Are there any mods for a mini lathe?

There are several mods to the mini-lathe which are minor, quick to do and help some facet of its operation, reliability or maintenance. These items aren’t worth adding a new page for each but they do address details that may be worthwhile, depending on the uses to which the lathe is put.

Where are the control pots on a mini lathe?

A daughter board is mounted at a right angle on one end of the main circuit board. The daughter board contains two LM324 op amp chips along with the usual resistors and capacitors. At the end of the daughter board are mounted 3 tiny control pots (potentiometers – just like the main speed control, only much smaller).

What can I do to my mini lathe to reduce chatter?

These new strips can be adjusted more precisely than the originals so that the saddle has very little slop, thus reducing chatter. If you don’t have a mill, you can get some steel or brass of the correct thickness and cut it to size with a bandsaw or hacksaw and then finish the pieces using a file.

Do you need a speed control on a mini lathe?

The newer lathes have more sophisticated power supplies than the earlier versions and have very good low speed capability right out of the box. Lathes made after 2001 do not require this mod. Warning: there are hazardous voltages (120 Volts AC and DC) exposed in the speed control box.

Is there a Harbor Freight mini lathe for NES?

If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership The benefits pay for the membership many times over. It seems these little machines are popular with hobbyist like us. This lathe is known around the world as a C2. It is sold under dozens of brands. They are inexpensive and don’t take up a lot of space.

When did the mini lathe motor interlock come out?

Minilathes made in 2002 and later have an electrical interlock built in to the motor speed control that requires you to reset the speed control knob to zero when changing directions. Therefore, this mod is not needed on the newer lathes.