# Jet 1442 Wood Lathe - Reeves Drive



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

I was working on the Jet 1442 at the high school and it lost power when adjusting the speed. I took the cover off to observe the action of the Reeves drive and found the driving pulley on the motor does not get real skinny when you adjust the driven pulley real wide. I think I need to remove the motor pulley and clean the shaft and the pulley too.

I have done this on my Craftsman lathe by putting a threaded rod through the shaft and compress the spring to remove the snap ring. You can't do that on this motor. It is a solid shaft with a snap ring on the end and it is all under tension by the spring.

Has anyone disassembled the Reeves drive on a Jet lathe who could tell me the technique used?

I'm thinking of making spring compressors similar to those uses on strut springs. Is there a better way??

Thanks, Jim


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## fynderbynder (May 25, 2012)

I had a similar issue on my Grizzly where the pulley was worn out and would spread out but not come back together. The keyway slot on the pulley was so worn that the pulley would turn slightly on the shaft and get stuck. I don't have any experience with other lathes and perhaps not the easiest way….but I just used a pair of pliers and pushed the spring back (motor solid against the back of the bench) and removed the snap ring. In my particular experience, the spring wasn't that stiff.

I'm sure you'll figure it out with all your creative thinking! Good luck.


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

http://www.aroundthewoods.com/lathelube.html


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## thewoodworker01 (Jul 11, 2012)

It could be very possible that the spring on the motor is just stuck, or it could be worn out. Their should be a place on it somewhere to oil it. I have a Shopsmith and I disassembled it. Mainly to refurbish the Shopsmith. But how I took the shaft off (which is very similar to how your describing it) was to drill a hole in a steel plate just big enough to get over the ring. Then take the plate and use it to pull back on the spring, releasing the tension off of the ring so someone else can remove it. Then I slowly released the tension on the spring, without the clip. Unfortunately for me whenever the plate left the end of the shaft on the motor the spring slipped off the plate and flew straight into my new walls in the shop. (Fortunately it didn't do any damage) Its a bit of a dangerous approach, but it got the spring off. If I were you, I'd take about 1,000 grit sandpaper and smooth the shaft on the motor by turning it on and rubbing the sandpaper back and forth. Just enough to smooth it, next I would then put oil all over the shaft and the pullies. That should hopefully solve it. If you have any questions, just let me know.

Thanks, Christian.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Hi Christian. Unfortunately I cannot do any polishing of the shaft until I get the spring off. It is all covered by the shivs and the spring. I tried to see if I could design a puller to compress the spring with the washer that is just under the snap ring, but that would give me no room to get a pair of snap ring pliers in there.

I have had the Reeves drive off my Craftsman lathe 4 times and it has a spring that is about 5 times the size of this one and the compressor I made for it lets me compress and release it real easily.
In trying to keep the pulley free , I did the polishing and then tried 3 different kinds of lube and they all gummed up and left it frozen in place within 4 months. I I left it dry the last time and that worked the best.

I guess I'll proceed with the spring compressors and report back if it works or not along with a picture or two.
I just thought of something else- I may be able to drill and tap the end of the motor shaft with a 1/4- 20 thread and mount a puller on it.
Thanks, Jim


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## Denvy (Jul 17, 2012)

I have a General, and have retired it after re-working it. I removed the pulleys and the spring….a job I will never do again. When I removed the pulleys, apparently the key way had risen in the ways and it was jammed. I used a puller and pulled all the edges of the pulley completely off till I got down to the core of the pulley, I was able to pull on that and finally got the pulley off. I measured the key-way and it was up. I attempted to remove it but it acted like it was welded in place so I used a cut-off disc and reduced the key-way(which is about 2 inches long) so that the pulley would slide over and back again so as not to cause the previous problem. After re-building that lathe, I retired it in near-perfect condition and bought a NEW Jet 1221-VS and love it a lot. It has great mass in the bed ways and runs true. Good luck with that old Jet. Some older Jet Parts are not available "out of stock". bummer…..


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Hi Denver. thanks. I don't really like the reeves drive but that is what I have to work with. I just about have the spring compressors done and will they them out later today or Monday. they have two of those lathes and I know guys that also have them so if the compressors work, they may be used another time or two!!.........................cheers, Jim


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Well. I got that Jet 1442 working so good you can change the speed with your little finger!!
I did not take the spring off. I tried to compress it with 2 compressors I made, but there was still too much tension to attempt to take off the snap ring.
What I did was to soak the shaft in PB Blaster penetrating lubricant and then I tapped the pulley housing right by the shaft with a hammer and block of maple and it snapped closed. I lubed it more and then blew out all the solvent and it works ever so smooth. I also sprayed PB Blaster on the shaft operated by the speed control lever and that just glides from side to side and hits the full range of speeds.

I took the belt off the pulleys before doing and of this and then had to roll it back on after everything was freed up.

I took the cover off the other one and lubed it the same way and ti is working very nice now too!

Cheers, Jim


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## RolfBe (Jun 7, 2013)

I find that white lithium grease doesn't go sticky. I rebuilt my old Jet 1236 a few years ago Don't remember how I took it all apart


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Hi Rolf. I tried that on my Craftsman one time and it gummed up within 6 months. I tired Teflon grease and the best thing I found is no grease on that one. I did not put any other lube on the Jet besides the PBlaster. We used both of them today and they still adjust very smoothly!!

Thanks, Jim


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