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 Post subject: Building a lathe stand
PostPosted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 9:45 pm 
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Location: Lakeport NY (Syracuse)
I've been cleaning up my shop the past few weeks, and decided that a lathe stand was in order. My initial thought was this:
Image

Using 4 legs from a bunk bed that got replaced by the 'aircraft' bed, along with the torsion box from one of my firs benches. I decided that was a bit too deep and not all that stable (not initially at least).

Image

The bunk bed also yielded an I-beam. I thought that would be a decent spine for the stand. To that I added 4 els (two pieces of wood glued and screwed together). The lower pair will hold a ballast box, the upper set will get a rack to hold my turning tools.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:58 am 
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Location: Cape Cod Massachusetts
Ned,

Looks great so far.

I have one similar. Mine has 3 flat topped "A" frame legs with a 2-1/2" cherry glue lam top with a 1/2" plate aluminum stiffener the entire depth and length of the top.
The outside of the stand carcass is wrapped in 3/4" birch ply on 3 sides (back, left, and right). The ply adds diagonal rigidity.
In the bottom I have a shelf about 3" up from floor. On that I have 240lbs of weight. I also have a second lathe stored under there.

Image

Mine is supporting a Nova 3000. The stand is about 4 years old now and on really off balance stuff I get some stand shake.
The fasteners and glue are probably starting to loosen up.

I have plans in my head for a 4 legged stand using an 8" I beam as the top.

When I get the time and inclination to actually build it.


On tool storage. I like to store my lathe tools vertical with the handles pointing up. I have them in a rack I made attached to the side of my lathe cart.
I find when turning the flying shavings can cover anything on the horizontal.
So vertical is the way for me to go.
Image

Nice work,
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:34 am 
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hmmm... well nothing saying the tool rack had to be horizontal... or solid... I was thinking of drilling a bunch of holes in some pine then ripping the board in half right through the holes, instant tool rack. However, the vertical does look good too...

I might Just have an idea for my ballast box that might help with the shavings...

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 9:46 am 
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Location: Dayton Ohio
my tool rack is simply pvc t-connectors drilled to the side of my lathe table so the tool slides in vertically, real handy.

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 10:42 am 
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Ned Bulken wrote:
hmmm... well nothing saying the tool rack had to be horizontal... or solid... I was thinking of drilling a bunch of holes in some pine then ripping the board in half right through the holes, instant tool rack. However, the vertical does look good too...

I might Just have an idea for my ballast box that might help with the shavings...


That's what I've done for a tool holder-- I also marked the ends of my tools with colored duct tape (yellow for skews, blue for gouges, red for spindle gouges, etc) to ease identification. Also as all my tools go back into the same holes I quickly learned their locations

Lawrence


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PostPosted: Sat Oct 17, 2009 7:52 pm 
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Location: Forest, Ontario, Canada
I have a piece of 2x6 mounted on the wall so it forms a 6" shelf. In other words the 2" side is against the wall and the 6" faces are horizontal. I bored holes to match the ferrule sizes on my tools and they go in blade down with the handles sticking up. The blades are visible under the shelf and I always put them back in the same places so it is easy to find the one I want.

For tools with blades bigger than the ferrule, like my roughing gouge, I bored the hole oversize so it rests on the "bulge" of the handle just behind the ferrule. Scrapers that are wider than the ferrule got notches cut with a jigsaw to accept the wider blades.

It is visible in the background behind the lathe. I know that is a bad place for it when spindle turning because it necessitates reaching over the spindle to get a tool, but it is the only possible place in my shop.

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Take care
Bob


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:42 pm 
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I need to make a bench to hold a lathe. What should the proper height be? I have a Craftsman 12" lathe that has a 1/2 hp motor. I was thinking of using ripped down 2X10's and make some 4X4 legs and I have a cubicle desk top that is about 1" thick. The desk top is shaped so I can mount the motor on it also. Should I also put a lower shelf in to put some sand bags on for weight?
Thanks
Bill


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PostPosted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:03 am 
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Bill,

Proper Lathe height is really up to you.

I like mine with the spindle height even with my standing bent elbow height. But lots of folks who turn on my lathe say it seems low to them. I'm 5'-8".

I guess it all depends on how you turn and what you plan on turning. Comfort is a big deal. The more comfortable you are the longer you can turn for.

Some folks make the spindle height off the floor intentionally high and then make a riser box to stand on. That way you are covered either way.

Like most of turning there is no "correct" way. Just what feels good to you. :-)


---Nailer---

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:56 am 
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Asa942 wrote:
I need to make a bench to hold a lathe. What should the proper height be? I have a Craftsman 12" lathe that has a 1/2 hp motor. I was thinking of using ripped down 2X10's and make some 4X4 legs and I have a cubicle desk top that is about 1" thick. The desk top is shaped so I can mount the motor on it also. Should I also put a lower shelf in to put some sand bags on for weight?
Thanks
Bill


Normal height answer is around the bent elbow area. You certainly can help yourself in a couple of ways by raising the attachment points of the lathe above the tabletop on plywood blocks. This will give you access underneath to get stuff out of the way, and you can add or take away height by changing the number or thickness of the blocks.

Free advice on the construction lumber. DON'T! You want flat, and the stuff comes wet and bowed. Use sheet goods. Doubled 3/4 is a good top to begin with. Keeps your lathe head and tail aligned and minimizes other binds.

I'd rather enlarge the footprint up front by extending the legs out beyond the maximum swing point. You want to be able to snuggle up close to the lathe, so keep it far forward and make sure you allow toe room underneath.

A cabinet or shelves full of tools take up less shop space and provide plenty of weight when compared to bags of sand.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 12:44 am 
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Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
This thread has inspired me. I don't really have time right now to build an entire lathe stand, but I have a really solid "mobile" base for mine. So with this thread in mind, I stopped by a salvage yard that's a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. They had 2 cabinets (one an old vanity, the other more of a regular cabinet) that would provide good drawer and cabinet space when integrated under the lathe (removing the splay-leg metal stand). Measurements to make and see if it might work! :)


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