Brake drum

Tooljunkie

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L1501,home built carry all, mini plow blade.
May 13, 2014
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Lac Du Bonnet, Manitoba,Canada
Hey Steve, how about a photo?
It may be worth pricing out a new drum. Labour rates now exceed the value of a new drum or rotor.
I have brake lathes and never use them. Bought them well used in the event i have the need to clean up an old one that isnt too bad or de-rust a drum off an old car. Last few times i use them to turn an aluminum wheel to clean off the scale.

Now, we are also talking about a tractor,scored or not it likely wont affect performance nor will it be noticeable during braking.
 

Steve Neul

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B5200
Jun 3, 2017
130
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Terrell, TX
The drum doesn't photograph very well. I think it would take sunlight and it's too late for that. My best guess it would need between 1/32" and 1/16" to clean it up completely. I looked on ebay for a new drum and they are running about 75 bucks. My local Napa store would turn it for 15 to 20. The worst of it is I've waited more than a week to receive new brake shoes and now I've got the tractor torn down. I hate to wait another week or so to finish it. I was wanting to use the tractor this weekend.
 

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Lil Foot

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I doubt at tractor performance levels you could ever tell the difference between turned & un-turned, in either performance or longevity.

Now, would I turn them to cleanup? Yes, but I have the capability, and as a former toolmaker, the perfectionist in me would win out over common sense.:D
 

Steve Neul

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B5200
Jun 3, 2017
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Terrell, TX
I thought about putting it in my metal lathe and turning it myself but because of the rounded back corner it won't fit in my chuck. I think I will drop it off at Napa in the morning and see what they say.
 

Steve Neul

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B5200
Jun 3, 2017
130
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Terrell, TX
I'm not sure how well I could get the thing centered up bolting the drum.

I struck out with NAPA. They couldn't turn anything that little. If the drum wasn't rough to the touch I would just use it so I may have to find some way to get it in my lathe.
 

Daren Todd

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What about using buffing pad for a die grinder to clean the surface back up? Chuck will fit in a high speed drill if you don't have a die grinder :D
 

Tooljunkie

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L1501,home built carry all, mini plow blade.
May 13, 2014
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Lac Du Bonnet, Manitoba,Canada
Make a cone to center it. Thats how its done. Brake lathe has 1" shaft and a cone that slips into drum or rotor bore. Tighten nut to wedge it and away you go. Cut slow so it wont ring and chatter.
 

Steve Neul

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B5200
Jun 3, 2017
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Terrell, TX
Using the bolt is working. My Atlas lathe isn't quite up to the project but it's turning. I'm not sure I will completely clean it up though. I've turned quite a bit off of it so far and there is still a pretty good gouge in the middle. At least if I don't do it all I can put a piece of sandpaper on it and at least make it smooth so it's not so abrasive on the shoes. Before all of it felt very rough when you run your finger around it.
 

Tooljunkie

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May 13, 2014
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Where you cutting? When im boring (thats basically whats happening) i flip cutter and run on the backside so i can see whats happening. Also the lathe seems to handle it easier. My lathe is a southbend 9a built in the 40's.
 

Steve Neul

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B5200
Jun 3, 2017
130
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Terrell, TX
Where you cutting? When im boring (thats basically whats happening) i flip cutter and run on the backside so i can see whats happening. Also the lathe seems to handle it easier. My lathe is a southbend 9a built in the 40's.
I'm cutting on the front side with the cutter upright. I can still see what I'm doing. My biggest problem is I knew a little on running a metal lathe 40 years ago and have forgotten what little I knew. I don't know if this lathe isn't set up right but seems to lack a lot of power. Earlier when I was turning the drum even though I was making the slightest cuts the motor got pretty hot. If I take the slightest bit too much metal off it will bring the lathe to a stop.
 

Lil Foot

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If I take the slightest bit too much metal off it will bring the lathe to a stop.
Well, that shouldn't be happening.
What rpm & tool?
Maybe a pic of the setup & machine?
 

