Bazmak Diary of a 12 x 18" woodlathe

[bazmak]

Hi will run this thread parallel with diary of a sieg lathe.Hopefully this will chart the course of my next project.which is to try and convert a small woodworking lathe to a metal lathe.Things should become clearer as we go or may grind to a stop.Before we start i would like another brief introduction and history.
During my apprenticeship i served 2 yrs fitting and turning,4 yrs sheetmetal work and welding and 2 yrs in the drawing office.During this time i developed an interest in woodworking and chess.As a newly wed my wife and i emigrated to adelaide,south australia.I started making furniture and made a coffee / chess table,tiled with 4" sq cream and brown tiles. I found an old washing machine motor,bolted it to an orange box,fitted a small faceplate to the shaft and a piece of angle iron as a rest.No tailstock support.With a couple of chisels i started to make a chess set.1 piece per evening from 3 x 3" oregon (pawns)
and 4 x 4" king queen etc.It took a couple of months polishing/painting etc
I was very pleased and that was my first lathe.What does this have to do
with this thread you will ask.All will become clearer in part 2 when we fast forward to my retirement in oz circa 2008.See you Later

 

[bazmak]

PART 2 Having sold my well equiped workshop and model steam locomotive and with lots of time on my hands my thoughts turned
to making chess sets again and selling them.No more hard work with an orange box and dark evenings in the kitchen.I had money in my pocket.I bought a small lathe 12 x 18" that i could easily lift and a simple stand,i could then work anywhere,garden ,shed,garage etc
I also bought a copy turning attachment. No more stop start,calipers etc.I make templates to the shape and size i decide and presto multiple copies all the same.Its not that easy but its better than an orange box.So off i went over the months.Hardwood,softwood,
stained,polished and painted.I even laminated different timbers.Made lots and sold a few but they are labour intensive and i wasnt going to make a fortune.I made a small set from 2 & 3 sq .A medium set from 3 & 4' Sq and i decided to make the biggest set i could to the upper limlts of the lathe.6' dia x 16' high.Hardwood was too expensive and even softwood was not readily available in these

sizes

I bought cheap builders framing timber and glued 8 pieces together in a home made clamping frame 160mm sq and off i went.A bit hairy scary but worked well Made heaps of sawdust (In the Garden)I stained one set black and polished with 3 coats of clear estapol
See photos. How does this lead to this thread you ask ? Were getting there see PART 3 Regards Barry

 

[aarggh]

Beautiful job Barry! I'm a lover of ornate and fine chess sets and yours are a treat mate! The finish is very nice indeed.
cheers, Ian

 

[gus]

Hi Barry,

Very fine workmanship. How many years of experience do I need to turn out just the King Or Queen?

 

[bazmak]

Hi Gus,i have read your many posts with interest but i have no idea of your skills or experience or if it is a tongue in cheek question
My first woodturning was the orange box in the 1970s Obviously my metal turning experienced helped.I have not done any further woodturning until the chess sets about 4 years ago.If you spend an afternoon making a queen then thats all the experience you need to make the rest.Same as everything else you learn as you go.Regards barry

 

[aarggh]

No tongue in cheek here Barry! I've been into woodworking most of my life and have attempted a chess set here or there, but never had them turn out as great as yours! A future project I'm really considering when I have a decent working furnace, as i'm realising the severe limitations of my little furnace now, is to melt a bunch of aluminium with and without some brass to create a different tone material, for turning a set.

cheers, Ian

 

[bazmak]

PART 3

With an over abundance of chess sets (Her who must be obeyed) said no more without definate orders
So the lathe was put in storage.This is when i bought the sieg lathe and proceeded thru my diary
As i finished most of the mods i actively searched for a cheap delapidated machine tool.(small lathe or mill)
as a project for a restoration.I advertised but having missed out on 3 possibles my thoughts turned to the wood lathe
Could this be made into a metal turning lathe without loosing the ability to return it to its original form.After a few thoughts/measurements i decided it could.And after a no of design sessions (getting into bed and falling asleep) i decided to proceed
The lathe project can be split into 5 main parts First 3 with minor mods and the last 2 as new fabrications
HEADSTOCK Includes motor 6 speed belt drive spindle etc I had a 85 dia threaded faceplt that came with the lathe.This could be turned and drilled in situ at the end of the project to accept the chucks and faceplt of the sieg lathe
BED Cast iron with 2 machined flatways Not as rigid as the sieg but should be ok for light machining
TAILSTOCK Camlok.graduated sleeve with No 2 M/T quill Just needed to modify the locking plate to clear a new leadscrew underneath
SADDLE A complete new saddle to connect to new leadscrew and to accept sieg compound slide and toolpost
LEADSCREW A new leadscrew with skatebearings with a handle at the tailstock end,to pass down the centreline of the bed and under the ways. This project has now commenced if anyboby can see any serious flaws please comment. REGARDS BAZMAK

 

[gus]

Hi Gus,i have read your many posts with interest but i have no idea of your skills or experience or if it is a tongue in cheek question
My first woodturning was the orange box in the 1970s Obviously my metal turning experienced helped.I have not done any further woodturning until the chess sets about 4 years ago.If you spend an afternoon making a queen then thats all the experience you need to make the rest.Same as everything else you learn as you go.Regards barry

Hi Barry,
Wood turning is something very new to me.I guess its fear of the unknown.

