Lathe
- Thread starter RFranklin
- Start date
Even to do cleaning/polishing of shafts tou will need at least a small
chuck and/or some kind of driver pin(s).
A that point it wouldn't take a lot more modification to do tip installs.
Anything much beyond tips, will require mods that would likely surpass
the value of the lathe - which ain't much.
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update_01
Curiosity drove me to check out the Craiglisting.
At the asking price - if it runs at all, you can't go too wrong.
Expect to spend about as much again to get it ready to do
tip installs.
Dale
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You can buy small chucks for wood turning head stocks. Shaft cleaning is about all you can do with it.
Altho, if it has a variable speed control and you can get it to spin slow enuff, you can use it to do finishing work.
An enterprising person might turn a multitude of projects from pens, bowls, keep sake bowls, honey dippers etc, sell them to friends and use the money to off set the cost of a cue lathe. You would be surprised at how easy it is and how many small projects that you can turn out in your spare time.
I had a huge one in the shop, took up too much real estate and considering that I had zero intentions of turning telephone poles, sold it and opted for a small 13" between center lathe.
Still, you can have a ton of fun with a wood lathe and if that one is reasonable, you could buy it. Similar ones to that can be had on EBay for under $100.
If it includes a decent set of chisels, it may be worth the price. For turning pens and smaller projects, a smaller set of chisels are needed and also can be had for a decent price on EBay. A special arbor for pens and related equipment are needed but they are pretty cheap.
Also be aware that at some point, you will need to have the ability to sharpen your own chisels. Either by hand with a good stone or a dedicated sharpening machine.
I have both but prefer to do them by hand with a stone and honing oil.
Altho, if it has a variable speed control and you can get it to spin slow enuff, you can use it to do finishing work.
An enterprising person might turn a multitude of projects from pens, bowls, keep sake bowls, honey dippers etc, sell them to friends and use the money to off set the cost of a cue lathe. You would be surprised at how easy it is and how many small projects that you can turn out in your spare time.
I had a huge one in the shop, took up too much real estate and considering that I had zero intentions of turning telephone poles, sold it and opted for a small 13" between center lathe.
Still, you can have a ton of fun with a wood lathe and if that one is reasonable, you could buy it. Similar ones to that can be had on EBay for under $100.
If it includes a decent set of chisels, it may be worth the price. For turning pens and smaller projects, a smaller set of chisels are needed and also can be had for a decent price on EBay. A special arbor for pens and related equipment are needed but they are pretty cheap.
Also be aware that at some point, you will need to have the ability to sharpen your own chisels. Either by hand with a good stone or a dedicated sharpening machine.
I have both but prefer to do them by hand with a stone and honing oil.
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That lathe is one of the worst to try and modify. It has a 3/4-10 thread spindle if memory serves me right so you have to use an apapter to mount a chuck. The tailstock has a permanent mounted live center that can be concaved. So after you have spent $150 or so you can have a lathe that will clean shafts and sand shafts. I have seen those lathes sell new for as little as $99.
I am somewhat of an authority on this as I have one very similar to this.
Chris mentioned a 3/4-10 thread on the spindle,and the tailstock will be the same.
Maybe some are,but for your sake I hope it's 3/4-16,because Chris' 3 jaw will fit it without modification. Otherwise,as Chris mentioned you'll need an adapter.
You can take the tool rests off,you won't need them.
In my case,because the lathe was Chinese the spindle/tailstock bolt is 18mm-2.5. I had to have 2 35.00 adapters made to be able to modify my machine.
At that point,I had to add the Hightower/Taig chuck,which was 100.00 at the time,and put a 25.00 Jacobs chuck on the tailstock because the adapter I had made for that end had a 1/2-20 thread,which fit the Jacobs perfect.
As Ryan mentioned,it only spins in forward rotation,meaning that to spin it in reverse for doing linen wraps,you'll have to add a sewing machine motor,and create your own mount.
The hardware it took to make mine usable for cue work cost me more than the lathe itself did.
However,for shaft cleaning,it gets the job done,but it took a while for it to pay for itself. It's also heavy and kind of a pain to take to tournaments.
I still do it though,Tommy D.
Chris mentioned a 3/4-10 thread on the spindle,and the tailstock will be the same.
Maybe some are,but for your sake I hope it's 3/4-16,because Chris' 3 jaw will fit it without modification. Otherwise,as Chris mentioned you'll need an adapter.
You can take the tool rests off,you won't need them.
In my case,because the lathe was Chinese the spindle/tailstock bolt is 18mm-2.5. I had to have 2 35.00 adapters made to be able to modify my machine.
At that point,I had to add the Hightower/Taig chuck,which was 100.00 at the time,and put a 25.00 Jacobs chuck on the tailstock because the adapter I had made for that end had a 1/2-20 thread,which fit the Jacobs perfect.
As Ryan mentioned,it only spins in forward rotation,meaning that to spin it in reverse for doing linen wraps,you'll have to add a sewing machine motor,and create your own mount.
The hardware it took to make mine usable for cue work cost me more than the lathe itself did.
However,for shaft cleaning,it gets the job done,but it took a while for it to pay for itself. It's also heavy and kind of a pain to take to tournaments.
I still do it though,Tommy D.