Getting started with tapered gib conversion on mini-lathe.

Bob - Do you really think that a discussion of material is pointless? If I were planning to do this mod, and someone had info about getting better results with a different material, that's exactly the sort of thing I'd want to know about.
 
Got my son a new HF7x12 and I have spent the last month getting it to work so he won't loose interest. Great fun project for me. I am starting the tapered gib tomorrow. Love your adjusting screws and I will use your design for that part.

Did you have to put in a lock screw too?
 
No lock screw has been necessary. Other than when I have taken the saddle off, I have not even had to adjust them after the initial break in.

With the little I have had to adjust them, If I were making them again, I would forego the taper all together. Just make the holder face and gibs flat and put adjustment screws in from the bottom.
 
No lock screw has been necessary. Other than when I have taken the saddle off, I have not even had to adjust them after the initial break in.

With the little I have had to adjust them, If I were making them again, I would forego the taper all together. Just make the holder face and gibs flat and put adjustment screws in from the bottom.

Your tapered gibs look great!

I shimmed my gibs on the mini lathe and it worked great.

I read that the underside of the bed gets a little thick near the tailstock on most mini lathes. Mine definitely was thicker near the tailstock, and required scraping followed by lapping of the underside of the bed to make it the same thickness all the way across.

did you run into this variation on your mini lathe?

Blue Skies!!

Chris
 
Your tapered gibs look great!

I shimmed my gibs on the mini lathe and it worked great.

I read that the underside of the bed gets a little thick near the tailstock on most mini lathes. Mine definitely was thicker near the tailstock, and required scraping followed by lapping of the underside of the bed to make it the same thickness all the way across.

did you run into this variation on your mini lathe?

Blue Skies!!

Chris

Nothing that I really noticed. I think it is just the luck of the draw. The reason these machines are so cheap is poor quality control. Might get a great one, might get a total dud, most are somewhere in between.
 
For what its worth, a couple of years ago I made a set of aluminium taper gibs after the Rik Kruber design for my Chinese mini lathe. Best thing I ever did and have no problems. I'm retired and use my machine several hours a week. The occasional tweek of the adjusting screws keeps everything nice and rigid.
 
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