# Mini-Lathe



## Blue_Shift (Aug 2, 2004)

I am planning to get a mini-lathe in the next couple of weeks. The best I have found so far is cummins. 
Any other suggestions? 
Does anyone have this one or something similar that can tell me about it?
Thanks,
Jason


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## PEU (Aug 2, 2004)

the consensus in the 7x12minilathe yahoo group is that for the money the cummins is unbeatable.

From what I saw (in pictures) its a nice unit with a LOT of extras

Pablo


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## gadget_lover (Aug 2, 2004)

That Cummins sure looks like the Harbor Freight model. The extra rests as well as the 7x12 sure looks attractive.

Daniel


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## wasabe64 (Aug 2, 2004)

I have the Cummins 7x12, I've been very happy with it for most of my projects. I do wish for a lathe with a longer bed every now and then (an extra 2" would have come handy for boring out a workpiece over 7" long). Then I realise that I just don't have enough space for a larger lathe.

The one thing I really liked about the Cummins is that the toolpost can accommodate 3/8" bits - I don't grind my own, so I am at the mercy of local suppliers. Of course, after you get the QCTP, this distinction disappears.

Pablo, I caught your posts in the 7x12 forum last week, it looks like you have a Cummins clone (only the Cummins design uses the SCR motor control).


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## PEU (Aug 2, 2004)

If the cummins has a KBLC240 board is the same controller, but mine is 7x14

Still fixing the controller /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif with the help of MrAl /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Pablo


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## theepdinker (Aug 2, 2004)

What happened to the controler PEU?

Theepdinker


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## Silviron (Aug 2, 2004)

OH, Man, I bought a bunch of stuff from Cummins a few years ago when they came into town for two days and sold stuff out of the Convention center. It was ALL crap, worse than the worst stuff out of Harbor Freight.

For instance, the "1HP", 10inch bench grinder: you could stop it with the pressure of your little finger, without losing more than one layer of skin. Forget about grinding metal with it.

Air chisel: didn't work at all, just spewed air.

6 ton hydraulic jack: wouldn't lift even one wheel of my little Suzuki Samurai off the ground.

I discovered that the grinder didn't work well while they were still in town. Tried to exchange it and they essentially told me to do what **** Cheney told Leakey Lahey to do. 

When I discovered the other problems a few weeks later, and wrote to their national headquarters three times and they never responded. 

Hope you all do have better luck than I did, and are happy with what you get from them.

Personally, I wouldn't buy a paint brush or a box of paperclips from them again, much less something complex and expensive.


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## pbarrette (Aug 2, 2004)

Hey PEU,

Is that motor control a "KBLC-240DS" electronic DC motor speed controller?

If so, that's exactly the same speed controller that Sherline uses for their motors. They offer it as a replacement part on this page as part #43000 for $120 and I know that they do ship internationally.

Otherwise, if you are trying to identify components which have been fried out on this board, I could take some decent pics of my good board if you like.

pb


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## PEU (Aug 3, 2004)

yes is the kblc-240...

While I was turning (parting) stainless steel, the tool got stuck in the steel and stopped the chuck to a halt, I jumped over the emergency button but it wasnt fast enough.

The scrs blowed and something else, MrAl is helping me trying to fix the unknown "elses"

I've got the parts/schematics from kbelectronics, here is the circuit MrAl, put all the values that were originally in a part list (you are great Al!)

I want to fix this unit, but If I cant, buying a new one is always an option... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif

Pablo


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## finecutpost (Apr 28, 2006)

Hi, My mini lathe blew it's motor control unit. the motor went to full speed! My fault, was parting off something too deep with a not so sharp tool (maybe thats me?) I'm pretty sure its the MosFet that is screwed to the side of the gear case linked to the board with 3 wires, Advise/help needed. do you think the blown Mosfet took out other components as well? and if so whjat do i look for? the curcuit diagram is a real help so thanks for that.


Dave


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## gadget_lover (Apr 28, 2006)

There was at least one case where the speed control pot went bad, resulting in full speed. I read it on the 7x10 yahoo group. It's worth checking first.

Dan


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## wquiles (Apr 29, 2006)

My speed pot died recently as well (Cummins 7x12). It did not die "full speed", just that the ON/OFF part of the pot died in the OFF position. Luckily for me, the prior owner sent it with TWO spare pots:






Will


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## finecutpost (May 15, 2006)

I had a power supply burn out and the lathe went to full speed. I replaced the MOsFet that is on 3 wires out of the power supply and heat sinked onto the side of the lathe gearbox and it now works fine again. the failed IC was short curcuit using a digital MM. 


The IC is $25 Australian so I was pretty pleased when it came good. I'm suppried that the fuse didn't blow as I was loading up the lathe cutting off a to big piece with a tool that wasn't sharp enough.

I hope this helps others
Dave


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