- Joined
- Nov 8, 2020
- Messages
- 44
I just had my most serious crash on lathe yet.
My lathe has got a Dixon style toolpost and when I inserted the parting tool holder and clamped it, I noticed a crunchy feel during tightening so I knew there was swarf on the toolpost, having that feel occurs occasionally so nothing surprising. I cleaned it with a brush and put the parting toolholder back in. This time it felt solidly locking. But maybe 10 seconds into the cut the complete toolholder loosened itself on the toolpost, the parting blade dug itself into the part and the lathe completely stalled in the glimpse of an eye. The blade and part of the toolholder broke off. It all happened in 1-2 seconds so there was nothing I could have done.
After the first shock I wasn't sure what caused the immediate stall... whether gears in the gearbox had stripped or the belt slipped. So I took off the chuck and turned the spindle by hand, also checking all the accessible change gears. No crunshy feeling. I checked the spindle runout with a DTI and it didn't get worse. So I turned the lathe back on and I seem to be well off...
So I guess the only thing still left is my moral being completely shattered, a feeling of shame and fear whenever I'll have to use that parting tool ever again.
My lathe has got a Dixon style toolpost and when I inserted the parting tool holder and clamped it, I noticed a crunchy feel during tightening so I knew there was swarf on the toolpost, having that feel occurs occasionally so nothing surprising. I cleaned it with a brush and put the parting toolholder back in. This time it felt solidly locking. But maybe 10 seconds into the cut the complete toolholder loosened itself on the toolpost, the parting blade dug itself into the part and the lathe completely stalled in the glimpse of an eye. The blade and part of the toolholder broke off. It all happened in 1-2 seconds so there was nothing I could have done.
After the first shock I wasn't sure what caused the immediate stall... whether gears in the gearbox had stripped or the belt slipped. So I took off the chuck and turned the spindle by hand, also checking all the accessible change gears. No crunshy feeling. I checked the spindle runout with a DTI and it didn't get worse. So I turned the lathe back on and I seem to be well off...
So I guess the only thing still left is my moral being completely shattered, a feeling of shame and fear whenever I'll have to use that parting tool ever again.