How High Should a Lathe Be?

In an earlier post, I bragged about my Christmas present (Jet 1642-EVS Pro lathe) and my wife, who bought it for me. I picked up yesterday.

Today, I got it hauled up to my second story shop and setup. Sucker is heavy. I turned a scrap of 2x2 into a dowel. It is even reasonably straight and smooth.

But the thing seems too high. I was hunching my shoulders up as I was turning. There are adjustable feet on the bottom of the legs that are set up about an inch and a half, but that's about all the height I can take out of it.

I'm six feet tall, so I've got to think I'm doing something wrong. Suggestions welcome. Thanks, Doug

Reply to
Douglas Johnson
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I envy you your new machine!!! Merry Christmas.

I'm 6' and used the 1642 in a store, and thought the height was ok. Hell, I thought the entire machine was OK, but my bank balance said differently.

Is there any chance that adjusting the tool rest will put your chisel back into the comfort zone? Conventional wisdom is that the axis of the lathe ought to be at elbow height.

I'd try that, then either raise the machine or make a platform and raise your elbows until it feels comfortable to work at.

OLd Guy

Reply to
Old Guy

OP wrote: (clip) But the thing seems too high. (clip) "Old Guy" wrote: (clip) raise the machine (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Synthetic quote from OP: I keep raising it and it's still too high.

Reply to
Leo Lichtman

Sorry Leo, I was a little slow on the uptake. I had to read your post

3 times before I got it.

JD

Reply to
JD

If you're going to do spindle work then the centerline of rotation about elbow height. But for bowl turning that'd mean bending over and supporting your upper body with your lower back.

Reply to
charlieb

Unless, of course, you cut close to centerline regardless the direction of the work. Then the height of the toolrest is no more than an inch different regardless, and the slack elbow rule puts the centerline between the navel and the xiphoid, with those two landmarks at either end of handle swing.

Good place to start, but as you develop your habit of turning you may find revisions are in order. Since it's easier to raise than lower, start low, work up.

Reply to
George

Also, unless you've been using a lathe in the recent past, you are doing something new now. Your body has to adjust and become comfortable with the new task you are asking it to do.

JD

Reply to
JD

I am 6 feet 2 inches tall. I started using a Nova DVR about 6 years ago and didn't know I needed to be concerned about lathe height. I bought the Nova stand and started turning. A couple of months ago I decided to move up to a larger lathe. This time I started researching this same spindle height rule question. I found that technically my lathe should have been set a couple of inches higher than it was. While I trying out some new lathes I made sure to try some that were set to "the proper height". What I found was that I couldn't turn. For me the lathe was too tall. My new lathe (a Oneway) has the ability to be set at several different heights but it is set at the same height as my old lathe even though according to the "rule" it is the wrong height for me.

Some people turn with their gouges steadied by their belly muscles. I prefer to use my hip. Therefore my lathe height is going to be a bit lower.

Good luck, Ted

Reply to
Ted

Interesting.. I'm 6' 2".. well, I used to be, before "some settling of contents", and the height of my Jet 1142 seems just right.. My brother just traded his 1442 for a 1642 like yours and said that he didn't seem to notice the extra inch of spindle height.. He thought that the legs might be shorter.. Elbow/tool position might be out of Kilter, also.. If you're holding the handle too high, like a scraper as opposed to a gouge, your shoulders might be too high??

I like the spindle height to be just slightly about elbow height.. and that's where Jet put mine..

OH... On the legs of all my tools, I start with them all the way down and raise one of more if it's out of level or vibrates.. you seem to have them all the way up? That 1 1/2" can make a lot of difference..

mac

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Reply to
mac davis

Hey Ted.. Different topic, but can you tell me your likes/dislikes of the Nova DVR? I'm ordering one this week and would like your input, especially on what options/accessories I might want.. So far the order is for the DVR XP lathe, legs, handwheel and vacuum attachment...

mac

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Reply to
mac davis

Height is secondary. Inseam and proportion is where it happens. Just ask the guy with 4000 hours of agony in a parachute that his long as they allow sitting height could only squeeze into. 30 inch inseam, 6 ' and minor change back when.

Reply to
George

Mac,

I liked the DVR a lot. You should also be aware that I mostly turn large bowls and hollow vessels. The reason I got rid of the Nova because I simply out grew it. I now have a Oneway 2436.

Having said that, there are a few things that I didn't like about the Nova, some of which Nova has addressed in the newer models.

