Integy Comm Lathe

[Colgout]

X-MOD Super Lathe 3 w/ Motor & Carbide V-Block for R/C or RC - Team Integy

Has anyone used this? How good is that? I know its integy and people tends to bag them, but is this ok? It would still better than not cutting the comm right?

How important is using diamond tip cutting tool or Carbide one is good enough?

Do I need to use cutting fluid, does it work? do I need to clean it off and the comm is cut?

R391 Lathe Cutting Fluid for R/C or RC - Team Integy

I actually missed out on an ebay auction where a Hudy one was sold for the same price as this Integy one.

[EddieO]

All the integy units work fine, but they all take some fiddling to make sure they are cutting straight. Basic alignment stuff.....easy, just takes some effort.

Diamonds are nice, but expensive and fragile. Carbide works just fine if you have a way to sharpen them. Big Jim only used carbide....at $4 each or so, they are cheap to replace if something bad happens.

Do NOT use cutting fluid. I cut 100s of comms every week and I never use it. If anything, you can use the sharpie trick when you cut....works as a lube and a guide to cutting.

If you are not in a hurry, just keep and eye out, Hudy, Fantom, etc lathes pop all the time for cheap, usually with diamond bits.

Later EddieO

[Highlucks]

Dave I have a team Cobra you can use any time you like

[Colgout]

Thanks eddieO, no I am not in a hurry. I think I better keep an eye out for a second hand Hudy one.

Cam, thanks. May contact you soon. I just noticed the rear of my Pro motor seems starting late and I have never opened the can of the pro rig since I got them, so I guess maybe its time to freshen them up, comm cut, new brush...etc. I figured that if I send all the motors to Hulksta to do them, the postage to and back make it not cheap anymore (even thou Hulksta charges at a reasonable price), plus the risk of loosing all the motors in the mail. So I guess cutting it myself would be way to go.

[Colgout]

in the search of a used comm lathe. i have found a eagle racing one with diamond tool for $40 plus post and a trinity one with diamond and carbide tools for $75 posted.

i am not sure which one is better, but judging by the name and reputation, i am more keen on the trinity one. provided they are in similar conditions, choosing the trinity one should be a no brainer, isn't it?

[EddieO]

Eagle is Integy stuff basically....they imported it. I'd get the trinity unit or hold out for Hudy, Fantom, etc....but the Trinity units were always good lathes.

Later EddieO

[Colgout]

I googled it and yeah the eagle one look very similar to the integy one. I have another offer coming in (all the old school racers getting rid of their old stuff...lol). I will see what he has. So Hudy and fantom are good, what else?

[Charlie-III]

Hudy is my 1st choice....(it's also what I have)...others can do a decent job is you check to make SURE they're square & true.

I always go for "V-blocks" over "bearing supports".....one less potential issue.

Almost anything will work, some are more repeatable than others.
Practice can make anything work better than "A piece of sandpaper on a spinning comm"......OMG

[Colgout]

So I have gotten my lathe, its a eagle racing one and come with a much more Motor Checker in a package that I can't refused.

I have make my first cut on a burnt armature. I found the comm surface has some slight ripple. The follow photo show what I meant. So is that ok or I have done something wrong?

[Charlie-III]

I would try thinner cuts at a slower feed speed and see how it ends up.

It may be a dull bit, try the other stuff 1st though.

A great finish should look like a copper colored CD.

[EddieO]

You sure its spinning the right way? Sure looks like the dreaded wrong way result. The big thing with integy lathes is making sure they are nice and square. How many volts were you spinning it at?

Later EddieO

[Colgout]

Originally Posted by Charlie-III

I would try thinner cuts at a slower feed speed and see how it ends up.

It may be a dull bit, try the other stuff 1st though.

A great finish should look like a copper colored CD.

Will try that, I am a impatient person, need to learn cut it slower....

Originally Posted by EddieO

You sure its spinning the right way? Sure looks like the dreaded wrong way result. The big thing with integy lathes is making sure they are nice and square. How many volts were you spinning it at?

Later EddieO

I checked again and its spinning the right direction, it spinned up (the cutting tool side) and the cutting tool is facing downward. The cutting edge is about 1-1.5mm above the center line of the comm.

The lathe has a 55t motor, I used 7.2v to do the first arm and 3s on for the second burnt armature. Similar result. But will try again with 2s.

How to make sure it nice and square, any link I can learn from?

Thanks for the input.

[EddieO]

A pair of calipers is all you need to make sure its square. You are just making sure all the blocks are lined up straight, along with the bit itself and such.

You guys spin at such high voltages. I never cut above 4 volts or so....but high voltage should not cause that much chatter.

Later EddieO

[Colgout]

Originally Posted by Charlie-III

I would try thinner cuts at a slower feed speed and see how it ends up.

It may be a dull bit, try the other stuff 1st though.

A great finish should look like a copper colored CD.

How slow feed should I give, say to cover the whole length of the comm in 10 seconds? 5 or 15?

[Colgout]

I tried again and feed as slow as I can bear and run through the whole comm about 4 times and using 2s. I think it is much better.... Is that good enough, or I should lower the voltage. I will use the much more motor checker to power the lathe then.

[SINister]

You need to be cutting at 4-5v as eddieo suggested and it looks like the bit is turned on its side.

[EGRESSor]

Originally Posted by Colgout

The cutting edge is about 1-1.5mm above the center line of the comm.

it should be in the same line

[KJ10]

You can align it by LIGHTLY pressing a ruler between the tool and the comm. When the ruler is perfectly vertical, the tool is centered. I use a level to check vertical at work.

<--machinist, so I know a few tricks

[Colgout]

Tried another Armature.... LRP Fusion 12x3T... 4V input.

It began like this...



First Cut....



Second Cut,.....



2-3 more cut to take out the burnt bit....



The next Armature will be my crawler one, I will record the before and after cut performance data....

[Charlie-III]

That looks better.

One way to check set-up is, when you're done, use a mic or calipers and check the diameter of each end of the comm. Both ends should be the same diameter.