N00b With Questions

[homebrewed]

Here (blue lines).

You also can see the same gap if you hover the mouse over the product image shown here.

For comparison, take a look at the Grizzly 8 x 16 shown here.

 

[VicHobbyGuy]

Here (blue lines).

You also can see the same gap if you hover the mouse over the product image shown here.

For comparison, take a look at the Grizzly 8 x 16 shown here.

This doesn't matter, really. If I hadn't thrown that plastic protractor in the garbage soon after I got my lathe, I could take some pictures of my 7x lathe compound for you.
The gap you are showing is the gap between the plastic protractor and the cross slide. The metal part of the compound screws down tight to the cross slide with two socket head screws. There is no gap.
If you are looking for potential looseness, the gib adjustments on the cross slide and compound are the places to check. Lots of users remove the 7x compound and replace it with a metal block (aka 'plinth') to eliminate one set of movable connections.

 

[AZ_Viejo]

Here (blue lines).

View attachment 474724

You also can see the same gap if you hover the mouse over the product image shown here.

For comparison, take a look at the Grizzly 8 x 16 shown here.

That is a gap between the (metal in my case) protractor and the cross slide. Gib seems to be well adjusted and I have no play in there. Protractor does seem to be not very precise.

 

[homebrewed]

This doesn't matter, really. If I hadn't thrown that plastic protractor in the garbage soon after I got my lathe, I could take some pictures of my 7x lathe compound for you.
The gap you are showing is the gap between the plastic protractor and the cross slide. The metal part of the compound screws down tight to the cross slide with two socket head screws. There is no gap.
If you are looking for potential looseness, the gib adjustments on the cross slide and compound are the places to check. Lots of users remove the 7x compound and replace it with a metal block (aka 'plinth') to eliminate one set of movable connections.

Got it, thanks. Sometimes a picture is NOT worth a thousand words....

 

[VicHobbyGuy]

Got it, thanks. Sometimes a picture is NOT worth a thousand words....

I find it really difficult to take pictures to 'make a point' about how things really look. Either the camera won't focus on what I want or the angle or lighting is wrong, etc.. I often get fooled looking at other peoples' pictures, too.

 

[mac1911]

You might be out of luck on the low speed adjustment- see if there are any trimmers on the circuit board
but mark them with a sharpie before tweaking any so you can go back where you started

None of these mini lathes have much documentation for the speed controls- if they fail the only options
are replacing a board or retrofitting a different motor and controller
There is a place that repairs some of them:
www.olduhfguy.com

Seems everyone has issues finding direct bolt on 4 jaw chucks for these.
For the tool post:
LMS and others have a method to measure your lathe to get the correct size tool post.
You will most likely need to do some mods for the tool post.
My first productive piece I made on my lathe was for my tool post.

 

[mac1911]

For the chuck you probably have a 3 hole bolt on now, and will find most 4 jaw will be 4 bolt.
So adapter plates are needed.
LMS could be your best bet.
youtube search Deez workshop 4 jaw help
Most likely same issue you will have.

 

[dabear3428]

For the chuck you probably have a 3 hole bolt on now, and will find most 4 jaw will be 4 bolt.
So adapter plates are needed.
LMS could be your best bet.
youtube search Deez workshop 4 jaw help
Most likely same issue you will have.

or drill 3 holes in the 4 jaw ands thread if the registration matches.
i put an 0XA on my 9 X 24 i had to put the stud that came with the QCTP on my lathe but install was a non issue.

 

[VicHobbyGuy]

For the chuck you probably have a 3 hole bolt on now, and will find most 4 jaw will be 4 bolt.
So adapter plates are needed.

I had a Vevor 7x (not the same lathe) with a 100mm spindle flange, and it had holes to match both 3- and 4-bolt chucks. So the OP might get lucky with that. Otherwise, modifying the chuck to a 3 bolt or using an adapter plate, as mentioned by @mac1911 and @dabear3428 will be the solutions. Matching the chuck recess to the boss on the flange is usually the problem if 'moving up' in chuck size.

 

[dabear3428]

link to my adventures with a small lathe

MX-600A 9"x24" mini lathe

well i bit the bullet and bought a MX-600A (1100w brushless 8.7X23.6 with a F/R H/M/L gearbox and a 1.5" spindle bore, shipps with a steady rest, a follow rest and a dead center) off of e-bay, after getting it and turning some steel (does a decent job IMO). I got this expecting a box of lathe...

www.hobby-machinist.com