Newbie needing help with background noise!

[Holly_457]

Hello!

I finally have a lathe I got it from a Japanese Auction, arrived a week ago and I've been utilising all my knowledge gained from
reading all of your shared experience.
My lathe is a HARA 180 model. The person selling it did not have background info on the lathe, just that it was powering up, turnatable spinning
- they had no blanks to test cut.
With that I was prepared for a journey of buckling down to learning and trying to get her up to the best sound I could.

Relevant info:
Cutting with PVC blanks
Reattached hotwire to cutting stylus, using nichrome wire - is heating up fine
I have a heat lamp, heating the blank.
I have been using turtle wax to further lubricate the blanks,

I noticed a difference in the sound after doing the above to the initial test cut without - the background sound is better, but still very prominent.
I can't identify the needle/condition, but I have a feeling it may be the original. - Someone else on here who had the same lathe, had the same red outer hot wire attached to theirs, so I am assuming it may be original.
So could just mean a new needle might help fix the noise impact when the cutting needle hits the blank?

Any initial thoughts/help very appreciated! As to why the cutting needle is making a noise when hitting the blank? Is there a typical reason, or coul dit be any number of things?

I've attached 2 clips: 1 when cutting (you'll hear the background noise), 2 when playing back.
Photo of the needle - if someone can help identify and/or recommend a new needle to buy for PVC cutting?
I know Myshanks needles have been outlined as the Hara lathe go to, but he won't let me register to gain access to the site (I've tried twice through emails, without response), are there other places that sell needles that would work well with my Hara?

Thanks in advance, excited to be able to actually share a post about my lathe!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qX62dkVK58pyQd3nzMxPgnBbCW7J7pv3/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lmk4vlkZMHRdGgZTTEKhxETcEn7ie_DT/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L75Ztxa0sM7TtrEBNonjad57j_ZbHqvE/view?usp=sharing

[piaptk]

Where did the needle come from? Do you know if it is any good when you got it? It almost definitely isn't anymore if you have been trying to cut PVC blanks. Soft PVC can only be embossed using tungsten embossing needles. Any other stylus will be destroyed by a PVC blank.

If you haven't read this yet, it lays out all the different combinations of styli and blanks that actually work.

https://www.lathetrolls.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=8328&p=57231&hilit=newbie+starter+guide#p57231

I sell Polycarbonate blanks and sapphire embossing needles that are affordable and work pretty damn well, with a low noise floor at www.recordlatheparts.com

[Holly_457]

Thanks so much for the reply!
I just read your awesome starting guide, I thought I'd experiment but didn't have some of this basic knowledge!
I didn't know cutting with PVC was so damaging to the needle.
I really don't know much about identifying needles, but the one that came with it may be the dreaded crystal one, it has transparency to it, or whatever the lathes were initially sold with back in the late 70s? The person who sold it had no background info on it.
Cool.
I've just ordered a sapphire needle from you. I've already got PETG blanks. I was experimenting a bit blindly with both PETG and PVC blanks, - not realising the damage I was doing.

Thanks again, appreciate your response, I'm feeling a bit more affirmed with my next direction with your guide and this response now. Cheers

[piaptk]

There is nothing dreaded about a cutting sapphire... except that you've probably destroyed it, if a previous owner hadn't destroyed it first.

You can send it to me for sharpening into an embossing cone for half price of a new one.

[Holly_457]

I meant a crystal cutter not sapphire. I was trying to show I know a bit a bout cutting needles, but yes potentially I don't... and I've destroyed a decent sapphire by cutting into PVC! this is most likely

Cool, thank you, you really do a have a wealth of knowledge and services that are very very welcome to a new lathe owner. Cheers.

[piaptk]

I'm shipping out your needle today. And I threw in a few polycarb circles to get started on. Instructions are in the package.

[Holly_457]

Oh cool, legend! Thank you Mike

[Holly_457]

Thank you Mike! Got the new needle and test blanks

My cuts are sounding ten times better.

Excited to hone my knowledge and skills with the right material and parts now