looking for a lathe

C

cammel8

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
blackda said:
I was wondering if either of these lathes would work for cleaning shafts and doing tip replacements. This is mainly for my own personal use. Would there be any additional parts I would need?

http://m.harborfreight.com/14-inch-x-40-inch-lathe-with-7-inch-sander-67690.html

http://m.harborfreight.com/14-inch-x-41-inch-wood-lathe-38515.html

Thanks
Click to expand...

Both of those are wood lathes without a pass through head. They can be used with heavy modifying but by the time your done you might as we'll have bought one of these http://www.harborfreight.com/7-inch-x-10-inch-precision-mini-lathe-93212.html

They can do 90 percent of shaft cleaning and repair to tips and ferules and with some modifications a lot more. Its what I started on and still have as a back up. we'll worth the money and are easily paid for in a few months of doing repairs.
 
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pdcue

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
blackda said:
I was wondering if either of these lathes would work for cleaning shafts and doing tip replacements. This is mainly for my own personal use. Would there be any additional parts I would need?

http://m.harborfreight.com/14-inch-x-40-inch-lathe-with-7-inch-sander-67690.html

http://m.harborfreight.com/14-inch-x-41-inch-wood-lathe-38515.html

Thanks
Click to expand...

Well, well, its the wood lathe question again...:)

I would advise you to avoid either of those lathes like the plague. There are usually
many decent wood lathes on eBay or your local Craigslist.

To do tip work you will need some way to secure the shaft to the headstock
spindle other than the method typically used to turn wood, and also, some way to
stabilize the tip end for trimming. For most all 'newer' wood lathes the thru hole
diameter of the headstock spindle is too small to fit a shaft thru the headstock. So
you will need either a chuck to hold the joint end directly, or a joint pin 'driver' and
some kind of adapter(or a chuck) to hold the driver.

The usual wood turning cup center, or a standard 60 degree tailstock center also
won't work for stabilizing the tip end. You will need some kind of convex cup center,
a steady rest, or a bearing block type arrangement to do that.

The older wood lathes, pre 80s-ish, Delta, Rockwell, Atlas, Powermatic and
SOME Craftsman(Sears) typically have a headstock that you can put the shaft thru.
Then you will only need a chuck to hold the tip end and some thing to the rear of
the headstock to control the shaft, 60 degree center, bearing block, etc.

If you want to go the chuck route - Grizzly offers several chuck choices for wood
lathes that will work. Penn State industries also sells chucks. Note, you don't want
a typical 4 jaw Nova style wood chuck with circular jaws.

Dale(who is an unapologetic wood lathe owner)
 
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whammo57

whammo57

Kim Walker
Silver Member
mortuarymike-nv

mortuarymike-nv

mortuarymike-nv
Silver Member
lathe

blackda said:
Thanks for the info everyone. Looks like I'll save up a little more and get this one from Mid-America.
http://www.midamericapool.com/index_files/Page324.htm
Click to expand...

GET THE STANDARD DRILLING TAIL STOCK AND THE CONCAVE LIVE CENTER. PART NUMBER 150 M

The live concave center doesn't have a part number
ITS WORTH HAVING FOR CLEANING THE SHAFTS..............................

Then you will need about 500 bucks in tips and 100 bucks in ferrules ,not including sand paper, polishing creams, scotch bright pads, glues, CA.
And a cup of coffee



 
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pdcue

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
blackda said:
I was wondering if either of these lathes would work for cleaning shafts and doing tip replacements. This is mainly for my own personal use. Would there be any additional parts I would need?

http://m.harborfreight.com/14-inch-x-40-inch-lathe-with-7-inch-sander-67690.html

http://m.harborfreight.com/14-inch-x-41-inch-wood-lathe-38515.html

Thanks
Click to expand...

"This is mainly for my own personal use. "
"This is mainly for my own personal use. "
"This is mainly for my own personal use. "
"This is mainly for my own personal use. "...

Can't anybody on AZB read?

