Very nice, that's a slick setup. What kind of production do you think you'll do? Get it down to 5 minutes?
What are you using for the spur?

 

Very nice, that's a slick setup. What kind of production do you think you'll do? Get it down to 5 minutes?
What are you using for the spur?

I doubt I'll get the time down any more. I did a few of them at about 7 minutes from inserting the blank to inserting the next blank but they needed more sanding. The extra minute is worth it.

I'm using a Kreg screw on one end to secure the blank and on the other end it's just a board with a square hole in it.

 

Great yankee ingenuity using what you have available. I'd probably have checked out Harbor Freight for a cheap lathe setup and gone for the bonus of having another toy to play with.

But if you're highly unlikely to need a lathe down the road, cool.

 

$400 and it's just barely big enough to do the job. The spindle blank I'm using is 33.25" and the max on the lathe is 33.375" and that's using a flat plate and a center. I'd still have to buy turning chisels and a much longer rest for the chisel. By the time I was done with it likely be $600.

 

If I'm getting a lathe I'd want something that's nice. Variable speed, couple HP, 16" turning and 42" length. But it's the first time in 20 years someone requested some kind of a turning, so I doubt I'm in the market for a real lathe.

 

AAAAnnnndddddd.... ONE!....

 

You mean, and 35

 

Cool.

 

Wood lathes are dead simple to make. Front and rear hubs from a bike, motor, sprocket, chain, some wood and you have one

 

Took me under 2 hours to make my "lathe"

 

That's a really cool and clever setup, Leo! My hat is off to you my Friend!

 

Great job Leo.

If you ever get a bug for a lathe this is a really good one.

https://www.harveywoodworking.com/products/t-60s?variant=31578097451123

My step up would be a Oneway Lathe.

Tom

 

I'm with Tin. I say grab the motor and controller out of a treadmill. 2-5 hp, depending, variable soeed.

 

Most stand up drill presses make quick and dirty lathes, and are in most shops, I'd buy a 'live' tail stock?

Wear eye protection, watch your pony tails.....

A garage sale Shop smith?

 

There used to be a company AMT that sold lathe kits and parts, I made one when i was in high school. Worked great. Now I have a small Delta lathe and an extention. Your "lathe" works faster and more precise for those spindles.

 

That's one of the nice things. Most of the time the top tenon is within 5 thou. I make sure it's a bit bigger and I can take my sander and roll the spindle on a surface while sanding it and bring it down to .75" +0/-.005

 

I'm just amazed there isn't a ready made spindle like that.

Very cool though.

Are they tapered?

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

There are similar spindles. But the body lengths are wrong and the top is only 5/8" where these are 3/4"

Yes, tapered from 1 1/4" to 3/4" at the top. The will have a 3/4" round tenon on the bottom that is 1/2" long. I need to get all 70 made before that setup happens.

 

Dust collection system.

 

Having a hose attached to the router would just slow me down. Plus some of the stuff coming off isn't chips, it's chards of wood that would just clog it.

 

I didn't see how you were getting a taper. I assume you aren't juat eyeballing them.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

Watch the video...

 

Lot of ingenuity there Leo!
It's either that or an attack of brain master-bat'n...

Maybe next time...
Use 5/8, or 3/4 roundover bit, & do taper side to side, instead of top to bottom?
The cuts would blend in nicely tjat way.

 

Lot of ingenuity there Leo!
It's either that or an attack of brain master-bat'n...

Maybe next time...
Use 5/8, or 3/4 roundover bit, & do taper side to side, instead of top to bottom?
The cuts would blend in nicely tjat way.

What do you mean side to side?

 

It's just cool when someone actually makes something.
Not assembled it, installed it or bought it, he made it out of a stick of wood with the tools he had.
Well done.

 

That could also be a great fluting jig for legs

 

Pretty badass Leo.

Do tell where ya got the rails & bearings. I think that would work well for flattening a slab.

 

Pretty badass Leo.

Do tell where ya got the rails & bearings. I think that would work well for flattening a slab.

I've had them for a loooong time. This is the 3rd machine I've made from them. I made a router duplicator 1st, then that laid stagnant for quite some time after I did the 30 or so rosettes I needed to make (4 different kinds). Then a slotter for Euro cabinets and now this "lathe"

I think the place was called Specialty Motion Inc. But I've searched for them and don't think they're around anymore. Lots of places to get linear bearings and rails.

 

Finished up another 35 spindles and then put the tenon on the large end. Did it in a 2 step process because I don't trust doing it in one pass.

I did a setup on the tablesaw with some stops the put the spindle right where it needed to be both near the fence and at the edge of the tablesaw to keep the spindle square and level (because of the taper)

1st pass was just a thin kerf saw cut and the 2nd pass was with a dado blade. I did the saw cut to make a clean kerf and then the dado was kept away from the shoulder so it wouldn't chip out.

 

A cool shot of the spindle in the middle of the cut

 

Cool!

 

My Shopsmith lathe only does 34 inches Leo ,but you’re more than welcome to use it anytime.

 

I think it'd be harder to do on a lathe. You'd have to think. This way the machine automatically spits out the right size.

 

Instead of round over, maybe this?

Yonico Bullnose 1-1/4 in. Bead 1/2 in. Shank Carbide Tipped Router Bit 13119 - The Home Depot

This bit cuts a 1-1/4 in. bullnose or half-round (5/8 in. radius) with an 1/4 in. fillet above and below the profile. This large bit has an overall length of over 3 in. and a 1/2 in. shank. Sometimes referred to as a half-round, the bullnose router can be used to add a decorative edge to your...

www.homedepot.com