Steve Neul

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B5200
Jun 3, 2017
130
14
18
Terrell, TX
I could only guess what the rpm is. Maybe somewhere around 860. There is nothing on the motor which gives the hp or rpm. My best guess is it's 1/2 hp. 1725 rpm. Then it has this complex pulley system which makes it that much more difficult to determine rpm.
 

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Yooper

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Your way too fast for that diameter. I have the same type of lathe and in the picture I posted it shows the slowest speed without back gear. This is 120 rpm I believe, which is probably a little on the fast side for your high speed tooling. But give it a try. If you need to slow it down a bit more, pull the release pin on the side of gear (4) and pull lever (3) towards you to engage it to the gear.

I take it you don't have a boring bar set up for the lathe? Your set up can work, but it will require some extreme angles on the cutting tool to allow for relief. Also, keep your tool stick out from the post and tool holder to an absolute minimum to keep it as rigid as possible.

Oil the ways and lead screw. Good luck Steve!

Bob
 

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Tooljunkie

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L1501,home built carry all, mini plow blade.
May 13, 2014
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Lac Du Bonnet, Manitoba,Canada
Wow,thought mine was prehistoric,but theres nothing like cranking on them metal bits to shape steel into whatever you need.

Yooper has pretty much summed it up. Too many fps to work efficiently. It takes way more power to cut such a large diameter. Im in back gear even on 3" diameter material. Scary at 860 rpm if it decides to let go.
 

Lil Foot

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1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
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Yooper & Tooljunkie have nailed it.
Here is a calculator that makes finding rpm pretty easy. Plug in motor rpm, driving pulley size, driven pulley size, & calculate for rpm. Then use that rpm for the next shaft, enter pulley sizes, etc until you get to the spindle rpm.
http://vintagemachinery.org/math/arborrpm.aspx
 

Steve Neul

Member

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B5200
Jun 3, 2017
130
14
18
Terrell, TX
Lil Foot one of the problems figuring out the rpm of the lathe is the motor doesn't have any specifications on it at all. I have no idea what the hp is or the rpm. I think when I have more time to deal with it I will put a larger motor on it and find out what the rpm for that lathe should be. There seems to be quite a bit of problem with belt slippage I need to work out. I bought that lathe a little over a year ago and this was really the first time I had a project I really needed it for.

I tried the slower speed and it proved to be counterproductive. It created more chatter which created looseness between the drum and the bolt which made it more and more difficult to keep it centered. Had the chuck been able to hold the drum instead of putting a bolt through it I can see it might have helped.

I did finish turning the drum but I stopped before I got everything cleaned up. While it worked turning the drum it really shouldn't have been done at all. There is so little range of motion on the brake shoes I almost got it to where I didn't have any brakes at all on that side. I went ahead and put the tractor back together but I ordered a used drum off ebay and some other time when I can get to it will install that drum. I think the brake on the opposite side of the tractor will be the dominant one now so the new shoes aren't likely to wear very much.
 

Tooljunkie

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L1501,home built carry all, mini plow blade.
May 13, 2014
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Lac Du Bonnet, Manitoba,Canada
I had a canvas belt,took lathe apart and installed an automotive serpentine belt. Grabs very well but makes an awful screech when the cutter grabs.
I repowered my lathe to 1/2 hp if i recall,previous motor was 1/4. And huge.
A threaded rod right through headstock may have helped with the loosening issue. The genuine brake lathe has a rubber strap to reduce chatter. Wrap it around outside and snug it up.
I figured there would have been some room for adjustment,but i guess there is a limit to that.
 

Lil Foot

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1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
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When faced with a job like that, I often chuck a piece of stock in the 3 jaw, turn it for a tight slip fit on the ID of the spline, and use a cap screw with a heavy washer tapped into the arbor as a fixture.
Glad you have a second solution on tap.
For checking RPM, my good tach was stolen a few years ago, so I picked up one of these with a 25% off coupon. Seems to work.


https://www.harborfreight.com/digital-photo-sensor-tachometer-66632.html
 

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