Lathe bench

[addjunkie]

You cant have enough light above a lathe, i use two from ikea.

For levelling just use a bolt through a nut welded on to an angle iron foot, level, the bolt down. Small machine like that will vibrate a bit if you use it, near its full capacity. Of something offset in a 4 jaw chuck!

 

[Pete.]

dont want to spoil your plan of a clean floor. But in my experience, it is impossible to keep swarf off the floor, it gets everywhere.

I agree with the back plate idea too.

I use a dustpan, brush and numatic hoover and I can (if I want) get the floor clean enough to walk about in my socks. Grab the worst of it off with a gloved hand and stuff it in a rubble sack. Sweep the bulk of the short bits with dustpan and brush. Hoover the rest.

 

[Turbo]

Am also putting bigger tray on mine to catch more dwarf.

What exactly do you use your lathe for? Turning down larger people into dwarves?

 

[addjunkie]

Will they be speacial safety socks for the workshop

 

[taycat]

one handy bit to fit is a light.
this is old one i got with load of junk, fitted at mo just to see if got in way.
need to get some flexible conduit and project box to protect wiring and switch.
then i can tidy up wiring on back wall a bit.

 

[Pete.]

Will they be speacial safety socks for the workshop

I said I could - I didn't say that I did.

 

[Kram]

How do you chuck a dwarf

For lights, Ill be using few of these, www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300945277884

Not done any more yet, failed at boring out washers on lathe as 4 jaw wont hold them well. I could weld the nuts on first, but Ill probably use holesaw with drill.

Want a vertical slide for milling, with decent size/travel. The myford copies are 80mm travel for 90 quid, Id like 120mm travel so instead bought one of these to be adapted http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231697996333 and a large angle plate.

 

[taycat]

dunno about anyone else but i chuck a dwarf by the feet.

 

[addjunkie]

If you get really involved with milling you will rapidly find that a vertical slide on a lathe becomes very limited.

When you start using rotary tables, indexing head etc, you sharp run out of space! All depends what your planning on making ofcourse.

 

[gaz1]

for lights i will be using the new led lights in sets of 3 and 4 as they are pretty bright now

 

[Henrik]

How do you chuck a dwarf

For lights, Ill be using few of these, www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300945277884

How do you power them, out of interest? I want some of them too

 

[Kram]

One of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141706606250 You can wire 3 of the above LED's in series and adjust them how you like. Also plan to stick one on my welding lid, my welds turn rubbish as soon as it starts getting dark - yesterday, wanted to get it finished so I didnt stop, knowing it would be rubbish, lots of pigeon **** welds needing two passes.

Today done some more. Its all seam welded now, just need to drill the holes, paint and some feet for the threaded rod. Talking to my dad, it seems the tin of red hammerite is atleast 20 years old and still good! not sure theres enough to paint whole bench.

 

[Kram]

Im going to say its a good fit, 8" tall, 4" wide, 120mm travel. Ive put saddle upside down in the pic, leadscrew nut is the other end and will sit above angle plate. So I need to make up two 18mm spacers then it wont need any modification.

Couldnt work out how the handwheel comes off, nut removed.. looks like handwheel also threaded, quite stuck, soaking in oil..

Paint fell off easily after getting pic. Looks almost unused, cant see any wear. However the gib is a little bent could use a new one.

 

[Pete.]

You can straighten a gib. It's actually common practice from what I can gather by talking to old hand rebuilders.

 

[DanielW]

Couldnt work out how the handwheel comes off, nut removed.. looks like handwheel also threaded, quite stuck, soaking in oil..

Is the handwheel intergrated into the dial? if so the grub screw on the side of the dial will be keeping it on the shaft,be aware ther may be a spring,ball bearing and flat retaing spring behind the grubscrew.

 

[Kram]

Thanks there was a grub screw I missed, under 80? years of dirt. Handwheel still doesnt want to come off. Would it damage screw if I put it in 3 jaw chuck using copper shim, so it can be held while unscrew?

Ran out of red paint, so the wall sides are poundland black. Couldnt get any help so lifted it up myself, had to take most bits off. The leadscrew blocks were not removable they have some pins pressed in.. I intend to attach castors so it can wheel out and attach saddle/tailstock.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I'd have cross support at the front & rear of the lathe bed, but that's just me [belt & braces..... ].

Unless we're not looking at the finished article, of course........

 

[DanielW]

Thanks there was a grub screw I missed, under 80? years of dirt. Handwheel still doesnt want to come off. Would it damage screw if I put it in 3 jaw chuck using copper shim, so it can be held while unscrew?

The shaft will be tolerance fit so it might feel that way it doesn't want to budge,it has to be tolerance fit so theres no sloppyness in the dial.
Might need gentle persuauion in prising it off or a few gentle taps with a soft mallet.

 

[MattF]

The cross support is at the front and rear of the bed...

The flat bit is a chip tray and would give no extra support at all - just so long as the mounting bolts go through the bed feet and the 'table' it's as secure as that bench can make it.

A diagonal piece else a full sheet across one face always helps with rigidity though. Relying on horizontals alone isn't always best. Granted it's less of an issue with steel over wood, but still....

 

[gaz1]

nice build but id also match in the other pieces as well red and black do look good together

ive been at my wood bench today and taken a good look at it this thing below is made out of 1/2" oak only strengthened at the front with 2"angle irons



that switch actually works to say its old there is no back cover on it ive also belted it with a hammer and its solid as hell and hammer just bounces off

my problem is getting it leveled out as the front needs to be leveled and the right front and back needs leveling up any suggestions on how to do this with this unit
the back, left is spot on level once the other sides are leveled out

further more is there anything else i could do with this unit at all
I can fit a set of drawers about 400mm at side of this unit as well