I want to build a woodturning lathe

I have done a lot of searching for home-built lathe plans on the web, but haven't found that much. I'd like to build one myself for several reasons, mainly because it would be fun, and I'm cheap. I know, I know, I'll probably wind up spending more making something halfway decent than just ponying up for a real lathe, but I'd like to give it a go anyway.

Two things are holding me up from beginning: 1) a set of plans to at least begin with, and 2) the source for the headstock and tailstock spindles. I want MT #2, of course, because it seems that most of the lathes use those. I just can't seem to find them on the web. I know they must be there, I just don't seem to have the correct terminology for what I want.

Has anyone out there built their own lathe and is willing to give me some advice and warnings?

Thanks in advance.

Reply to
bsa441
Loading thread data ...

My guess is that most homebrew lathe builders who are not machinists use solid bar stock for their spindles. Probably the best article I've seen that gave plans for a homebrew wooden longbed lathe was published in one of FWW's collections. The guy who built it was also a machinist so he made his own MT spindle.

I never saw spindles for sale anywhere that were not stripped out of some factory-built lathe and sold a la carte on eBay. I suppose you could buy replacement parts from Delta, Jet or Grizzly but I think they'd be expensive as heck. The problem for you if you buy one will be to find ball bearing units that will fit it as the spindle shaft's exterior dimensions are not necessarily uniform throughout its length. It all depends on the casting into which the spindle shaft and bearings were mounted. Dimensions seem to vary widely.

I've never tried it but a "morse taper sleeve" of suitable length and diameter that will hold your MT2 center, chuck, etc. and which would be mounted in a pair of ball bearing pillow blocks might work. Get the sleeve first, and buy the pillow blocks to match. The sleeve will have to be a good six inches long, maybe a little longer, and its exterior diameter should be uniform throughout its length. If it works out you'll have a lathe. If it doesn't you'll have a "learning experience."

J.

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

Reply to
John

Do a Google search on this newsgroup with the search words "home built lathe", then follow the trails.

I did and there was a ton of information, and even a couple of the threads had posts with pictures.

Robert

Reply to
nailshooter41

Get yourself the shaft of a little lathe like the Delta or Jet, they should be a lot cheaper than getting one custom made, they also use standard bearings, then a variable speed motor should make it easy for changing speeds enough with only a 2 or 3 step pulley. The same for the tailstock get parts that you can readily buy, then build the rest you need, good luck, it won't be as cheap as buying one of those small lathes but you will learn something for sure.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

formatting link
snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote: > I have done a lot of searching for home-built lathe plans on the web, > but haven't found that much. I'd like to build one myself for several > reasons, mainly because it would be fun, and I'm cheap. I know, I > know, I'll probably wind up spending more making something halfway > decent than just ponying up for a real lathe, but I'd like to give it a > go anyway. >

Reply to
l.vanderloo

Wood magazine had a book some years ago that had very good plans for building a lathe. The spindles had MT and when I called them before making mine I found that they have a company that will make them for you. I believe they are something like $75 each. I found someone who had ordered a set and sold them to me. The lathe works well and is quite solid.

Brian

Reply to
Brian

That's very interesting. Any chance you have the name of the book and of the company that makes the spindles?

J.

Brian wrote:

Reply to
John

post to me privately and I will send you a copy of the article. I don't have the contact info any longer but you should be able to contact Wood magazine and get it. When I called them the person knew exactly what article I was talking about and gave me the info.

Brian

Reply to
Brian

A few questions spring to mind immediately- are you planning on casting this yourself out of metal, or building out of wood? And, are you planning on making the accessories as well, or just the lathe itself? If the latter, you should be able to use tubing for the headstock/tailstock, and mount your accessories on solid bar stock that is tapped on one end to accept a drawbolt. Broaching both parts or installing a set screw on the spindle would make it really slip-proof, but it might work fine without that.

If you're really set on the morse taper spindle, you could get appropriately thick-walled tubing and build the headstock first. Once that is done, you can make a homebrewed boring bar with a threaded rod "feed" that can bolt to the ways. Set it at the correct angle, and you should be able to bore it yourself.