  1. Lowest speed was about 250 - now it is around 100 which is a lot better.
  2. The sheet metal legs were not adequate for turning heavy blocks (Yes, I bolted it to a concrete floor and made an extended shaft from a 4x4 that wedged in under the headstock and went down to a concrete block wall). I was trying to turn 15 inch diameter out of round wet oak and cherry that was 8 to 10 inches thick. The lowest speed with enough torque to cut was too fast. So either the lathe would keep stopping when it was slowed down or the thing would shake rattle and roll because the speed was cranked up just to keep it running. Some of this has been addressed also. Now they have cast iron legs. Better yet some people build their own stand or weight it down. If I had kept it I would have had a very heavy stand built. For some kinds of work the lathe needs to be heavier and/or weighted down.
  3. The speed control started at 1500 rpm when first turned on. Annoying. The new ones have a lower starting speed.
  4. You change the speed by digital button pressing, 10 rpm at a time. This just takes too long when you have to change back and forth during sanding and such. They now have a way to preset multiple start speeds. This would make it better for me at least.
  5. Locking handles on the banjo were small. This made it harder to lock things down. I don't know if they fixed that or not.

On the upside.

  1. The warranty is great. I even called the company in New Zealand (from the USA) a couple of times to ask questions. Very helpful. If I needed anything they would send it out right away.
  2. The headstock and motor are great. Only two cautions that I can think of. Don't use the indexing to lock the headstock when changing chucks etc. It is not strong enough and is not meant for that use. Once in a while dust from sanding can build up in the head stock. This will cause the motor to not run. Simply use a vacuum and/or compressed air to remove dust and such from the sensor inside the headstock. Its pretty easy to do.
  3. I like the turning headstock. I am left handed and it helps me to do the inside of bowls and hollow vessels. Now I use an extension on the outboard side of the Oneway.

I think the lathe is manufactured well. The newer models (I had one of the first models) have a lot of improvements. I would have no hesitation in recommending the Nova DVR to someone like yourself.

Hope this helps, Ted

Reply to
Ted

I think you're saying that you're "long waisted"? I have that problem, for sure.. Back before shrinking and expanding, I was 6' 2" and had a 31" inseam.. Makes it a bitch to sit in low roofed cars..

mac

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Reply to
mac davis

Let me change the subject just a little bit, please.

If somebody offered a really nice, fully height-adjustable stand for the DVR, would there be a market for it? Clearly price is an issue, and clearly it would cost more than the "universal lathe stand" offered by Woodcraft, and clearly I haven't said what the price would be, but...

Bill

mac davis wrote:

Reply to
Bill Rubenstein

Thanks for replying, Ted... That's a LOT of lathe you bought!

Yep.. I was hoping that it would be zero, like some others, but Nova confirmed the 100 rpm minimum... not sure what their reason was, other than torque, maybe..

They tried to give me the "universal stand" but I told them I wanted the cast iron LEGS.. great feature on my Jet, so should be on the Nova..

I'll have to check on that.. no mention of starting speed that I can find.. I sure as hell wouldn't want to start a rough log at 1,500.. hard enough now at

450!

and such. They now have a way to preset multiple start

5 rpm per push on the XP and 5 presets.. kind of like the stereo in my truck.. ;~]

things down. I don't know if they fixed that or not.

If not, I'll extend them... getting too old for small handles and poor leverage..

I usually use a bar in the spindle when I can.. I broke a fin off the Jet being overly aggressive with the spindle lock, so I don't use the indexing..

Great tip, thanks.. The kind of things I want to hear..

Also being correct handed, I can appreciate that... I do find that the more I turn, the less "either handed" I'm becoming..

Very much so, Ted... I really appreciate yo taking the time to pass that info on..

I'll call Woodcraft tomorrow and bug them.. *eg*

mac

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Reply to
mac davis

My first thought was YES! Then I wondered how much it really matters, though it should matted a great deal, since most of my days are spend at the lathe..

It's all relative, I guess... I passed on the universal stand for $150 in favor of the cast iron legs for $200, but that wasn't a lot of money when you're spending 2k on the lathe alone..

I guess I'd have to look at an adjustable one and unfortunately, only be interested in it if the price was "right".. Cost/motivation/convenience effect decisions like that, also.. If you made a quality product that was, for example, $400.. twice as much as the cast iron legs... I would consider it as part of the lathe purchase, but probably not once I had the lathe.. Sort of like throwing away a new exhaust system in your car to put more efficient mufflers on..

mac

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Reply to
mac davis

One of the ideas that I had toyed with was to have a company make an industrial quality stand for the Nova lathe. It would have been rigid, heavy and would have had the ability to add weight if needed. I was willing to pay up to $600 for such a stand. I don't know if anyone else feels the same. I have heard that some people build their own stands. Others do not use the Nova for large turnings like I tried.

Ted

Reply to
Ted

Well, I just may be that company if I can convince myself that there was a market. In fact, $600 is on the high side although shipping needs to be figured in. You would have to buy the lathe from Woodcraft or whomever, and the stand separately, from me. I couldn't even think about selling it through Woodcraft -- the retail markup is just too great (I mean high).

Bill

Ted wrote:

Reply to
Bill Rubenstein

I lowered the tool rest and things are better. I think I was trying to come at the wood parallel to the floor, for no particular reason.

Mine is just above elbow height. I'll lower the legs and see if that helps more. I've got a daughter who's interested in turning, so I've got accommodate someone 5' 6" or so.

Thanks for the help, everyone.

-- Doug

Reply to
Douglas Johnson

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