taking the plunge

[steamer]

I would double up the top thickness....2 layers of 3/4 ply...the top one can be nice stuff if you like

I would put press board down in sections between the lathe and the bench so you can change out the top occassionally...which is what I've done on my bench....but I would say that's optional

1 1/2 " top is nice and rugged and stiff which will help with the lathe stiffness too.

Dave

 

[Rayanth]

I would double up the top thickness....2 layers of 3/4 ply...the top one can be nice stuff if you like

I would put press board down in sections between the lathe and the bench so you can change out the top occassionally...which is what I've done on my bench....but I would say that's optional

1 1/2 " top is nice and rugged and stiff which will help with the lathe stiffness too.

Dave

Thickness duly noted. how about location of lathe versus operator side of workbench?

- Ryan

 

[rebush]

Ryan: When I built the base and top for my Atlas 10x24 I welded a 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 steel frame together tap-conned that to the wall and floor took a cheap sheet of 3/4 maple ply quartered it thew it in the vacuum press. Had a top that has 2'x4'x3'' thick put a piece of 1/8'' aluminum on the top, levelled and bolted the lathe down. Haven't had to re-level in over a year. I mounted the lathe so all the handles and levers on the saddle were off the top and it's worked great for me. Rigidity in your set-up matters so much in the outcome of your work. Roger

 

[steamer]

Weight and thickness never hurt a lathe bench

Triple it if you like
Dave

 

[Sshire]

Hi Ryan
The mounting bolt holes on the Griz G0602 are 32.5" on center.
My table is an Ikea 48" Oak kitchen countertop (1.5" thick, solid oak). I think it was $89.
It's on steel legs that I got at Grainger (under $100). The setup is very stable. I put concrete anchors into the basement floor and bolted the legs to those.

Any other questions, just ask.
Pick up a gallon of Simple Green to clean off the Chinese goo.

Best
Stan

 

[Mosey]

I would like to suggest that you get a sheet metal pan made to fit under your lathe. Mine sticks out about 4" in front. I don't like chips on the floor, because my cat eats them, barfs them up, and then my wife threatens to throw me or the shop out. I also don't like getting them stuck in my sneaks and then tracking them upstairs. The pan sticks out about as far as the carriage hand wheel.

 

[Don1966]

Mosey is that wood shims I see under your lathe? Does't it have jacking screws on it?

Stan I have a question about your lathe and tha that is how rigid is it, and how do you like it?

Don

 

[Mosey]

Shame on me! Yes, they are wood. I will stay after class and write 500 times "I will not use wooden shims".


Actually, Don, the closed cabinet bases do not allow any jack screws, so I have to use wedges. I don't know how to get steel wedges.

 

[Rayanth]

...so I have to use wedges. I don't know how to get steel wedges.

Make them? ;D

- Ryan

 

[Sshire]

Don
Since this is the first lathe I've ever owned (or used) I have no basis for comparison. That said, it seems very solid and stable. My finishes have gotten better as I gain more experience. I seem to be able to take fairly heavy cuts in 6061 and brass and I don't notice my small coolant containers atop the head end vibrating off the lathe.
Speed changes are much easier once I took the suggestion from a user on the 10x22 forum and went with a slightly longer v- belt.
I think, for the money, it's a good value and probably the last lathe I'll need (unless a near-perfect Heavy 10 shows up on Craigslist ;D
The 3 best upgrades I've made (in order of cost) are Grizzly DRO for the cross slide, QCTP and a Bison Set Tru 5C collet chuck. The DRO, I think, is critical because the feed screw on the cross slide is metric so the .001 per marking on the handwheel dial is progressively off the more you turn it. Cumulative error. I'm sure Marv could calculate the error quite easily.
Best
Stan

 

[Rayanth]

Having read so much on the 10x22, I finally got around to calling Grizzly today, and they don't have any in stock, and won't until August.

heartbreak!

But their website shows they have the 11x26 in stock... and it's only $300 more at present... hmmmm... I'm sure one can never have too much lathe... thoughts?

- Ryan

 

[1Kenny]

The 1" spindle bore on the 11X26 will be a good thing to have.

Kenny

 

[steamer]

The old saw is you can do little work with a big lathe, but you can't do big work with a small lathe....

A larger 1" bore is better than a 3/4"...

That said, I don't know much about the 11"...Anybody got some experience with this one?

Dave

 

[Rayanth]

Well, I hate to have idle hands, and since I can't effectively make the trip to Grizzly until Friday, I set about mocking up a design for the workbench. Boredom and Autodesk Inventor were made for each other!

All legs and supports are 4x4 pressure treated hemlock-fir, which is rather cheap at Home Depot at the moment ($8.77 per 8 footer, and 9 would be needed). Looking at using deck-building hardware to hold it all together nice and sturdy. Shown is two layers of 3/4" high density fiberboard, cut to 4 foot lengths and butted up against each other primarily for the purpose of fitting it in my car. If I can borrow my dad's trailer I might skip that part. a third sheet of 3/4" oak cabinetry plywood would be on top of that, NOT cut down, and finished either with several layers of seal and varnish, or a good wear- and oil-resistant paint.

No drawers, etc - that can all come later.

- Ryan

 

[steamer]

I'd use 3/4 birch ply or equivalent on the top...it's far more stable.

Put at least a lower shelf in to tie the legs in. That will stiffen it up considerably

I would use lap joints on the legs, glued and screwed

Skip the pressure treated, it doesn't glue well

stagger the plywood joints along the length of the bench to stiffen it up.

put a back splash and side splash in

Dave

 

[Rayanth]

I'd use 3/4 birch ply or equivalent on the top...it's far more stable.