This Friday 8 will be shopping for wood turning tools at the TokyuHands,Osaka,Japan. Been watching the professional turners turning out beautiful items so skilfully and so easy. I guess turning faster than whittling.

Will give it a good try like making household items such as pepper shaker or grinder. I need some handles for files.So will first practice on this.

Gus is actually very impatient and like to finish up a job fast and very often
it led to repeat job.:wall::wall::wall::wall:

Hopefully in three months ,will have the King,Queen and Castle on my PC Desk Shelf.

Please advise choice of wood to pick.Soft ,medium or hardwood tropical wood.

 

[bazmak]

PART 4 I removed the headstock,it had precise location with a large tenon between the ways and was bolted down
with 4-M6 cap screws.I will open out to M8 later. I cleaned up the Brkt location area and drilled and tapped 2-M5 holes.
Cleaned up and reassembled.The headstock has a 10mm clear hole thru with a MT2 and a M30 threaded spindle.
I had purchased an imperial collet set with MT3 so now i can buy a metric set with MT2 then i can use both sets in the headstock.
of both lathes
I have an 85 dia screw on faceplate that can be machined to accept the sieg 3 and 4 chucks and 6" faceplate.BINGO
The headstock has 1/2HP motor,poly V belt drive with 6 speeds 350 to 3250.Should be adequate for light duties and alum.

 

[gus]

No tongue in cheek here Barry! I've been into woodworking most of my life and have attempted a chess set here or there, but never had them turn out as great as yours! A future project I'm really considering when I have a decent working furnace, as i'm realising the severe limitations of my little furnace now, is to melt a bunch of aluminium with and without some brass to create a different tone material, for turning a set.

cheers, Ian

Hi Ian,

Been watching green sand molding on YouTube. Now figuring out how to make a mini furnace melting aluminium w/o upsetting my better half and burning down the walk up flat. For now i am in procrastination mode.
Please keep me posted on your furnace. Plan to cast parts for a mini 6V Stuart in Aluminium.

Will buy a good Japanese Turning Tool Set at the TokyuHands in Osaka.
Taking my better half to Japan for a short holiday. Hope not to spend too much on fishing equipment.

 

[gus]

PART 4 I removed the headstock,it had precise location with a large tenon between the ways and was bolted down
with 4-M6 cap screws.I will open out to M8 later. I cleaned up the Brkt location area and drilled and tapped 2-M5 holes.
Cleaned up and reassembled.The headstock has a 10mm clear hole thru with a MT2 and a M30 threaded spindle.
I had purchased an imperial collet set with MT3 so now i can buy a metric set with MT2 then i can use both sets in the headstock.
of both lathes
I have an 85 dia screw on faceplate that can be machined to accept the sieg 3 and 4 chucks and 6" faceplate.BINGO
The headstock has 1/2HP motor,poly V belt drive with 6 speeds 350 to 3250.Should be adequate for light duties and alum.

Hi Barry,

Please advise best turning rpm. Saves time figuring out and ruining work piece. Plan to start off with handle bars for files.

 

[bazmak]

HI GUS, if you are making a small individual item then use hardwood and turning chisels. If you plan to make larger items
then cheaper softwood is ok Chess are different where you need to make multiple quanties
of the same size and shape
EG 16 pawns.I bought a simple copy turning attachment.A RC tool is mounted in a hand held support tool with a guide mounted below
A template is made from MDF and fixed to a brkt below the lathe you then hand turn until the guide follows the template
This is the easy way to rough turn softwood to identical shapes and sizes.I the finish off in the lathe with rough then medium sand paper.I then soak in clear woodsealer and allow to harden.The i finish with med/fine paper and use 2/3 coats of gloss varnish
If you want any more information i can sent photos of the setup when i finish my latest project. Regards Barry MY small lathe has 6 speeds 350/3250 i used the lowest 2 for turning the large sets and middle to high for the smaller sets.When you first start the part is out of balance so slow is good,as the size reduces and becomes balanced faster is better Its suck it and see really

 

[bazmak]

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PART 5 THE LEADSCREW I made a support brkt for the headstock end with a 12mm skate bearing and fixed with 2-M5 capscrews
I made a similar bearing brkt for the tailstock end and picked up 2 existing M10 tapped holes
From the local hardware store i bought a 24" length of 5/8W threaded rod and a coupling nut.I turned the ends to suit the brgs and fitted to the lathe.The tailstock end i fitted an M3 cap screw as a key and reused the handle and locking collar from the sieg lathe mod.Now for the difficult part.Fabricating the saddle. More to come Regards Barry

 

[bazmak]

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[bazmak]

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[bazmak]

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[bazmak]

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[bazmak]

PART 5 LEADSCREW I made a bearing support bracket and fixed to the headstock with 2-M5 capscrews
I bought a 24" length of threaded rod and a coupling nut

 

[bazmak]

I made a similar bracket for the tailstock end and fitted an m3 capscrew and M6 stud to accept the handle from the sieg lathe mod
picking up 2 existing M10-tapped holes in the bed

 

[bazmak]

The handle and locking knob can now be interchanged between lathes.Thread is RH with a pitch of 0.091"
but what the heck we cant have everything perfect Regards barry