Tail vice pole-lathe

[Berlin]

I've been thinking about making a pole lathe. 'Thinking' being the operative word but I came across this article just now and it has almost sparked me into action because it looks like you could get it set up in an hour or two.

This should probably go in the turning forum but since this article is mainly about re-handling chisels I thought I'd keep it here on the Dark Side.

The only problem for me is I'll need a tail vice first...

End Vice Pole Lathe Article - Greenwoodworking (http://www.greenwoodworking.com/EndVicePoleLatheArticle)

Anybody use a pole/reciprocating lathe?

Cheers
Matt

[johnredl]

Just watching with interest.

[pmcgee]

There was that BBC show on ABC about Green-Wood working ... Mastercrafts ...

Pole lathe starts at 14:00 ...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJTR2EWEW2E

[Berlin]

That was an interesting show. Thanks for the link Paul.

[RETIRED]

Bump

[Berlin]

Bump

Maybe if Stanely or Disston made one there'd be more responses :U

http://kleinrestoration.com/images/blog/polelathe01.jpgRoy Underhill's lathe looks the business and not too hard to construct, but the idea of a bungee cord attached to the roof over a tail vice to turn little stuff sounds like the ultimate dabbler's entry point.

[johnredl]

I quite like Roy's treadle lathe. I've thought about making one using a 20kg barbell weight as the flywheel.

[Berlin]

Cool. I hadn't seen that one.

Here's a link to some sketch-up plans I just found.

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/sketchup-for-woodworking-models/roy-underhills-treadle-lathe-sketchup-

[Paul39]

A few more for research:

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=853&bih=484&q=pole+lathes&oq=pole+lathes&gs_l=img.3..0i24.1264.5773.0.6324.13.12.1.0.0.0.161.1599.0j12.12.0...0.0...1ac.1.FVyk097eyQQ

You may want to drag a few free shipping pallets home and knock something together and have a go. You might spend a bunch of time and effort making a wonderful spring pole lathe and discover that electric powered lathes were really good things, and WHAT WAS I THINKING!

If I had to have a foot powered lathe I would make something with a big flywheel and treadle like an old sewing machine.

A few more:

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=853&bih=484&q=human+powered+lathes&oq=human+powered+lathes&gs_l=img.12...1576.7221.0.10634.20.13.0.7.7.0.164.1743.2j11.13.0...0.0...1ac.1.Messl9xdiQA#imgrc=mZDgVUfZ5vXZ6M%3A%3BnAHSKPAmJtOZ3M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fknightsia.org%252Fnewsletters%252FIssue_16_files%252Fsac.lathe.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fknightsia.org%252Fnewsletters%252FIssue_16.htm%3B1024%3B768

[pmcgee]

Yes ... I saw this somewhere and thought it a bit interesting.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT9LaYsYHnpPTBiu-80ig9T-dUdXRnYIEgnpGVfHieWMmQuRizd

I am totally ignorant of lathe-work, but woulda kinda like to make some handles and learn a bit about it.

There are manufactured ones in the paper from $50+ which is a bit tempting, I'd probably go with something if it fell in my lap one day ... but part of me says grab an old motor and make a small one.

Why the interest in the pole-lathe in particular? (The treadle-lathe is kinda cool)

Cheers,
Paul

[johnredl]

.

[hughie]

Here you go design and made all in one :U it aint a pole lathe but.....

How I built Leonardo Da Vinci’s lathe | Stuart King (http://www.stuartking.co.uk/index.php/how-i-built-leonardo-da-vincis-lathe/)

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/leonardo-da-vincis-wood-lathe-59488/

[Berlin]

Crums, Hughie, that's a big fly wheel!

The interest in pole lathes is not specific, a treadle would be nice too, but the sheer simplicity of it is attractive. I wouldn't mind an electric one but the human powered version just sounds more laborious and time consuming... which means less wood will end up as nasty little bowls or pear shaped rolling pins :U