I'm building a metal lathe, but so far, I'm not far enough along to really give you any specific warnings.

Reply to
Prometheus

Most of the home-built and mfgr'd short-run lathes like One-Way are fabricated from welded steel.

Dan

Reply to
Dan Bollinger

That'd be what I'd assume for the legs and case- but are the headstock mount, the tailstock and the ways welded steel as well? (It's a serious question, I've seen a One-Way, but wasn't really looking at those particular parts.)

Reply to
Prometheus

Hi Prometheus

Here is a lot of info if you really read all the info given, and yes this is an awful lot of lathe.

http://www.> >

Reply to
l.vanderloo

Reply to
Prometheus

---------- did this once. found a wonderful old tailstock at a farm tool sale so got the bug to build a lathe to go with it. used 2x3" metal tubing for base, 5x8" for headstock, got very sturdy bearings. had help of another turner who was also a skilled machinist with wonderful new equipment. he made the headstock spindle, hollowed it, put on 1x8 threads, made the aluminum pulleys for poly v-belt for 4 speeds. friend at welding shop very helpful, offered good advice. wanted a swiveling headstock for several reasons. motor is suspended at back of headstock on big hinge with springs to keep tension on the pulleys. even had banjo and tool rests built by welding shop. it works just fine. but i'd not do it again. there are some really great lathes out there today. recently moved to a new place and am in process of putting the lathe back together (finish in about another week) and could get some photos if you'd like. just let me know . . .

Ptr.

Reply to
peteguttery

A woodturning lathe is just a drill press laid on it's back. Has anyone thought of just laying an inexpensive drill press on it's back and making a few accessories to create a lathe? That shouldn't be too hard - and there are some pretty low cost drill presses out there. I haven't done this yet; but, I have chucked some small wooden knobs in a vertical drill press and turned them out with chisels. Jim Seelye

Reply to
seelyjv

Shades of the Vertilathe! :)

To my mind, a lathe is more likely to be a drill press than the other way around.

In my experience in building a lathe, a decent tailstock is much more difficult to make than the bed, headstock or tool rest. Probably why there are so many shop built bowl lathes yet so few spindle lathes.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

formatting link

Reply to
Arch

That's basically what a Craftsman monotube lathe is, a drill press laid on it's back. The headstock and tube are pretty much the same as on a drill press, just add a tailstock and toolrest. Maybe that's where they got the idea. Maybe someone could measure the tube on a Craftsman lathe and drill press and see if they are the same.

Not that I'd want to build one. I turned on one for a long time, and don't want to go back.

tt

Reply to
Test Tickle

Is a ShopSmith lathe the chicken or the egg? Maybe the SS lathe is just a disc sander that's left its table and shown its tail and isn't a drill press at all. aaarrrgh!

I wonder if any of you have ever built a _second_ lathe? I've completed a kit of castings and I've upgraded or converted a few wood lathes from surplus or used manufactured parts and pillow blocks, but I've made only one from scratch and that never again. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

formatting link

Reply to
Arch

Hi Arch

As you said "I've made only one from scratch and that never again. :) "

But was it a good learning experience Arch ??????? ............I assume it is YES.

Most of those that want to build there own lathe DO NOT realize what all it takes to make a GOOD usable lathe beforehand, but do learn a lot very fast in most cases.

And this is most likely the reason very few will try a second time, ;-))

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

Arch wrote:

Reply to
l.vanderloo

Arch-

Care to share any advice on the process? I've just finished my crucible for melting the material for my metal working lathe, and the time to start making it is fast approching- even with a book to refer to, it's always nice to know where the sticking points are likely to be.

Reply to
Prometheus

Hi Jesse, I admire your idea of scratch. It's a lot more ambitious than mine ever was. I might have some tips re making wood lathes, but making castings, a metal lathe's strict accuracy, cross and longitudinal feeds, compound rests, threading gears, plus making the tooling needed are all far beyond my capability.

Anyway, it takes a lathe to make a lathe and my 6 in, Atlas and 10 in. Sheldon are all I've ever needed, but if anyone here knows of a little Clausing vertical mill for sale, please let me know.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

formatting link

Reply to
Arch

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.