Lathe Opinions needed.....

[itsjustjay]

This is what happens when you have to much time on your hands.

Seriously though, before spending all this money on specialty equipment. I would like to experiment a bit to make sure its something I enjoy (looking at this as a hobby only). Basically I dont want to be one of these guys spending 10k and then selling out losing X amount of dollars.

So, I was toying around with my Craftsman 101 and a parts 101 that I had kicking around. The pics below are a result.

I was thinking of extending the screw and rack so the carriage could run the whole length. Which makes this set up 44" between centers.

I know you cant work inside the spindle but what if the work was done outside the spindle with a bearing steady rest. Would it be accurate enough?

The tailstock can taper which is why I have that second one there. This way I can set it once and leave it at that setting.

So any opinions on if this would work? Or am I just spinning my bearings with this idea?

 

[rhncue]

This is what happens when you have to much time on your hands.

Seriously though, before spending all this money on specialty equipment. I would like to experiment a bit to make sure its something I enjoy (looking at this as a hobby only). Basically I dont want to be one of these guys spending 10k and then selling out losing X amount of dollars.

So, I was toying around with my Craftsman 101 and a parts 101 that I had kicking around. The pics below are a result.

I was thinking of extending the screw and rack so the carriage could run the whole length. Which makes this set up 44" between centers.

I know you cant work inside the spindle but what if the work was done outside the spindle with a bearing steady rest. Would it be accurate enough?

The tailstock can taper which is why I have that second one there. This way I can set it once and leave it at that setting.

So any opinions on if this would work? Or am I just spinning my bearings with this idea?

A properly set up center rest is the most accurate way to go any way. Even extending your bed though, do you still have the room for your carriage to operate at it's far end and is there room to do drilling and boring?

Dick

 

[itsjustjay]

A properly set up center rest is the most accurate way to go any way. Even extending your bed though, do you still have the room for your carriage to operate at it's far end and is there room to do drilling and boring?

Dick

I dont know all the aspects of cue making but from what I have seen so far I think its long enough. That dowel in the lathe is 3'. The total bed lenght is 5'. From spindle to sleeve of tailstock is 47 1/2". It would be longer but there is a gap in the bed where the old headstock was that I can not clamp the tailstock to. However the gap does not affect the carriage travel. If the tailstock is removed I could get the carriage to 50" from the spindle. Is that enough room?

Your answer suprised me about the center rest. I thought it would be less accurate then working next to the chuck threw the spindle.

Would one of these do the trick?

http://cgi.ebay.com/PRO-LATHE-ROLLE...ZWD1VQQ_trksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

 

[hillscues]

I have done this mod before its a pain in the butt but i will explain find another lead screw on eBay pin together line up the to half?s of the thread. Getting the beds to line up is a big pain; getting rack to line up is a big pain. All in all dont do it find a bigger atlas on eBay i bought mine for 650.00 on eBay striped it down and rebuilt it for tapering cue butts, took all the gears out and put the lead screw on a variable speed motor, works great hope this helps you. Darrin Hill

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[itsjustjay]

I have done this mod before its a pain in the butt but i will explain find another lead screw on eBay pin together line up the to half?s of the thread. Getting the beds to line up is a big pain; getting rack to line up is a big pain. All in all dont do it find a bigger atlas on eBay i bought mine for 650.00 on eBay striped it down and rebuilt it for tapering cue butts, took all the gears out and put the lead screw on a variable speed motor, works great hope this helps you. Darrin Hill

I think I have 2 Craftsman 12 x 36 lathes kicking around somewhere. But I thought you need 40" between centers for cue work?


BTW Nice lathe you got there, I have not seen a headstock cover like that before on an Atlas lathe.

 

[hillscues]

Atlas 36,logan 36 between centers both of these older lathes will easley get you 30 inches of cutting all day long. the new china 36 between center will not pull this off because the carage is to big. The old logan is the ultimate lathe imo 36 inch they have 1.375 hole through the head stock, butt with a taper bar steady rest, you can build a cue. what i would do is put a rear chuck on your small craftsman for tips,ferrules, and final sanding on that one. Get one a little bigger for building cues. I couldnt find a cover for that model so i made one and painted it. I also have the logan lathe and love it. Darrin hill

 

[itsjustjay]

Atlas 36,logan 36 between centers both of these older lathes will easley get you 30 inches of cutting all day long. the new china 36 between center will not pull this off because the carage is to big. The old logan is the ultimate lathe imo 36 inch they have 1.375 hole through the head stock, butt with a taper bar steady rest, you can build a cue. what i would do is put a rear chuck on your small craftsman for tips,ferrules, and final sanding on that one. Get one a little bigger for building cues. I couldnt find a cover for that model so i made one and painted it. I also have the logan lathe and love it. Darrin hill

OIC, very interesting. So thats why, the big carriage.

Ok, I checked and I do have a Craftsman 12" x 36" Lathe, a real clean one too. Non quick change but it has a taper attachment. 3 jaw chuck, a set of gears and a steady rest (non ball bearing).

So if I switch to a ball bearing steady rest I am in business? Will a stock taper attachment work as far as do they have enough travel? I dont have it in front of me.

 

[hillscues]

I believe that the standard taper bar is not long enough it will have to be motified. I dont like that style i like spring loaded with the a roller bearing. a ball bearing stady rest will do the job. The trick is to take the chuck off, put a number 3 morris taper in the head stock when tapering. darrin

 

[itsjustjay]

Thanks for all the info Darrin

 

[BLACKHEARTCUES]

What are you going to do with this lathe? Are you going to try to taper shafts or butt pieces? Are you planning to do drilling & tapping? What size is the hole in the headstock?...JER

 

[itsjustjay]

What are you going to do with this lathe? Are you going to try to taper shafts or butt pieces? Are you planning to do drilling & tapping? What size is the hole in the headstock?...JER

Well, after this post I scraped those plans with the second bed and went with an old craftsman 12 x 36 lathe I had in storage. Hopefully I can do everything I need to with that lathe. I dont have it out of storage yet but I believe the threw hole is 25/32 on those.

 

[BLACKHEARTCUES]

Well, after this post I scraped those plans with the second bed and went with an old craftsman 12 x 36 lathe I had in storage. Hopefully I can do everything I need to with that lathe. I dont have it out of storage yet but I believe the threw hole is 25/32 on those.

You'll need a MINIMUM of 1 1/8" hole through the headstock or you will only be able to do work on ferrules & tips. Plus you'll need some way to hold the other end of the work or it will flail around wildly, when turning...JER

 

[cueman]

You'll need a MINIMUM of 1 1/8" hole through the headstock or you will only be able to do work on ferrules & tips. Plus you'll need some way to hold the other end of the work or it will flail around wildly, when turning...JER

A steady rest with ball bearing and collets will answer those problems out between centers on a small bore lathe.

 

[itsjustjay]

Just got the 12" x 36" lathe setup and oiled. I just need to aquire some misc tooling.