WEN Lathe difficulties

Steve W

New User
Steve
Good morning and happy Friday to y'all.

I picked up a WEN 34018 12" mini lathe at a yard sale that has a problem with maintaining a steady speed. I got it cheap, with a bunch of chucks and some basic tools, so it was worth the risk.

When I turn it on, it takes a few seconds to start, then starts and runs. Shortly thereafter, the speed will "sag" for a second or two and then come back up. It cycles through this continuously. I have checked the brushes (they look good and I cleaned them with DeOxIt to be sure) and I haven't started taking the controller apart yet. Have any of you experienced anything similar?

I will be tearing into it shortly but I'm fishing for anyone with similar experiences. I reckon that I could adapt this to a different speed controller, if I need to, as it does not appear to be a servo motor.

Cheers...
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
If you don't get very far, maybe drag it over and we can put a scope on it. No schematics makes it a little harder though.
 

Steve W

New User
Steve
If you don't get very far, maybe drag it over and we can put a scope on it. No schematics makes it a little harder though.
Sorry this took so long, Scott. I've been sorting out a complex issue with some radio stuff. I plan on looking at this with a scope once I have all the transmitters and receivers in my ham shack sorted out. I just came into a large pile of equipment and am still working through it :)

I don't think that this is a servo motor but it doesn't sound like a regular AC motor, either. Yeah, I've tried to find a schematic for it, to no avail. I'm hoping it's just a straightforward triac speed controller...
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
At the price of a WEN, I doubt it is a VCR motor. Probably a universal motor as you suspect.
Maybe something like:
 

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