Dale(who just had to say it)
 
L

lvlss42190

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
blackda said:
Thanks for the info everyone. Looks like I'll save up a little more and get this one from Mid-America.
http://www.midamericapool.com/index_files/Page324.htm
Click to expand...

I've been considering the same thing. Can't seem to find any reviews on it so I'm a little uncertain still, but I'm not in a hurry to buy. I assembled something similar to the one you found on ebay with a drive arbor that fits the thread on my shaft and it works alright for shaft cleaning. Doing tips on it is a different story because it is a task to shape a tip with a razor blade by hand if you have never done it before
 
whammo57

whammo57

Kim Walker
Silver Member
Just a note......... DO NOT get the sewing machine motor it is a piece of crap. Get a VS DC motor....

Kim
 
Celophanewrap

Celophanewrap

Call me Grace
Silver Member
I purchased that same lathe a couple of years ago and it has been an excellent investment. It may look basic and unassuming, but with the addition of a few extra things this lathe has become invaluable. In the beginning I was tipping just about everything in sight, experimenting with different cleaners and waxes, conditioners, everyone that would let me got new tips, after a week or so of practicing if friends wanted they got new wraps. I bought a few blanks and even turned out some shafts. This was an incredible buy. The addition of a large bore headstock allowed me to expand the things I was able to do, but with the new headstock I also purchased a new motor from Penn State Indistries. Then from Todd (mid america pool) I also got the rotary tool holder and I'm fortunate to live in the same town as A2Z and they always have something interesting available. The only thing I feel like I'm really lacking is a taper bar but I really haven't figured out how that will attach and be functional. I've experimented with a few designs but I've found nothing satisfactory. Admittedly, I haven't looked very hard. If you're looking at this lathe my advice would be pull the trigger and get one before you begin to spend money on a bunch of crap that won't work. One word of caution though, as much as you think you have a specific purpous in mind for this tool and you're just gonna get a lathe, you'll find many reasons to expand uses and tool base for this lathe. Buying a new lathe is sorta like a zombie attack or a terminator, if you don't kill it, it won't stop, or it can't be bargined with or reasoned with and it absolutely will not stop. It's a commitment and you'll bever stop needing something new for it, this is an outstanding tool and mid america gives outstanding support, you won't be sorry, but your wife or girlfriend may not agree.
Welcome to the addiction.
 
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lvlss42190

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Celophanewrap said:
I purchased that same lathe a couple of years ago and it has been an excellent investment. It may look basic and unassuming, but with the addition of a few extra things this lathe has become invaluable. In the beginning I was tipping just about everything in sight, experimenting with different cleaners and waxes, conditioners, everyone that would let me got new tips, after a week or so of practicing if friends wanted they got new wraps. I bought a few blanks and even turned out some shafts. This was an incredible buy. The addition of a large bore headstock allowed me to expand the things I was able to do, but with the new headstock I also purchased a new motor from Penn State Indistries. Then from Todd (mid america pool) I also got the rotary tool holder and I'm fortunate to live in the same town as A2Z and they always have something interesting available. The only thing I feel like I'm really lacking is a taper bar but I really haven't figured out how that will attach and be functional. I've experimented with a few designs but I've found nothing satisfactory. Admittedly, I haven't looked very hard. If you're looking at this lathe my advice would be pull the trigger and get one before you begin to spend money on a bunch of crap that won't work. One word of caution though, as much as you think you have a specific purpous in mind for this tool and you're just gonna get a lathe, you'll find many reasons to expand uses and tool base for this lathe. Buying a new lathe is sorta like a zombie attack or a terminator, if you don't kill it, it won't stop, or it can't be bargined with or reasoned with and it absolutely will not stop. It's a commitment and you'll bever stop needing something new for it, this is an outstanding tool and mid america gives outstanding support, you won't be sorry, but your wife or girlfriend may not agree.
Welcome to the addiction.
Click to expand...

That's all I needed to hear, I've been looking periodically for a review on Midamerica equipment and you're the first I've seen. I work as a CNC programmer/machinist so acquiring tooling/making attachments should be no problem. I just don't have the money on hand yet to invest for a full size lathe.
 
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