What top for a lathe stand?

[rsser]

G'day all,

I'm looking at having a steel stand fabricated for a DVR XP which will replace the Stubby.

I want a wood top of some description and have some quality 19mm ply to hand. How do you reckon two layers of this would go suitably fixed together and supported underneath?

The width will be about 35 cm, length 1.6 m with a support half way.

The base lathe unit is about 80 kg, extension bed maybe another 20kg or so.

[Manuka Jock]

Ern ,
check in with Harry72 , he built a great steel frame for his XP.

Mine's on a wood bench so can't help you on this one .

[efgee88]

Hi Ern,

Are you thinking about reducing vibration?
Is this why you want to use a wooden top supporting the bed?

Another "hobby" of mine has to do with turntables (record players) and one way of reducing vibration with these is to make their plinths from laminated layers of MDF and Ply.

So you could consider putting a piece of 18mm or 25mm MDF between your layers of ply. Don't know if it makes any difference with lathes, but its just a thought, and if nothing else it will add mass.

I never thought of putting timber between my stand and the lathe bed. Mine is bolted directly to the stand that was made for the DVRXP. That is how I bought it.

Cheers,

FrankG.

[rsser]

Hi Frank,

No, it's (a) just to simplify the fixing of the bed, and (b) to provide some bench space behind the bed and where the extension would otherwise be for its occasional use.

[Manuka Jock]

Ern ,
why take the extension off ? are you short of space ?

[RETIRED]

I have always used 19mm ply under mine.

[hughie]

Ern,

Dragging up memories anti-vibration tests from my old R&D days etc.

To be most effective you need to mechanically isolate the lathe from the legs. If bolt through the wood to the legs there is no mechanical isolation and not much will be gained.

So I would suggest to make the bed timber big enough to have a separate set of bolts to the bolts that hold it to the legs.

Glue up a decent sandwhich of ply and MDF, probably two layers of MDF and three of ply. If you use thinner MDF say 13-15 or whatevers available. It should do with out looking like a neanderthal surf board. :U

Not from memory how good your bench was. But that would be an easy fix

[Ed Reiss]

Ern,

Here's a pretty simple, straight-forward, sturdy stand that might work for you.
The legs are 2" black pipe threaded at each end to receive a flange. The flange is bolted to the floor and to the ply at top. The ply is 1 1/2" thick made from two pieces of 3/4" laminated together...plenty of strength to hold the Nova 1500.
Bolt the ply at the wall end with an "L" bracket (mine are 6" brackets)

I can swing full capacity and the lathe has minimal vibration when roughing and none when the piece is in round.

[rsser]

Thanks guys.

Jock, the extension will only get occasional use so otherwise there'd be a nice bit of bench space to park a cuppa, the tools in use, the finish, an ash tray and a welter of shavings.

: good enough for me.

Neil, thanks, vibe damping might be an incidental benefit then but the real reason is to simplify the steel frame fabrication - so the guy doesn't have to weld tabs on the top in the right places. And I like a wood surface.

Ed, thanks for the pics. What's worked for me before is basically a couple of trestles out of RHS joined by rails. (Added: the trestles are welded, and bolted to the concrete floor; the rails are then bolted to the trestles - to cope with the uneven floor. If necessary the top gets shimmed for flatness.)

[Harry72]

Heavy guage 8" C section makes a good flat base to suit nova's, soon add a shelf for extra space. CIG glue sticks will work well:)

Not real happy with my stand, the spindle is to close to the splayed legs so I'm forever kicking them. Thinking about turning the lathe around on the stand, put the splayed legs at the tail stock end.
Then once I get my room set up it'll be bolted down to 5T of concrete:wink:

[RETIRED]

Sorry Ern, I may have misunderstood what you were doing.

My lathes sre bolted to a steel stand through a sheet of ply.

One lathe that I put on a wooden bench was bolted to 40MM ply with steel plates acting as washers underneath.

I used that lathe (TL1500) for about 10 years with no ill affects to its stability.

[rsser]

Ah, ok. Thanks .

[Jim Carroll]

Ern one thing to consider with the nova lathes is that the shavings drop into the bed gap.

They are a pain in the butt to clean out if you have a solid timber top. Best to have an open top and create a chute for the shavings to drop through to as this will make cleaning up easier. As you can see by eds bench all clear underneath.

[rsser]

Ah, thanks for that warning Jim.

[Maybe that could be made to be a virtue. Vision of a couple of 4" dusty ports in the base. Hmm, but then when the inevitable happens and something is dropped ... whoosh ;-} ]

[Manuka Jock]

Ern,
The bed extension has to be bolted on with 4 bolts from underneath . The gap in the bed is too narrow to be able to do this , even with the cranked allum key .
I have to tip the whole unit away from me , over on its side , to add the bed sections.
That rather makes it a one off job .

One option might be to get the Swing Away Accessory so that you can hinge the end section of the bed right around , back on to itself . You would need about 600mm clearance behind the lathe for that tho.

For the issue of waste build up inside the bed , 20 - 40 mm ply shims across the bolt lines will leave a gap that will enable clean out.

[RETIRED]

Ern one thing to consider with the nova lathes is that the shavings drop into the bed gap.

They are a pain in the butt to clean out if you have a solid timber top. Best to have an open top and create a chute for the shavings to drop through to as this will make cleaning up easier. As you can see by eds bench all clear underneath.Not only cleaning up but you sometimes get that many shavings that the banjo can't move. DAMHIK. :whistling2:

[Manuka Jock]

Heavy guage 8" C section makes a good flat base to suit nova's, soon add a shelf for extra space. CIG glue sticks will work well:)

Not real happy with my stand, the spindle is to close to the splayed legs so I'm forever kicking them. Thinking about turning the lathe around on the stand, put the splayed legs at the tail stock end.
Then once I get my room set up it'll be bolted down to 5T of concrete:wink:

You gunna pour a waist high concrete plinth to set the lathe on Harry ? :)

[RETIRED]

You gunna pour a waist high concrete plinth to set the lathe on Harry ? :)My verandah post lathe sat on 8 cubic metres of solid concrete in one place we lived.

Still there minus lathe when we sold the place. Bloke who bought it reckons it was the best bench he'd ever had.:D

[Manuka Jock]

My verandah post lathe sat on 8 cubic metres of solid concrete in one place we lived.

Still there minus lathe when we sold the place. Bloke who bought it reckons it was the best bench he'd ever had.:D

If I owned my own workshop . I'd do it . A long one , so that I could shift the tailstock bed section along for the long stuff.:2tsup:

Here is what I did for a lamp stand

[rsser]

Jock said: The bed extension has to be bolted on with 4 bolts from underneath . The gap in the bed is too narrow to be able to do this , even with the cranked allum key .

Another 'ah, thanks for that' :2tsup:

What a pill. Does both the bolt and the nut have to be held to tighten them up?

[Manuka Jock]

Another 'ah, thanks for that' :2tsup:

What a pill. Does both the bolt and the nut have to be held to tighten them up?

No nut needed , the receiving hole is threaded .
To line up the ways spot on , its' best to clamp the the tail stock over the join for the final tightening .
Failure to do so will leave the impression that the bed was laid by the Railways track crew :U

[efgee88]

Jim,

Can you bolt a bed extension to that hinged bed device (designed for the tailstock) so that Ern could swing the bed extension around when he wants to use it? When not in use it can sit parallel to the bed.

Cheers,

FrankG

[efgee88]

This is what I mean Ern:
http://www.teknatool.com/products/Lathe_Accessories/Swing_away/Swing_away.htm

Should solve your problem with the bed extension.


Cheers,


FrankG

[rsser]

Thanks Frank. Had seen one but thought it unecessary. Maybe not.

Alt is the hinge with an adjustable prop rather than a bench to support the extension. Ching ching.

