# Help with old Coronet Lathe



## woodray (17 Mar 2013)

Hi there, I have just joined the forum with the hope that there are a few experts out there that can help me with my Coronet lathe that was recently given to me. I think it is a Coronet Minor because it matches photos I have seen on the web but there is no chuck with it and the drive belt is in poor condition.
What I want to know is how do you replace the belt as it seems to be encased by the body of the lathe and there are no clear signs that the body can be split.
Also I would like to know what chucks will screw onto it and where I can purchase spares for this model, the saw blade is in poor condition and there is no blade gaurd. I would like to know how you remove the saw blade too.
I know some may say chuck it (forgive the pun!) but I have a passion for old tools and machinery and would love to see it restored to its former glory.
Looking forward to any useful replies,
Ray


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## hanser (17 Mar 2013)

Hi Ray 

Welcome to UKWorkshop. I'm afraid I can't help with your questions but I'm sure someone can . Perhaps the Wood turners forum would have been a better place for the question?


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## Vic Perrin (17 Mar 2013)

Hi,
Not to sure about the Coronet but replacement of the drive belt on most lathes involves the removal of the headstock drive shaft in order to thread the drive belt over the pulleys.


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## dickm (17 Mar 2013)

it's a long time since I had a Coronet (the version sold by Gamages of ancient memory!), but they are wonderfully solid machines and well worth saving. As far as accessories go, the sky's the limit, since AFAIK, Coronet actually established the 3/4" by 16tpi nose thread as the "industry standard" and it's still used by Record (who bought out Coronet). 

Can't remember the precise details of removing the main shaft, but there is probably a pinch bolt on the casting furthest from the chuck and two ring nuts either side of the bronze bearing on the part nearest the chuck. Slacken off all these, (you'll need a C-spanner like the ones that used to be in bike toolkits  to move the ring nuts) completely remove the ring nut nearer the pulley and you should find that the whole spindle plus bearings will slide out from within the headstock. You may need to give the rear bearing a little gentle persuasion ON THE OUTER RING OF THE BEARING. Don't hammer the end of the shaft, you'll burr it over and probably wreck the bearing at the same time. 
As it says in the Haynes manuals, "replacement is the reverse of disassembly". Once it's all back together, you'll need to adjust the bronze bearing using the two ring nuts so that everything runs freely without "slop".

But don't even THINK of scrapping a lovely machine like that.


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## woodray (17 Mar 2013)

Thank you Dick, I will have a look at it tomorrow and have a go at removing the shaft, it is a bit rusty so a soaking in WD40 might be the first course of action.
Ray


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## marcros (17 Mar 2013)

wd40 isnt great for this- it is a water displacement oil, not a penetrating oil. 3 in 1 would be better, or a bit of parafin if you have some


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## Robbo3 (17 Mar 2013)

This should help.






Robbo


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## woodray (18 Mar 2013)

Thanks for the attachment Robbo I have been trying to obtain a manual for the lathe but so far no luck. From the diagram it looks like the motor is attached to the body of the lathe is that so?, because my lathe came with a seperate motor on a wooden plinth. I was going to mount the two parts on a bench using T slots but if there is some sort of bracket I will have to try and locate one.

The lathe was given to me by the widow of the previous owner and it has been stored in a damp shed for some time and she asked me to take it down to the local tip. Unfortunately there were no other parts in the shed hence the lack of chuck and sawblade gaurd.

I had never tried turning before a recent visit to a craft fair where I was invited to have a go and it has given me the urge to add turning to my woodworking skills so if anyone out there knows a source for parts so that I can restore this old girl I would be delighted to hear from you.

I have just joined UK Workshop and am already impressed so please keep the replies coming,
Thank You woodray


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## thomvic (18 Mar 2013)

http://www.coronetwoodworking.co.uk/index.html will have all your answers.

Richard


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## dickm (18 Mar 2013)

woodray":23v2se95 said:


> Thanks for the attachment Robbo I have been trying to obtain a manual for the lathe but so far no luck. From the diagram it looks like the motor is attached to the body of the lathe is that so?, because my lathe came with a seperate motor on a wooden plinth. I was going to mount the two parts on a bench using T slots but if there is some sort of bracket I will have to try and locate one.



It's possible that your's is also the Gamages version of the Coronet, like the one I had. The headstock of that didn't have the extensions for mounting the motor directly, and there was an enormous and weird motor mounted on the baseboard. Which would be fine, except that you then can't swivel the head for turning larger items. No idea what the original sellers expected would be done for this, but it was a relatively easy job to fabricate a pair of brackets that attached to the headstock and happily carried an old Hotpoint washing machine motor. Also had to fabricate a bowl turning rest that bolted to the left hand legs. After modification, it did a 20" diameter spinning wheel with no problems. Unfortunately, there are no pictures of the modifications and when last heard, it had gone to Tools for Self-reliance, or the next owner might have been persuaded to take some.

It might be possible to find a "proper" headstock from somewhere, but a pretty long shot. 
If you could post some pics of the lathe, there are likely to be other Coronet buffs around who can comment further.


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## Tusses (18 Mar 2013)

I have the same lathe.
I thought next time I change the belt I'll use a segmented belt. (sort of like a bicycle chain)


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## thomvic (18 Mar 2013)

Tusses":xaj9l4qy said:


> I have the same lathe.
> I thought next time I change the belt I'll use a segmented belt. (sort of like a bicycle chain)



It is called "Brammer Belt" I've used it on my Coronet Major lathe. I only have the lathe part. Now converted to variable speed via an inverter and 3 phase motor.

Richard


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## woodray (19 Mar 2013)

Richard, I went on the Brammer website and the only belt that was open ended was the link belt is that the one you and Tusses describe?.


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## thomvic (19 Mar 2013)

Yes. I can also tell you that we used to use lots of them at work before I retired. Most good bearing and transmission companies stock them.

Richard


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## woodray (19 Mar 2013)

I hope this loads


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## dickm (20 Mar 2013)

That's almost a twin for the one I had. Pretty sure it even had the same pigtail. 
From memory, the motor adaptation involved filling a flat on the circular mount below the spindle and another exactly opposite this on the other side of the circle. Drilled and tapped for a bolt into the headstock in the centre of each of the flats, then attached a "bridle" to these, with a hinged flap attached to that at the back for the motor. Involved some welding to make it, but it worked fine and allowed headstock swivelling.


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## Frank Tennick (19 Aug 2016)

Robbo - You posted some advice (page 16 of a manua?) on how to replace an old belt on a Coronet Major lathe some years ago - can you provide me with further information?

Regards
Frank Tennick


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