latching E-stop / power switch and
    an electronic no volt release switch that prevents the lathe restarting if the power is restored after a power loss
    plus an interlock on the speed control forces you to start at minimum speed to prevent damage to the motor & speed control board

    https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cl300m-metal-lathe/

    over the years , depending on the manufacturer ( Real Bull or Sieg ), different speed control boards have been used

    John

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    10

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Thank you for the feedback; much appreciated.

    I think, after a little experimenting, i'll have to also look at converting it to CNC. Not right away, though.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    5717

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by 5ed4wk View Post
    Thanks Jim, much appreciated.

    Do you think I did ok for price buying it for $150? or did I potentially waste my money?

    Cheers.
    Not a bad price, I think you did OK. Do you have the tailstock for it also?
    Jim Dawson
    Sandy, Oregon, USA

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    10

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    No, there wasn't one with it when I bought it, I guess that'll be one of my first additions.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    1943

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    What else was not included

    Change gears?
    Carriage feed handle?
    Outside chuck jaws?
    Chuck wrench?
    dead center?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    2083

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    for spares you need to know if your machine was built by Real Bull or Sieg

    my clarke CL300M was made by Sieg

    just measured the bore through the gears and its 12mm and th key way is 3 mm wide

    John

    PS

    looking here
    https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/for....asp?th=127973

    the key way on Real bull lathes is 4mm wide

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    291

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Little Machine Shop Minilathe Compare
    They also sell many parts and upgrades

    Mini lathe home page
    His videos on youtube
    Mini Lathe YouTube Videos

    Varmint Al's Mini lathe page

    There used to be user groups, I thought they were google groups, but seems like groups.io now
    https://groups.io/g/Mini-Lathes
    https://groups.io/g/7x12MiniLathe

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    10

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by 109jb View Post
    What else was not included

    Change gears?
    Carriage feed handle?
    Outside chuck jaws?
    Chuck wrench?
    dead center?
    I'm really not sure. I have zero experience or knowledge, yet. I assume nothing on that list as the pictures show exactly what I got.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    10

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by john-100 View Post
    for spares you need to know if your machine was built by Real Bull or Sieg

    my clarke CL300M was made by Sieg

    just measured the bore through the gears and its 12mm and th key way is 3 mm wide

    John

    PS

    looking here
    https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/for....asp?th=127973

    the key way on Real bull lathes is 4mm wide
    Thanks for the info, John-100. I've added it to my 'Need to Learn About' list.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    10

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by rocketflier View Post
    Little Machine Shop Minilathe Compare
    They also sell many parts and upgrades

    Mini lathe home page
    His videos on youtube
    Mini Lathe YouTube Videos

    Varmint Al's Mini lathe page

    There used to be user groups, I thought they were google groups, but seems like groups.io now
    https://groups.io/g/Mini-Lathes
    https://groups.io/g/7x12MiniLathe
    Thank you for the links, rocketflier; all bookmarked, and I'll go through them as time permits.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    291

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by 5ed4wk View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by 109jb View Post
    What else was not included

    Change gears?
    Carriage feed handle?
    Outside chuck jaws?
    Chuck wrench?
    dead center?
    I'm really not sure. I have zero experience or knowledge, yet. I assume nothing on that list as the pictures show exactly what I got.
    Oh, you're missing the cross slide screw entirely, that's probably a bigger problem.
    The big hole, with 2 hex drive cap screw heads slightly below, in the red plate next to the plug. There should be a screw handle there, and a screw, which connects to the tool holder and moves the tool across the lathe bed (cross slide).
    http://www.technologystudent.com/equip1/cenlathe1a.gif
    https://shop.harborfreight.com/media...mage_11832.jpg

    [edit]I had highlighted the things I thought were priority to start turning, but then noticed the cross slide issue. Problem is, the screw must match the nut attached to the topslide. Without knowing if it's an exact match of existing machines, there'd be some risk of needing all those parts.

    And perhaps the bigger question, why were they removed?