[Ed Reiss]

If I owned my own workshop . I'd do it . A long one , so that I could shift the tailstock bed section along for the long stuff.:2tsup:

Here is what I did for a lamp stand

MJ...nice gap bed lathe you got there, only ain't that gap suppose to be a tad closer to the headstock? :U:doh::D:D:D:D

[Manuka Jock]

MJ...nice gap bed lathe you got there, only ain't that gap suppose to be a tad closer to the headstock? :U:doh::D:D:D:D

Its' a relocatable gap Ed :2tsup:

this is it's big brother here (http://tinyurl.com/nbfr53):p :D:roflmao:

[rsser]

A portable gap Jock?

You could rent it out :wink:

[Manuka Jock]

A portable gap Jock?

You could rent it out :wink:

Yeah , I could , but the insurance is crippling .
I knew some blokes who has a holesale business . One fell of the back of the truck , and a little old lady drove her Morrie-Minor into it . They got taken to the cleaners .

[rsser]

Sigh, thought everyone knew the way to transport them was to tie cords around them.

They can double as fishing nets.

[Manuka Jock]

Sigh, thought everyone knew the way to transport them was to tie cords around them.



damm :doh:

[Paul39]

Hi Frank,

No, it's (a) just to simplify the fixing of the bed, and (b) to provide some bench space behind the bed and where the extension would otherwise be for its occasional use.

And to hold piles of chips and shavings.

I am making a new stand for my Hegner 175 with only a vertical 2 X 8 under the bed.

It is on a bench now and chips pile up over the bed when I get absorbed in cutting.

I like Ed's system in #8, you don't have to stop and vacuum until the chips are over your knees. Maybe not even then if you don't jump around too much.

[Harry72]

You gunna pour a waist high concrete plinth to set the lathe on Harry ? :)

Nah just bolt down the current stand, I made provisions for it when I built it.:2tsup:

[Grumpy John]

I've got my lathe sitting on one of these, $500 from Carba-tec. True the shavings accumulate in the gap, but a couple of minutes with the vac and they're all gone. The extra storage space more than makes up for any inconvenient vacuuming, anyway you could always get the wife to do it while you have a cuppa :fisch::stirthepot:.

106861

[RETIRED]

anyway you could always get the wife to do it while you have a cuppa :fisch::stirthepot:.And you have tried this?:wink:

[rsser]

Bet you take the calendar down first GJ.

...

How rigid is it? ie. would it cope with head at 90 degrees with a lump a bit out of round?

[Ed Reiss]

...best to hire a maid, the wife might not be too keen on cleaning up after you John :no::no:

[Grumpy John]

And you have tried this?:wink:

You've gotta be kidding :no:.


Bet you take the calendar down first GJ.
.....


Why :rolleyes:.



.....
How rigid is it? ie. would it cope with head at 90 degrees with a lump a bit out of round?

The lathe is actually bolted to the benchtop. I have turned some pretty out of balance stuff with this setup, but the headstock is in line with the bed. I'm pretty sure it would be O.K. at 45 deg., but I don't know about 90 deg.

[issatree]

Hi Ern,
I bought a Hegner Scroll Saw from an older Chap & he had 2 pieces of Sheet Lead under ea. bolt. Dead as a door nail. I also made a new stand for my Tough Lathe, on Rails with the Lead under every bolt there was. Same effect. Dead. No Vibration.
It's worth a try.
REGARDS,
ISSATREE.

[rsser]

Thanks Issatree and thanks GJ.

More to think about.

I've got some queries in with T/tool customer service about combinations of setups with their cast iron legs, and am waiting for the stand fabricator to get back with a quote. With that I've changed the design to get mounting plates under the three bolting points, and will pack the bed up at those points to give 19mm clearance for shaving removal.

The hinge for the extension bed is still of interest too; if it's overhung past a short stand then an adjustable prop will need to be knocked up.

[Sawdust Maker]

I've got the cast iron legs on mine
pretty sturdy
I've only had it bounce around once (and that was because I didn't have the head stock and tail stock lined up proper) But then I'm a fairly newish beginner and might not have tried it out enough yet (damn I need more shed time, have to give up work!)

[rsser]

Yeah, work is the curse of the turning classes, or something.

