# Homemade Tools > Basic Homemade Tools and Tips >  What change gears?

## NortonDommi

Hello,
I have been using this great program for several years now and cannot recommend it highly enough. It can now be downloaded at: 

http://lathegears.software.informer.com/

It may take a bit of time to work out all your gearbox ratios but it is time well spent. Make sure you save your work and also save your ratios as a simple txt file. I had a major meltdown and fortunately I had the ratios saved on a USB stick,(lives in the lathe toolbox), for future reference.
I use it to work out configurations for threads not listed. It can also be used to work out missing gears so I used it to work out every new change gear needed to do every common thread as my lathe came with only one change gear. In a pinch you can use it to see how close what you have can get to what is needed, I start at 0.0000001% and work up until I get some hits for this. 
Saves a lot of time doing mathematics. Enjoy.

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Seedtick (Sep 16, 2017)

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## Y-geo

Hi,
sorry to say that link just goes round in a loop with no download available

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## NortonDommi

Hello Y-geo,
Sorry about that. I got the original then V1.2 from the author. After I posted I went and checked that download from 'software-informer' and 1: They want your E-mail. 2: Link doesn't work.
So here is the program. It is virus free and works great. You will need to work out what your lathes gear ratios are. Start with a thread that equals your leadscrew T.P.I. or pitch, factor in reduction,(if any), at change gears and work from there. Most gear trains tend to go in simple orders.
I have just reloaded onto a new computer that runs Windows 7 and got a request to save changes. I clicked yes and got a message 'cannot save to .ini file'
This threw me but click no and save all change at the 'Choose Lathe" section.
After installation go to programs file and you will find it at the bottom. I copied the Nuttal file, opened it in 'LatheGears', entered all my lathes information and saved. I then opened 'programs' and renamed to my lathes name.
It is a bit of work to start with but this is a great program.

*NOTE* I have made many attempts to upload this program and it is a no go. I will put into 'Dropbox' and post a link back here O.K?

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Y-geo (Sep 17, 2017)

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## NortonDommi

Here is a link. I have just uploaded to Dropbox but am not familial with it so hope it works. If not PM me and I will send direct.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/eg1v31fi2q...GV1.2.exe?dl=0

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Ron B (Sep 20, 2017),

Y-geo (Sep 17, 2017)

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## NortonDommi

https://www.dropbox.com/s/10upeqzdyv...GV1.2.zip?dl=0

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## Murph1090

I downloaded it here, for my lathe, it's useless. I've an extra set of gears to be used, so this won't be worth a sod for my lathe.

Here's the info for the lathe I've got here, it's a Harbor Freight # 44859, if I'm doing something wrong, let me know!

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## steamingbill

Hello Murph,

I have found it to be an incredibly useful program over the last couple of years.

Work your way through the tabs starting at tab 1.

If your lathe is not listed then use generic lathe on tab 1.

Discussion here might be helpful for you Metal Work Forums

Bill

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NortonDommi (Sep 17, 2017)

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## Murph1090

Bill, I suspect the issue might be as much user error as much as anything else, maybe more so.

I'm going to get in touch with Vernon and get a little more dialed in for this.

I've also going to have to work on mounting a second motor on the lathe to drive the lead screw, as there's no backgear on this lathe for thread cutting.

Murph

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## Y-geo

Hi,
thanks for that got it down :-)

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## azbrewer

I got it to download, however it does not finish installing. Progress bar at 100% for over 5 minutes now.

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Y-geo (Sep 17, 2017)

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## Y-geo

Hi,
seems that although the software says you can custom install the program where you want, it it fails. However if you leave it to DEFAULT install it will install where it says it will you can then move it to where you want it . yet to check it thro but so far ..........................

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## Frank S

I just extracted it to a folder then let it install and create a desktop Icon.
Seams to work on win 7-

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## azbrewer

On Win 10 it never did close out InstallAware Wizard dialog, no program to be anywhere.

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## NortonDommi

Hello all,
I am sorry that some are having problems. I have been using this program for several years now and find it invaluable as I repair old machinery for a hobby and come across threads that most don't know exist. I posted in the spirit of this site as I believe that the program will be of use to many.
To Murph1090, have a look at what steamingbill has written and also my reply to Y-Geo. I have no idea what a Harbor Freight #44859 is and when you say "no backgear" ??? If you do not have a gear train to the leadscrew why have you got extra gears?
azbrewer something that had me wondering what I was doing wrong for many hours when I moved up from XP was that now there is a default with downloaded programs that means you have right click on the program, properties and at the bottom click on 'unblock' and then 'apply'. This applies to just about every program and NO PROGRAM will install until this is done.
I hope that the aboves answears,( mine and steamingbill's), will help resolve any issues.
Best regards,
Barry.

