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View Full Version : What height for a lathe.



arniez
8th October 2009, 07:00 AM
Hi All,

I have just bought my first wood lathe (second hand). It is bench mounted currently but I will be building a stand for it, what is a good height to have when turning? On You Tube I have seen them from waist to chest height!

Regards Arnie!

Ed Reiss
8th October 2009, 07:55 AM
Hi Arnie...welcome to the forums. :2tsup:

You will want the headstock spindle to be (your) elbow height. Any higher or lower makes turning uncomfortable.

INVENTOR
8th October 2009, 08:04 AM
the height depends upon what type of turning you are doing. usually elbow height is a good guide. However if you are doing hollow turning it can be much better to have it higher, so you don't have to bend over so much. IMO
One solution is to mount the lathe higher and then use removable boards on the floor ( you can incorporate anti fatigue matting as well) and then remove the boards when you need the extra height.
As it is difficult to lift your lathe up, but not difficult to remove the boards and be a bit lower. The shavings/dust fall through the boards.
Hope this helps.

Jim Carroll
8th October 2009, 08:42 AM
:iagree:

What you will find is if it is too low you will get a lot of discomfort in the middle of your back from bending down and if it is too high then your shoulder will be uncomfortable as you feel like you are shrugging all the time.

You have to be relaxed as possible

arniez
8th October 2009, 10:33 AM
Thanks for the quick replies,comfort seems like the most important factor, which makes plenty of sense.

Regards Arnie!

Ozkaban
8th October 2009, 10:52 AM
My lathe is on a cheapie stand that was too low, and as Jim said my lower back was suffering a bit. I have sinced raised it about 60mm and it is much better.

Spindle height is now at the tip of my elbow when my hand is on the opposite shoulder (about 2-3cm about my elbows resting position, if that makes sense). I can't remember who suggested that height, but it works for me.

Cheers,
Dave

hughie
8th October 2009, 01:58 PM
I have mine at 1200mm although my elbow is around 1100mm. I just prefer the extra 100mm or so, but thats me.

Daddy3x
8th October 2009, 02:00 PM
Forgot who helped on the forum helped me (Bruce Pennell i think), but it worked like a charm. 5 x 5 square tubing 1/4" thick with a L bracket welded on the outboard. Bolted lathe to it. I am 6' 4", and what a difference it made, night and day. I do use a fatigue mat, but I also put together a platform that my 5 '5" son can step up to. Overkill I suppose on the steel, but it's going nowhere, done deal. I don't know what height engineers calculate is average, but apparently it's not me, as all my bird and skeet guns are too small :~

NeilS
18th October 2009, 12:02 PM
Spindle height is now at the tip of my elbow when my hand is on the opposite shoulder (about 2-3cm about my elbows resting position, if that makes sense). I can't remember who suggested that height, but it works for me.



This is also my starting point. If I had a dedicated deep hollowing lathe I would go a bit higher, but for an all purpose lathe I find it's a good compromise.

.....

Manuka Jock
18th October 2009, 01:42 PM
:wts:




Hi All,

I have just bought my first wood lathe (second hand). It is bench mounted currently but I will be building a stand for it, what is a good height to have when turning? On You Tube I have seen them from waist to chest height!

Regards Arnie!

:worthless: