Distance between centers

I feel like I fell for the 9 hp shopvac or something.

My lathe specifications are 42 inches between centers. Well sure, that is without a spur in the headstock or a live center in the tailstock.

In reality of what I can turn between centers, reasonbly being able to mount it, is 39.5 inches.

Well it was a factor in my decision making. Now I know.

John

Reply to
Eddie Munster
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A: they are all measured that way, so far as I know.

B: a dead center does work, people used them for centuries, and it can help you get several more inches when you need them. Use a little wax and/or oil on it. There is less to be gained at the headstock, generally, but some drive spurs stick out less than others.

C: do you actually have a lot of work to do between 39.5" and 42"? That's a fairly tall table if you're turning legs. It's a long baseball bat. It's a short Peavey handle.

Reply to
Ecnerwal

No not very much work. Just some newel posts. it would be neat if delta came out with longer beds as options. This is the steel bed lathe I have. Some manufacturers have extensions. There is the chance I would have chosen this lathe anyway. Perhaps I will make a longer bed when the time comes.

John

Ecnerwal wrote:

Reply to
Eddie Munster

Damn frustrating isn,t it. They should say non working specifications. Same bull with a 9 inch drill press . nine inches between " no drill in chuck"

Reply to
Keith Young

John, I have turned several pieces that were significantly longer than my lathe bed. The longest was the mast for my sailboat at 14' 2". Not too long after I did that, I had a restoration job to do that required returning some antique bed parts which had been burned in a fire. They were somewhere around 50" or so. In both cases I used my mini lathe for the tailstock, and I used a floor stand tool rest that I built. If you are interested, you can see pictures of the mast turning adventure on my personal website,

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When you get to the main page, scroll downto the link under boatbuilding titled turning the mast.

Reply to
Bill Grumbine

Bill

Neat website! Lots there. I do have a floorstand too. If I use a second lathe, I will connect them together too.

Look like you had fun doing it. Nice job.

Thanks for the reply.

John

Reply to
Eddie Munster

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