Thread: Do you guys know where I can find a GMC wood lathe part?

Have you considered the 'refuse shop' at the local tip?

Sometimes you can find some unusual and hard to find parts/equipment etc. Just a thought

From memory, the only things that screwed onto the spindle were a drive center or a faceplate. Neither of these is going to allow you to fit a pen mandrel

The drive center I was using worked fine for the pen mandrel. Just had to push it in there, no dramas with catching or anything.

I was at the refuse shop a few weeks ago, lots of mattresses, but nothing like that there

I'm contemplating finding some long nuts, and a big bolt, welding the bolt in place, and then grinding out the pattern. Not ideal, but could work, now I've got to find a place that has massive bolts, I don't think bunnings goes that big.

Originally Posted by columnmn

.....I'm contemplating finding some long nuts, and a big bolt, welding the bolt in place, and then grinding out the pattern. Not ideal, but could work, now I've got to find a place that has massive bolts, I don't think bunnings goes that big.

In Sydney I have gone to Coventry Fasteners, which I think has been taken over or associated with Konnect? Not sure but the Konnect website is here, Konnect - Australasia's Bolt and Fastener Specialists and does have Coventry Group on their website.

Not knowing the thread size or pitch, what about a large Jacobs chuck???
Screw that on and the chuck would grip the mandrel.
Or is your mandrel a morse tapered one?

DeYoung's Have some large bolts at the moment

I am glad to see that somebody still has GMC lathe as most have finished up as polishers / sanders or even as a boat anchor, suggest you talk to an engineer to make an adapter to fit a Jacobs chuck or a Morse tapper adapter

G'day,

I believe it is a 3/4, 16TPI thread. Could be wrong, so get a confirmation on that, but that at least gives you some options - might be able to buy a chuck or drive centre matching that thread.

Good luck.

Jeff

Thanks for the tips guys!

It is something I want to keep the price down, considering I've found the entire lathe on gumtree for $50 - $150.

I'll try and machine up(I'm using that term loosely) the bolts, I have the faceplate from the lathe, so I'll take that with me, and try and find what fits at a fastening shop.

Originally Posted by cava

Have you considered the 'refuse shop' at the local tip?

Sometimes you can find some unusual and hard to find parts/equipment etc. Just a thought

Have a friend who sources wood from the 'tip' shop, which he fondly calls 'Mitre 11'. Appeals to my sense of humour.

Well, I got a long nut, a bolt, and did some welding, grinding, and I think it works!






Thanks guys.

I there a taper in the quill in the tail stock? If there is, I would be tempted to fit a drill chuck into the tail stock, with a 3/16" drill and bore and tap a 1/4" thread into the head stock quill. That will take a 1/4" bolt that will carry the bushes for pen making. I have made mandrels with bolts before. Could be a problem if you can't fit a jacob's chuck on the tail stock though.

Jim

It's a pretty cheap lathe, there isn't anything removal-able on the tail stock. It seems to work with the pen mandrel, just need to put a bit of pressure against it.

Hey Guys
Had an early model of that lathe when i first started turning bought mine from Bunnings ,I now work for Masters not sure for how much longer ?? but i think Gmc were taken over by the 909 brand they may have a similar lathe which they have just re-branded not to sure, Mine served me well but when my bowl blanks got bigger and bigger and i couldn't take the shaking anymore it was time to upgrade.one of my last projects on that lathe jumped out of the basic 4 jaw chuck went through the workshop window and stopped spinning at my wife's feet as she was hanging out the washing. Are you sure you want to do that for hobby she said...