Renovating a Hardinge HLV-H

**BillTodd** · 11-04-2009

Originally Posted by aafradio

Try breathing into a paper sack until the feeling passes...

Rolls On Floor Laughing :)

**aafradio** · 11-04-2009

I'm just waiting for you to mention the moment of amazement and exhilaration when you move the cross feed dial .0150" in 303 stainless and find the work has reduced in diameter by .0150".

For a 45 year old lathe, that's better than looking at a new paint job any day!

Of course, I was brought up on a 1942 South Bend Heavy 10, where any relationship between the dial settings and diameter reduction in multiple materials was a complex variable that could be analyzed only through advanced calculus...:D

**BillTodd** · 17-04-2009

Originally Posted by aafradio

I'm just waiting for you to mention the moment of amazement and exhilaration when you move the cross feed dial .0150" in 303 stainless and find the work has reduced in diameter by .0150".

For a 45 year old lathe, that's better than looking at a new paint job any day!

Of course, I was brought up on a 1942 South Bend Heavy 10, where any relationship between the dial settings and diameter reduction in multiple materials was a complex variable that could be analyzed only through advanced calculus...:D

I am blown away by the finish I can get on ally - without even trying.

A while ago, I made a fly cutter for my drill/mill from a ~3/4" stainless-steel bolt on my '37 SB 415 (9") it struggled (as you can imagine a SS bolt is very hard) but it chewed enough off to do the job. The finish was awful

In a bored moment I dialled it into the HLV chuck and took it down to 14.000mm with a couple of passes :) BIG CHEESY GRIN

**BillTodd** · 13-04-2009

Updated Circuit diagrams.

**BillTodd** · 17-04-2009

Not much to photograph ATM, but...

I fitted a 4 jaw chuck (so I can make a backplate for a 3jc) which exacerbated the braking time problem; Essentially, the braking time for all speeds is determined by the time it takes from the highest speed, with the extra flying mass of the chuck I had to extend the brake time - I don't mind a ~6 second stop from 3000rpm, but the same from 125rpm is silly.

I emailed Siemens for advice on adding a braking resistor, to allow the VFD to brake harder, unfortunately my model VFD does not have the brake transistor fitted, so I can't do that. They were kind enough to suggest an alternative; an MM440 (@ £467), Keypad (£28), Brake resistor (£112 - expensive, even for a big resistor, I think) and a class A filter (£61). I thanked them for their help, but I won't be going down that road.

This morning I found, buried in among the 'JOG' parameters, in the Siemens VFD is an option to use the jog up/down ramp times instead of the normal ones; switching between the two settings with one of the digital inputs. A quick re-wire and now I have ~2s stop times from low speed and ~6.5s from High speed with chuck :)

It makes the whole lathe feel better. (must redo the youtube video)

**BillTodd** · 27-04-2009

In the spirit of the message: Bill, have you altered the spectrum of your voice in the YouTube video with a synthesizer yet? I recommend using the spectrum distribution associated with James Earl Jones' voice in the Star Wars series. Very effective....

Odd thing, but to me, I sound just like JEJ (or Richard Burton) so it must be the microphone that makes me sound like a country bumkin ;)

**BillTodd** · 28-04-2009

I've pretty much finished the renovation now. I've just fitted the machine with castors so I can move it around the workshop until it fits somewhere.

The castors are just about man enough for the job, they'll allow me to get behind the machine and access the electrical box easily. I'll have to chock the machine with wedges once in position.

My brother gave me a nice little 80mm german(?) made chuck, so the first real job I used the lathe on was a chuck mount for the taper nose - I'll have to make myself a better boring bar though, I couldn't stop the little one I have squeaking and chattering.

**BillTodd** · 13-05-2009

Finally got 'round to replacing the bird's nested control circuit with a proper PCB

**leakysump** · 21-03-2019

Bill I am curious as to how you designed the mounting of the wheels to the side wall of the stand such that the weight could be securely carried, as I would not have thought the steel sheet was rigid enough. Have you put a large backing plate in behind the sides and underneath to spread the load? Would very much like to see a photo of the innards of your design, as I would like to do the same assuming it is all very secure...thanks, Adam

**BillTodd** · 09-01-2020

Hi Adam,

Sorry for somewhat delayed reply , I haven't been back here for a while :-)

The Hardinge stand is made of 4-5mm plate steel near the corener bend it is easily strong enough to take the 700kg load .

However, the lathe is extremely unstable on those wheels and I removed them ater positioning , never to be refitted.