My questions to T/tool were (a) could you run the setup with the extension having the cast iron leg at the end of the std bed, ie. with the ext. overhanging, and (b) could you do this with the hinge joining the two beds?

[Sawdust Maker]

Ern
The Teknatool site has this piccy (http://www.teknatool.com/products/Lathe_Accessories/Other/cast_iron_stand.htm) and this one (http://www.teknatool.com/products/Lathe_Accessories/Bed_Unit/Bed_Unit.htm) which would seem to suggest that you can have one extension bed overhang the legs.
Knew I'd seen it somewhere - just had to find it

[Sprog]

I used a pair of these cast iron legs.

Cast Iron Legs (http://www.timbecon.com.au/productsearch/default.aspx?txtSearchBox=cast+iron+leg)

There are two separate legs this is just a badly cropped picture :D

Laminated 4 thickness of mdf to make a base as the holes in the legs are not in the correct place for the DVR. Bolted the base to the legs then bolted the DVR to the base. I even drilled large holes in the base first to allow the chips to drop through :D
This is a very solid stand and quite a lot cheaper than the Nova cast iron legs.
Made the stand before Nova released their stand.

[rsser]

Thanks Nick. FWIW I want them to confirm that it can be used this way and it's not just for display. Esp. given what they charge for the legs!

The guy who built the steel stand in the pic that I think I posted, with the extension prop, reckons its fine for mounting a hollowing rig on but then it's one helluva stand.

Thanks for that link Sprog. They're about 340 mm wide at the base. Any rocking? Have you bolted yours to the floor?

[Sprog]

Thanks for that link Sprog. They're about 340 mm wide at the base. Any rocking? Have you bolted yours to the floor?

The legs are too low for me so I mounted them on battens which protrude out about 100mm either side giving a wider footprint. Not bolted to the floor and hasn't moved around yet :D

[rsser]

Interesting.

Would you mind measuring the height of the legs themselves for me?

Edit: do they have any ribs inside that could be used for shelf mounts?

[Sprog]

Would you mind measuring the height of the legs themselves for me?
Edit: do they have any ribs inside that could be used for shelf mounts?

Height 790mm
width at top 150 - depth at top 160
width at bottom 340 - depth at bottom 90
ribs for shelf 200mm up from bottom

My batten for legs is 500mm long
My MDF bed overhangs 90mm either end.
The two inner nuts are recessed into the MDF bed as the top of the legs partially cover the lathes inner mounting hole location.

Carbatec also have these legs.

[Sprog]

Drilled 50mm holes in MDF bed aligned between webs in lathe bed

[rsser]

Many thanks Sprog. Food for serious thought.

[Sprog]

Many thanks Sprog. Food for serious thought.
And saving more than $300 is an incentive :D:D

[rsser]

Zaccly.

They're not on Carbatec's website but are stocked.

[Sawdust Maker]

I managed to get the legs thrown in (and a SN2 chuck) :D (and a cap) :D:D
Which is why I've got them - I was all set to make a stand out of well seasoned hardwood (which I'm now using for small bowls :D)
One downside is that SWMBO still talks about everything in "Lathe $" :doh:
Maybe you'd better do some negotiating - at least get them down to the same or similar cost to the Timbecom legs - that way no mucking around getting them to fit!

Just had another thought, you're going to need ever how many chuck inserts for all your chucks as I'll bet the stubby and nova are different

PS I see that life has moved on Jet legs on a Nova - is nuthin sacred?

[rsser]

Hope Jim is still reading this thread (cheque's on the way Nick :wink:).

Yeah, I'll get a spindle adaptor but that's not ideal so most spindle threaded accessories have gone with the Stubby: screw chuck, threaded drive dog and faceplates; and 3 chucks will need new inserts. Two vac chucks will have to be remounted.

New faceplates will be more expensive as the size isn't common and modular jobs have to be acquired. Sigh. Bl**dy American market.

At least the collection of curved rests will fit the banjo. Most have had the posts replaced twice already.

Luckily the missus and I decided at the off to share the bills but otherwise keep the finances separate so it's only me I have to fool, er, satisfy.