Put at least a lower shelf in to tie the legs in. That will stiffen it up considerably

I would use lap joints on the legs, glued and screwed

Skip the pressure treated, it doesn't glue well

stagger the plywood joints along the length of the bench to stiffen it up.

put a back splash and side splash in

Dave

man, i just can't get anything right, can i? :'(

I went with the pressure treated mostly because of the humidity in this area. will help it live longer. It also doesn't flex quite as easily, so I felt that would hold the weight better. The 11x26 is a 490 pound machine. I didn't intend to glue anything, just use decking hardware to tie it all together, that stuff is plenty strong enough when used right, and dirt cheap.

As for backsplash/sidesplash, I wanted both ends of the bench open, so no sidesplashes (left because that's where the gear access is, and right because I want to put the grinder or bandsaw there) and the machine has its own backsplash, though i may consider adding one to the workbench as well now that I think on it.

As for crossing the laps in the plywood I can see an easy enough way to do that, no big issue there

Lap joints on the beams, though, is a bit more complex than my limited woodworking knowledge can handle. My dad has said He will help me (carpentry is his life) but I can't really count on that help, so figured I'd go at this alone. I do want to bounce the design off of him at least.

- Ryan

 

[techonehundred]

Having read so much on the 10x22, I finally got around to calling Grizzly today, and they don't have any in stock, and won't until August.

heartbreak!

But their website shows they have the 11x26 in stock... and it's only $300 more at present... hmmmm... I'm sure one can never have too much lathe... thoughts?

- Ryan

I have been contemplating whether to write this or not because I don't want to create tension, but as a guy who is self taught and an amateur in every respect, here is the way I see it. The thing about the 9927 is it the lathe at the crossroads. It is cheaper than the 12" lathes because it is missing the main features of the 12" lathe. It looks like it will really be nice and a good lathe to start with as long as you expect it to be a starter lathe and will replace it at some point. Now if this lathe is really stretching the budget, I understand that and having a lathe is a lot better than not having one and ignore the following. But if you are considering this as a purchase to grow with here are the negatives I see with it. These are not deal breakers, but just food for thought. 1. It doesn't have a powered cross slide and this feature once you have it, you will not understand how you worked without it. It gives so much better finishes doing face cuts. 2. The spindle is threaded and a weird size at that. Now this may not be a problem for the most part, as it comes with a faceplate, 4 jaw, and a 3 jaw chuck. The only problem will be if you ever want to add accessories that thread onto the spindle. You will probably have to thread and make your own back plates for them. The other negative thing about the threaded spindle is getting that @#%@#$ chuck off. I did not see an easy way to hold the spindle when removing the chuck. My lathe has a threaded spindle and there are times I wished it did not. My lathe also has an MT4 spindle and that leads to number three. If you are anything like me you will want to use collets at some point. The collets that usually have an adapter for an MT4 are 4-C collets. They are expensive and hard to find. So to use collets you have to find other options such as a collet chuck, or as I did make a collet chuck. Collet chucks are out there, but it is just another extension on the spindle and are not usually as accurate(Maybe better said "as easy to make accurate") as a collet directly in the spindle. I know that the 12" lathes are a big jump in price, but with gear boxes to make speed changes without having to fight belts, powered cross slides and power feeds that do not depend on(ie add wear to) the threading feed screw, and an MT 5 spindle that is not threaded and will easily take available collets, go with an open mind and compare what Grizzly has in the showroom. Play with all of them and get a feel for what the differences are. I am not trying to discourage a purchase, rather I would hope that it will help you to know what you are looking at when you go to the showroom.

 

[Ken I]

That's good advice - it also suggests it might be an idea to take an experienced turner with you (I trust you know at least one) to get his input.

2c

Ken

 

[Rayanth]

Ken - Sadly I have nobody local to rely on (that I know of), though the thought had crossed my mind.

techonehundred - I hope my usual attitude isn't what barred you from making your suggestion - i know i'm often gruff, but usually it's in jest. I'm very open minded. I have carefully thought over your points.

While the biggest limitation for stepping up to a 12 is the sizeable price jump ($300 to go from 10 to 11 is within reason, another $1000 to go from 11 to 12 would raise a couple eyebrows) and the amount of strain I'm willing to let it put on my finances, there are many other things I've considered as well. All of your points seem very valid and I will certainly refer back to them as I learn to work with my choices.

The biggest physical problem that I have with the step to a 12" is that it requires a step to 220 voltage. I live in a rental, am looking for another rental... and won't be likely to see my own home that I can make significant electrical modifications to, for several years yet. I realize that many 220 motors can be rewired for 110, but that's not something I feel comfortable doing - I prefer to use machines the way they were designed to be used (of course, I will add things to them over time - DRO, etc, but that's different)

In a way, I almost look forward to the added challenges you bring up with the 11x26. It's an odd quirk of my personality, I like doing things the hard way ;D

Regardless, I greatly value your input. And that of all others. Please don't let my strange attitude come across as off-putting, it's my own peculiar brand of sarcasm, mixed with own peculiar brand of mild autism (Asperger's Syndrome), mixed with the way I was treated throughout my childhood implanting itself upon me as an acceptable way to treat others. I honestly mean nothing too serious by it, I am ALWAYS open to input and suggestions.

- Ryan

 

[jdcool4]

This is the lathe ive been looking at it has power cross feed and a seaprate screw for the feed from threading.


http://www.machinetoolonline.com/PM-1127-VF.html