Does anyone know RPM needed for buffing, drill turning etc? I thought the sleeve-WW lathes could run up to 5,000 RPM and the ball-bearing models 10,000?
I'm asking as I am re-motoring my lathe. The watch-craft motor said 6,000 rpm and the replacement is 2,500 rpm. Sounds like I need to cut some bigger pulleys and/or countershaft to make a good selection of speeds.
Someone here must have encountered this before?

Michael

Michael,

you wouldnt need such speeds for turning neither for buffing...when buffing much depends on the diametre of the brush/wheel you install though personally i wouldnt buff on a watchmaker lathe....normally 3000 RPM is a buffing industry standard, pheripheral speed is what really counts...

Such very high RPM are instead useful when drilling with Widia drills but that doesnt happen on a watchmaker lathe but on a sensitive drill.

W/m lathes are operated at 1000 aro average speed depending on tasks.

High precision/high speed lathes such Schaublin etc are meant for high volume productions.

rgds

Enzo