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    291

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Make sure it powers on and variable speed works. Make sure it is stopped completely before trying to run in opposite direction. If that don't work (and it's not simple fix like the fuse), I wouldn't spend any more on it, unless you get a free treadmill due to the missing cross slide parts.

    Chuck wrench $15 ebay (needed to tighten the chuck to hold your work)
    Carriage feed handle (needed to move the carriage along your work)
    Carriage 1/2 nut lever handle (needed to engage/disengage the carriage from the feed screw)
    Cross slide screw, mounting, handle, other parts? (https://littlemachineshop.com/produc...ss+slide+screw)
    and a bit would get you cutting

    Change gears - Threading
    Threading Dial Assembly - Tells you when to throw the 1/2 nut to engage the saddle
    Outside chuck jaws - Holding larger work $20ish if they luckily match your chuck
    Dead center - holding longer work. $10ish, a live center $25ish
    Drill chuck and arbor - Dead center isn't much good if you can't drill the center
    Tail stock - makes those prior 2 things useful
    misc hex wrenches, tools, oil

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    1943

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Rather than buy new parts from LCMs or other, I would put out the feelers in a new thread for the missing parts. There have been so many of those machines converted to cnc that there surely has to be someone that has then left over. You see, when doing a cnc conversion, most of the pieces you need are replaced during the conversion. I'd suggest starting a new "Mini Lathe Parts Needed" thread

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    291

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by 109jb View Post
    Rather than buy new parts from LCMs or other, I would put out the feelers in a new thread for the missing parts. There have been so many of those machines converted to cnc that there surely has to be someone that has then left over. You see, when doing a cnc conversion, most of the pieces you need are replaced during the conversion. I'd suggest starting a new "Mini Lathe Parts Needed" thread
    Excellent suggestion and perhaps answers "why were they removed".

  19. #19
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    10

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by rocketflier View Post
    Oh, you're missing the cross slide screw entirely, that's probably a bigger problem.
    The big hole, with 2 hex drive cap screw heads slightly below, in the red plate next to the plug. There should be a screw handle there, and a screw, which connects to the tool holder and moves the tool across the lathe bed (cross slide).
    http://www.technologystudent.com/equip1/cenlathe1a.gif
    https://shop.harborfreight.com/media...mage_11832.jpg

    [edit]I had highlighted the things I thought were priority to start turning, but then noticed the cross slide issue. Problem is, the screw must match the nut attached to the topslide. Without knowing if it's an exact match of existing machines, there'd be some risk of needing all those parts.

    And perhaps the bigger question, why were they removed?
    Thank you for the links; the one identifying the parts is quite helpful, I was actually going to look for something like that and you saved me a search. Cheers!

    I'm not sure why it's missing any of the parts. While it's a worth consideration I can't answer it because I bought it from someone who said he bought it from someone else.

    I expect I'll need to buy more than only a tail stock to get it up and running; like perhaps another cross slide.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    10

    Re: Assistance Identifying Min-Lathe

    Quote Originally Posted by rocketflier View Post
    Make sure it powers on and variable speed works. Make sure it is stopped completely before trying to run in opposite direction. If that don't work (and it's not simple fix like the fuse), I wouldn't spend any more on it, unless you get a free treadmill due to the missing cross slide parts.

    Chuck wrench $15 ebay (needed to tighten the chuck to hold your work)
    Carriage feed handle (needed to move the carriage along your work)
    Carriage 1/2 nut lever handle (needed to engage/disengage the carriage from the feed screw)
    Cross slide screw, mounting, handle, other parts? (https://littlemachineshop.com/produc...ss+slide+screw)
    and a bit would get you cutting

    Change gears - Threading
    Threading Dial Assembly - Tells you when to throw the 1/2 nut to engage the saddle
    Outside chuck jaws - Holding larger work $20ish if they luckily match your chuck
    Dead center - holding longer work. $10ish, a live center $25ish
    Drill chuck and arbor - Dead center isn't much good if you can't drill the center
    Tail stock - makes those prior 2 things useful
    misc hex wrenches, tools, oil
    Thank you for the list; it's very helpful to have an idea of, both, needed items and expected cost before looking around.

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