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## NortonDommi

> Hello Murph,
> 
> I have found it to be an incredibly useful program over the last couple of years.
> 
> Work your way through the tabs starting at tab 1.
> 
> If your lathe is not listed then use generic lathe on tab 1.
> 
> Discussion here might be helpful for you Metal Work Forums
> ...



As I keep telling my mum:Read the instructions!  :Lol:

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## Murph1090

Barry, there is a gear train from the lead screw to the drive, the backgear is to reduce the drive speed only for threading and the like. One is independent of the other completely. 

harbor Freight lists its lathes by SKU number, #44859 is the designation, and if you go to their website, you can see the manual that goes with it.

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/ma...4999/44859.pdf

The gear train is rather different from what's shown in the program, and I have both here, the program in my laptop AND the app on my smartphone, not like I haven't spent enough time reading the instructions.

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## NortonDommi

Hello Murph1090,
This program is designed for lathes with a gearbox so will not be of use for you, sorry about that I am sure your time could have been invested better elsewhere. I have seen a lot of other programs for your type of lathe though. I'll see if I can find some for you. At the moment from the deep recesses of a dodgy memory I think I saw something for a Myford on Harold Halls site and maybe Gadget Builder. It is a P.I.T.A. using a calculator and if you're like me write things on scraps of paper then lose them.

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## azbrewer

Finally got the program to load. Well I did cheat a bit, I installed on a Win 7 system and copied the whole directory over to Win 10.

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## NortonDommi

Murph1090,
I had a look at your lathe and they get a pretty good review from those that have them. They have been converted to CNC among other things and from the little I saw are supposed to have a lot in common with the 7x12,7x14... but better and those that know say they are a 8x14 as Harbor Freight measure with a live center in the tailstock. There are a lot of sites devoted to mini-lathes so here are a few links, I hope that you find something useful.
Harbor Freight 8x12 Lathe review
https://www.littlemachineshop.com/in...75694443&CAT=1
Varmint Al's Mini Lathe Page

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## Y-geo

Hi,
useful links , I will add 
:-
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEp...=dd&shelf_id=1




CGTK - Mini-Lathe Change Gear Calculator

http://www.mini-lathe.com/NewUser/de...select+a+topic.

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## Murph1090

Barry, that's why I bought it, it's a beast and a half, very big for a "hobbyist lathe". I can run carbide tooling and carve off metal like butter, the power is there for it! I got one hell of a deal on mine, $400 got it in the back of my car!!!

The program is written for both gearbox AND hand change lathes, what I have here is an oddball to work with. 

I'm also going to check at Marv Klotz's website, he's got a LOT of good shop software there, and it's all freeware, too!

Murph

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## NortonDommi

$400! Even at our exchange rate that is a bargain. I looked again at the manual,(I was very busy yesterday), and the gear set up looks like one on lathe I saw at CNC Cookbook. Seems that a lot of the 7 x *** stuff is applicable. Good score indeed.

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## NortonDommi

Muph1090,
Went back over a few places and found these which could be worth a look.

New Machine Build 8X14 lathe Slow Mod [Archive] - CNCzone.com- Largest Forums for CNC Professional and Hobbyist alike!

Machineshop3

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## Ron B

Hi ,I got it to down load. I learned 45 years ago how to calculate driver over driven etc etc but with my present lathe it's been difficult to set up fopr thread cutrting because of the lack of info and no lables on the quick change gears,this will help speed things up a lot using the generic setting.

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## Murph1090

H'lo all!

Sent a e-mail off the Vernon on the Lathe Gears program/app, he got it all sorted for this daft Paddy!
When it was all done, the answer was simple as chips!

First, load all your gears available for your hand change gearbox. If you have two of the same gear, enter both, ALONG with the gear on the headstock spindle.

Now, calculate all your gearbox rations, as a function of your drive gear, i.e., 40/xx, xx is your driven gear on the leadscrew. I named them as a fraction, e.g. 40/48,and entered the ratio next to it, 0.8333. Do this for every one of your gears. It will take a while, but it's worth it.

Next, enter the pitch of your leadscrew. metric or Imperial (TPI)

Now, enter your thread to cut, and indicate your Max Error. The smaller the number, the less gear combinations it will calculate.

Now, hit "Calc Gear Rations", and watch the fireworks!

You'll have a HUGE list of gearsets to choose from, and the tolerance error listed as well!

Nice part is the list is big enough that if you're missing a gear, there's another ratio to give you a "workaround"!


Murph

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## NortonDommi

Hello Muph1090,
Very happy to hear all good. That %error function is great. Over the course of a evening I made a list of all the common threads, Imperial & metrickery then a list of missing change gears to cover all plus a few oddballs. Saved many, many hours confusing a calculator.

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