A QUICK SPEED CHANGE FOR A HAFCO LATHE

摘要

My own lathe is a Hafco AL 960 and is typical of many of these machines. The machine is quite substantial, accurate and well made; it boasts 12 speeds from 70RPM to 1400RPM, six of these speeds are available via the gear box by moving the levers as depicted in photo 1. These speeds are divided into two ranges, referred to as 'Fast Pulley' and 'Slow Pulley'. What this means in practice is only six speeds are available via the gear levers - either slow, 70RPM to 650RPM or fast, 160RPM to 1400RPM - and to change between slow and fast is somewhat tedious as it involves loosening the belt adjustment clamping bolt, moving the motor, changing the belt to the opposing pulley, re-tensioning the belt and tightening the clamping bolt. Suffice to stay the machine spent most of its time in fast mode.