Why Don't Lathe Manufacturers ... ?

Most scroll saws now have a small "puffer pump" and aimable air nozzle to blow sawdust away from the cut. Very handy.

When doing hollowing, I often bring an airhose to the lathe. Hollow some, stop, blow out the chips and dust, hollow some more, . . .

Would be nice to have a built in air pump, even a small one, and a flex necked nozzle that could be set in a needed position and stay there 'til I moved it.

so why don't lathe manufacturers . . . ?

charlie b

Reply to
charlie b
Loading thread data ...

How about a 1/4 flex plastic hose ductaped to the tool?

Old Guy

Reply to
Old guy

Several of reasons why not.

First, with all the turning and twisting and swinging/pivoting of the tool(s), the damn thing would either be in the way - or get pinched between the tool and the tool rest.

Second, duct tape leaves a sticky residue behind - which would load up with dust and chips.

Third, would still need a hose from the compressor to the plastic tube, a reducer to get down to 1/4", a shut off valve and a bleeder valve (I don't think my pressure regulator will do down to 2-4 psi. I want to PUFF the dust and chips out of the way - not blast them all over hell.

Maybe a little vibrating aquarium pump and a goose neck lamp neck might work. Hmmmm - I've got one of those pumps around here somewhere (the kid's gold fish has been gone for a while).

But if the scroll saw folks built a small diaphram pump into their motor drive - with hose, flexible or adjustable, why don't lathe makers get on the ball. No adapting, no pressure bleeders, no shut off valve, no hose from the compressor.

Lathe makers - are you listening. This might earn you an Innovators Award from one of the woodworking magazines.

charlie b

patent pending, void where prohibited by law, your mileage may vary, consult your doctor before using, keep out of reach of children, use only when wearing safety glasses, kevlar gloves, hearing protection, dust mask rated for nuclear reactor containment vessel cleaning, chest protector, mouth guard and cup. Do not use when taking medications that specify that you should not drive or operate machines or power tools

Reply to
charlie b

Charlie,

Psst ... keep this a secret between you & me, okay?

This is a solved problem. Machinists face the same situation every day.

Get over to J & L Industrial, Production Tool or, possibly even ENCO or Harbor Freight and grab their flexible air nozzles that snap together, some sort of mag base and a valve with a handle you can set & forget.

This link will get you started. It's a right angle nozzle. The left side snaps onto a link that adds up like pop-beads back to the aforementioned valves and so on.

formatting link
Bill

Reply to
Bill in Detroit

Here's a better link than the one I posted a few seconds ago ...

formatting link
What you really, really want is in the upper right hand corner. Bill

Reply to
Bill in Detroit

that takes care of part one.

still need a compressor or other source of compressed air.

why don't they build a small piston pump into the lathe drive set up?

charlie b

Reply to
charlie b

The question is not why lathe manufacturers do not build in a small compressor pump in the lathe body but rather, after they build in mutiple light sources, air compressors, vaccuum chuck assemblies complete with vaccuum pumps, extra tool rests, variable weight adjustment mechanisms, and self regulating speed controolers, do we still have a lathe at all and can a person get near it in the first place? I think the old addage is, "whatever is on the lathe is not sufficient for all peoples." So why not keep them simple and add on as the need arises? Me, I find that the break to stop the lathe and clear the shavings is a good one and part of the design experience. Just a few thoughts.

Reply to
Darrell Feltmate

Good response. Several other things come to mind, though.

What about cost? Every time you add a 'feature' you add cost. Would the guy who already has a compressor want to pay for another one built into his machine?

Also... why don't the manufacturers of air compressors build in the nailers and air wrenches? Maybe they should build in a lathe?

Bill

Darrell Feltmate wrote:

Reply to
Bill Rubenstein

I'm not looking for a Swiss Army Pocket Knife lathe - one that comes with everything I'd ever need for any type of turning - and work, "sort of adequately". I'd have gone with Laguna Tools Hyper-Super-Lathe for that.

But come >

I have a compressor. It and the dust collector have their own little room - with insulated walls and a solid core door with weather stripping. They're LOUD! so they're in a sound deadening room. But I don't want an air hose on the floor or strung through the rafters. Hell, the dust collection ducting overhead makes putting up lights a PITA. Eventually will plumb air lines in - if and when I settle on The Final Shop Layout (which we all know is never Final -'til you die. Only then does it become The Final Shop Layout)

I'm not after a 30 gallon, 140 max psi, 8 CFM compressor, or even one of the small airbrush diaphram pumps - but something like an aquarium pump - the little half brick sized things - and a flex hose, with or without nozzle.

charlie b

Reply to
charlie b

Thanks! Will order that one and the flex hose version to the left IF they can take a quick disconnect. Will come in handy on the drill press and maybe the router table as well.

charlie b

Reply to
charlie b

It seems to me that there are some built-ins or improvements for _all decent lathes, that are generally useful and cost acceptable over having to add them on. ex: harder tool rests. more robust spindle locks and threaded revolving tail centers.

I'm no engineer/CFO, but it seems like a cost effective source of compressed air, even vacuum, could be incorporated in the high end lathes. If you don't like Charlie's idea, you'll like mine a lot less. :) Why not machine the bottom of the bed casting (near the headstock at least) so that the banjo and toolrest could be 'underslung' for some distance along the bed? That would add at least the height of the banjo to the swing. Not much you say, but remember this is radius and the increase in blank size is doubled and just maybe the banjo could be underslung even deeper under the bed. Seems less expensive and just as useful as some of the outboard toolrests and bed extensions that can be added on some lower end lathes.

Oh, never mind. I haven't thought this through. Besides, some of you might already have a headache today. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

formatting link

Reply to
Arch

Charlie, In your original post you indicated that you already had an air compressor with a line that would reach.

"When doing hollowing, I often bring an airhose to the lathe. Hollow some, stop, blow out the chips and dust, hollow some more, . . ."

That air hose plugs into this, turn the valve a little, aim the nozzle(s) and you are all good.

This is the Unix philosophy of piecing together the parts of the puzzle you already own to solve the new problem vs the Windows philosophy of building everything into one package despite the probability that 90% of your users will only access 10% of the features.

You already have an air line. Use IT.

Bill

Reply to
Bill in Detroit

It was in response to your first response to my first response to your original posting.

;-)

Other than that, you're welcome.

It looks like the one on the right may have a hose barb. That's easy enough to replace with a quick disconnect. Might also consider using a whip hose or a universal swiveling connector. That universal is worth its weight in gold as it lets the hose lay however it wishes to. The universal is about $15 but I used one all day everyday was a diw maker and it never showed any signs of failure.

I hope that this doesn't simply result in your getting a face full of chips.

Bill

Reply to
Bill in Detroit

Arch wrote: snip...

...snip

Arch:

Actually, the Stubby solution to the problem of losing swing over the banjo is a little different from your suggestion. We have an auxiliary bed. You would attach it to the main bed, perpendicular, and mount the banjo there. Now you don't have to worry about the banjo -- it is out of the way. And, if you want the banjo on the headstock side of the work, you mount the aux bed on the headstock. And, if you want to mount your hollowing trap well to the back of the lathe you can mount the aux bed to the back of the main bed, etc....

Bill

Reply to
Bill Rubenstein

The ultimate in gap-bed lathes.

Not something I ever worried much about, that swing over banjo. By the time I'm working the outside rim of a bowl there's usually some extra room under the very bottom.

Reply to
George

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.