Need Help!- X2 mill - which gear have I broken?

[Gary Gill]

I have a Harbor Freight 44491 mini mill. While fly cutting, I believe I broke teeth off of a gear. I have not yet disassembled the drive. Low gear has the problem while high seems to work fine. Is it likely the 2-speed intermediate gear? If so, will a belt drive conversion eliminate the need for this gear? Any idea which gear I have broken based on the “high” still works?
Thanks for the help.
Gary

[SScnc]

Hi Gary,

Welcome to the zone. I just broke a gear on my X2 and called several suppliers and they were all back ordered. Just as well because i had been putting off getting the belt drive kit.

So I finally ordered the Steele belt drive and LOVE it ! Very well made and installs very quickly and easily. It's so nice not to hear those stinkin plastic gears anymore. I can actually hear the cutter removing stock and hear the steppers.

I highly recommend forgetting about replacing the gears and upgrade now.

That's my opinion anyway, good luck,

Steve

[Starleper1]

Don't even think about replacing them gears. Just go right to a belt drive. You will not regret it. Faster spindle speeds and more quiet operation. Why not?

[Crevice Reamer]

Absolutely! Don't waste money buying gears that will only shred again.

How to do belt conversion:

YouTube - X2 Mini Mill Belt Drive Conversion

YouTube - X2 Mini Mill Belt Drive Conversion

Where to buy it:

http://www.stirlingsteele.com/beltdrive.html

http://littlemachineshop.com/product...2560&category=

CR.

[Gary Gill]

Do you recommend removing the broken gear or figure the pieces will not be a problem?

Thanks

[hoss2006]

I ran mine for months with the gears still inside, no problem.
Just put the hi/low lever in neutral and removed the handle.
Eventually removed the head for a project so took the time then to pull the gear shaft.
Hoss

[pete from TN]

I have been trying to figure out a way to do a belt drive on the Lathemaster mill I am currently working on. It seems that these machines have a lot in common. The only difference being the size and the fact that the change gear setup has levers on the front instead of the side. The IH and Lathemaster machines might benefit from a setup similar to this one I think. If you look at the pictures of the conversion that Cruiser did to his IH mill you will see that he did a one step pulley setup inside the millhead casting. I am hoping to do an external setup similar to yours on the top of the millhead and replace the motor higher up with some kind of standoff setup with a belt tensioner above the head casting. It is funny you mention that you set the gears into the neutral position as that was what I was thinking I would do initially to test the setup. I am thinking that the main shaft setup with a two step pulley that was keyed to the splines on the shaft could be machined and then as I said some kinda plate that would raise the motor up enough to allow the belts and pulleys to run underneath it as well as tension it similar to the tormach machine. If you did a tensioner on it you might even be able to machine a shaft that was keyed for the original motor setup that goes down into the gear head, then add a pulley to this shaft and then internally key it for the motor's shaft. This way you might be able to run the machine with the gears for low speed and torque operations with the belt removed, then setup for high speed operations with the gears disengaged or in neutral as it were with only the spindle shaft actually turning driven by the belt drive. If the belt drive is torquey enough I might just forgo the gear setup and go direct belt drive only . The nice thing is none of this would need to have permanent alterations to the millhead if it did not work. I am still in the refinishing stages of the conversion of my Lathemaster and I just put a fresh coat of paint on it( looking real nice) but when it dries overnight tomorrow I am gonna start thinking about how I am gonna do this. Seems to me that the bearings should be good for at least 4500 rpm, I would be happy with that or possibly 5k like the tormach machine has. This would of course all be driven by a vfd for variable spindle speed and control. Sure wish that we could get a post from IH that shows how they did their belt drive conversion on the one they have, might be enlightening.... peace man

[Gary Gill]

I appreciate your replies. I just placed an order with LMS for the belt drive conversion kit.
Thanks,
Gary