Annoying legs

**Sawdust Maker** · 1st February 2013, 11:37 PM

The legs on my lathe are in my humble opinion in the wrong position. Well the left set anyway.

When doing spindle work my natural (read comfortable) left foot placement is precisely where the bloomin leg meets the floor.
Just outside I feel stretched,
Just inside I feel cramped

problem_2766.jpg problem 3_2768.jpg problem 2_2767.jpg

so what to do?

a number of solutions came to mind:

1) Give up spindle turning
2) Sell the lathe and buy one of these where the headstock moves along the bed
3) Sell the cast iron legs and make a purpose built lathe stand out of, say, hardwood
4) Get some plate iron and move the legs to the left
5) Get a piece of seasoned hardwood to length and bolt the bed to it and legs underneath
6) Get some lengths of square cross section steel tube and use them as rails underneath the bed

The cast iron legs are bolted to the bed at the tailstock and headstock ends using 4 bolts respectively (the extreme left bolts are bolted from underneath)
lathe tailstock_2769.jpg lathe headstock_2770.jpg

My thinking was to undo the bolts and move the legs to the left
ie like this doctored photo. The tailstock end would need to be raised the same amount, otherwise the lathe would list to port.

The leg moves to the left the same distance as the boltholes. it means using some strengthening (the black bar in the photo) hence options 4,5 and 6.

idea_2770.jpg

I decided on option 4 and concluded that I needed a piece of flat iron 400mm long x 200mm wide x 20mm thick would be ample. I rang the steel merchant and yep could do that for a price but would have to get it from one of their other stores and I'd have to pay but could do 400 x 200 x 25 cheaper as it was in stock. Ok I'll wander up. When I get there the lad couldn't find it. Computer says in stock (3.1m), nobody can find. bvgger. Boss offers me a piece of 400 x 250 x 25 at offcut price. Done deal. I also got a couple of pieces of 200 x 50 x 25 for the tailstock end. The 25 mm is probably overkill but the extra strength won't hurt.

Today I filed off the rough edges and measured out and marked ready for drilling.

steel_2772.jpg steel marked up_2774.jpg

I managed to drill all the pilot holes and a couple of the final holes before the weather set in and made me pack up. I'll need to get a couple of longer bolts before I can assemble which will happen on Monday when the bolt shop at Artarmon is open.

**Trent The Thief** · 2nd February 2013, 01:47 AM

I can see where that is awkward. Do you think you could raise the whole lathe? Maybe 75mm or so? If you bolted short extensions to three legs and put that front left stand on a little bench you'd be able to stick your toes under it. If you bolted the leg to the bench it wouldn't slide off you your foot. Nothing fancy for the bench piece, just some pieces of stud with a chunk of flat iron plate on it.

**hughie** · 2nd February 2013, 07:46 AM

I wouldn't worry about the over kill as you dealing here with leg offset and it would be prone to vibration and you don't want that. Looks good to me

**nz_carver** · 2nd February 2013, 08:00 AM

number 7
buy a stubby

**RETIRED** · 2nd February 2013, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by hughie

I wouldn't worry about the over kill as you dealing here with leg offset and it would be prone to vibration and you don't want that. Looks good to me

What Hughie said.

**Sawdust Maker** · 2nd February 2013, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by Trent The Thief

I can see where that is awkward. Do you think you could raise the whole lathe? Maybe 75mm or so? If you bolted short extensions to three legs and put that front left stand on a little bench you'd be able to stick your toes under it. If you bolted the leg to the bench it wouldn't slide off you your foot. Nothing fancy for the bench piece, just some pieces of stud with a chunk of flat iron plate on it.

I had been toying with something along those lines but was worried that it make the lathe a bit unsteady to decrease its latitudinal footprint.

And I didn't like the idea of my foot being under anything in case it got caught/trapped if I needed to take quick evasive action.

**chuck1** · 2nd February 2013, 09:28 AM

I would go the easy way to fix the problem! I am very lucky to have a metal worker next door! even if we just bounce ideas around! I like your fixup my TAFE teacher approached a few lathe manufacturers about this problem as its very common with lathe stands, no one wanted to listen

**wheelinround** · 2nd February 2013, 10:15 AM

Nick why didn't you just swap the legs so that they are internal of both ends holes will match up no height difference and foot placement problems.

edited to add photo

**Sawdust Maker** · 2nd February 2013, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by nz_carver

number 7
buy a stubby

nice option but problem would be the same or maybe even more of a PITA. See borrowed piccy below!

S1000 stubby.jpg

Originally Posted by wheelinround

Nick why didn't you just swap the legs so that they are internal of both ends holes will match up no height difference and foot placement problems.

Interesting idea
Could just rotate the headstock end legs 180 degrees (the legs are the same not pecular to each/either end)
I think it would create another problem. It would bring the leg inboard about 6 1/2" (probably less - the bolt holes are that far apart)
The leg would than probably get in the way for other tasks. When doing the shuffle up and down the lathe I'd trip over the bloomin thing

Nah I think moving it 6 1/2" outboard will make my life a lot more pleasant.

Originally Posted by chuck1

I would go the easy way to fix the problem! I am very lucky to have a metal worker next door! even if we just bounce ideas around! I like your fixup my race teacher approached a few lathe manufacturers about this problem as its very common with lathe stands, no one wanted to listen

Racing lathes - lol
Typical of a lot of manufacturers in that they design and never use so can't (or don't want to) see the issue/problem

**Ross** · 2nd February 2013, 05:01 PM

Nick

Have you thought of using a set of legs from the Nova 1624/44. I don't have a problem with the position on mine.

Ross

**ian thorn** · 2nd February 2013, 09:11 PM

If you turned left handed it would help

Ian

**Sawdust Maker** · 4th February 2013, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Ross

Nick

Have you thought of using a set of legs from the Nova 1624/44. I don't have a problem with the position on mine.

Ross

You mean these ones? No I hadn't thought of them but that would have necessitated getting rid of the cast iron and I quite like the solid feel of them (haven't seen them seperately for sale either)

1624.jpg

Originally Posted by ian thorn

If you turned left handed it would help

Ian

Why didn't I think of that

I do a little left handed but am not that good or comfortable doing so. Not that brilliant right handed either (just to get in before the gallery!)

Now to the progress
have drilled all the holes (plus a couple extra) and given it a lick of paint
will hopefully get it all together tomorrow when the paint is fully dry

painted plate_2777.jpg

Had one small mishap during the day

bloomin thing rolled off the bench and I heard that 'ting' noise which meant it was broke!

drill casualty_2780.jpg

**RETIRED** · 4th February 2013, 12:07 PM

have drilled all the holes (plus a couple extra)

Practising?

**Paul39** · 4th February 2013, 12:12 PM

Had one small mishap during the day

bloomin thing rolled off the bench and I heard that 'ting' noise which meant it was broke!

Solid carbide bit? I've never heard of a high speed steel or high carbon steel bit doing that.

I've broken off quite a few drilling.

**issatree** · 4th February 2013, 01:06 PM

Hi SM,
Like Ian Thorn said, learn to Turn Left Handed ???
That is why us Lefties have no troubles with The Legs.

As I have said on previous Occasions, in my mind, The Lathe was made by a
Left Hander for Left Hander's.
We always stand in the centre of The Lathe.

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