04-02-2014, 07:41 PM
Hi,
Thanks for Tony's link Big Al. I'm aware Tony can supply belts but thought I'd try a local belt manufacturer. I received a rapid reply from Benson Belting to my email enquiry and it's looking good so far. I was asked if I wanted to join the belts so I replied saying no; I would much rather prefer endless belts. I've received another reply requesting belt lengths as taken around the pulleys with a steel tape and to state the smallest sized pulleys being used in order for Benson's to supply the optimum belts. I've removed both belts this afternoon and measured them but before I send off the belt details I'll double check by measuring around the pulleys as requested. I'll update once I have more information but I don't expect it to be cheap?
http://www.benson-beltings.co.uk/home.htm
Yes Refugee the starter will come up like new with some TLC and will be tidied up as work progresses. I've not used a lathe for direct thread cutting since I was an apprentice 50 years ago in fact I would have to start over now if I wanted to do any serious threading because this Lorch is equipped with change wheels so the compound gear train would need working out; once this is done then comes the precise tool grinding; by the time the lathe would be set up for cutting the thread I would have used a tap or die much more quickly which is my preferred method. If you ever need to cut threads Refugee it's easy and cheap enough to buy the tap or die and run the thread in minutes. When I visit Rufforth Auto Jumble there is an enormous selection of taps and dies of every description with say a 1/4" Whitworth tap costing two or three pounds secondhand; new taps cost over double this.
What a shame Dominion went out of business many years ago Lawrence; I used to own a huge Dominion woodturning lathe weighing around three quarters of a ton at eight feet long; their combination woodworkers were just as robust and made to last many life times.
I've had a couple of sessions in the garage today doing a bit more to this Lorch. Under the ugly duckling there is a beautiful swan and slowly the swan is being revealed. After only a few hours what a tremendous difference I've made to the carriage which is responding well to my attentions; the more I do to this lathe the keener I'm becoming as its former beauty is revealed. The picture shows progress to date and I can just imagine how this lathe will glow once completely cleaned and painted. David has already beaten me to it in cleaning up a Lorch lathe; when I first saw David's Lorch Schmidt watchmakers lathe I knew it was of top manufacture and like my Lorch David's looked as if it had been stored and unused for many years; David worked his magic and his Lorch gleams so hopefully mine will turn out as good?
I've now got a distraction though because the guide bearings and new bands arrived in the post today for the Wilmac bandsaw. Trucut the band supplier gave my exemplary service; delivery was rapid so I think I'd better complete the bandsaw allowing me to get it off the bench before proceeding with the Lorch; life sure is interesting at the moment and once again I look forward to going into the garage having such lovely projects on the go.
Kind regards, Col.
Thanks for Tony's link Big Al. I'm aware Tony can supply belts but thought I'd try a local belt manufacturer. I received a rapid reply from Benson Belting to my email enquiry and it's looking good so far. I was asked if I wanted to join the belts so I replied saying no; I would much rather prefer endless belts. I've received another reply requesting belt lengths as taken around the pulleys with a steel tape and to state the smallest sized pulleys being used in order for Benson's to supply the optimum belts. I've removed both belts this afternoon and measured them but before I send off the belt details I'll double check by measuring around the pulleys as requested. I'll update once I have more information but I don't expect it to be cheap?
http://www.benson-beltings.co.uk/home.htm
Yes Refugee the starter will come up like new with some TLC and will be tidied up as work progresses. I've not used a lathe for direct thread cutting since I was an apprentice 50 years ago in fact I would have to start over now if I wanted to do any serious threading because this Lorch is equipped with change wheels so the compound gear train would need working out; once this is done then comes the precise tool grinding; by the time the lathe would be set up for cutting the thread I would have used a tap or die much more quickly which is my preferred method. If you ever need to cut threads Refugee it's easy and cheap enough to buy the tap or die and run the thread in minutes. When I visit Rufforth Auto Jumble there is an enormous selection of taps and dies of every description with say a 1/4" Whitworth tap costing two or three pounds secondhand; new taps cost over double this.
What a shame Dominion went out of business many years ago Lawrence; I used to own a huge Dominion woodturning lathe weighing around three quarters of a ton at eight feet long; their combination woodworkers were just as robust and made to last many life times.
I've had a couple of sessions in the garage today doing a bit more to this Lorch. Under the ugly duckling there is a beautiful swan and slowly the swan is being revealed. After only a few hours what a tremendous difference I've made to the carriage which is responding well to my attentions; the more I do to this lathe the keener I'm becoming as its former beauty is revealed. The picture shows progress to date and I can just imagine how this lathe will glow once completely cleaned and painted. David has already beaten me to it in cleaning up a Lorch lathe; when I first saw David's Lorch Schmidt watchmakers lathe I knew it was of top manufacture and like my Lorch David's looked as if it had been stored and unused for many years; David worked his magic and his Lorch gleams so hopefully mine will turn out as good?
I've now got a distraction though because the guide bearings and new bands arrived in the post today for the Wilmac bandsaw. Trucut the band supplier gave my exemplary service; delivery was rapid so I think I'd better complete the bandsaw allowing me to get it off the bench before proceeding with the Lorch; life sure is interesting at the moment and once again I look forward to going into the garage having such lovely projects on the go.
Kind regards, Col.
Happiness is a wreck of a cabinet to restore.
