Sturdee
7th January 2012, 03:27 PM
I have been using my mini lathe for a while, mainly turning pens and pendants, and I found that when turning pendants the tailstock gets in the way for some operations. So I have been removing and replacing the tailstock regularly.
An extra lengths to move it out of the way would be nice but the commercial extension for this model, whilst available and quite reasonable, is longer than the bench opening thus requiring more modifications to the bench.
This is easier said then done so when I saw a home made lathe extension on the net I decided to make one myself.
Made of old and well seasoned hardwood (still from my original load of seconds bought as one of the first bulk buys) and other bits and pieces from the workshop. The extension is 250mm which fits in well and makes it long enough to park the tailstock out of the way and slide it back when needed.
Photos 1- 3 show the front, end and back of the extension whilst photo 4 shows the tailstock resting on it.
I finished the sides etc by painting it black and the top is finished with a few coats of Trad. wax as per photo 5 and the last photo shows the completed unit ready for turning a pendant.
Enjoy.
Peter.
An extra lengths to move it out of the way would be nice but the commercial extension for this model, whilst available and quite reasonable, is longer than the bench opening thus requiring more modifications to the bench.
This is easier said then done so when I saw a home made lathe extension on the net I decided to make one myself.
Made of old and well seasoned hardwood (still from my original load of seconds bought as one of the first bulk buys) and other bits and pieces from the workshop. The extension is 250mm which fits in well and makes it long enough to park the tailstock out of the way and slide it back when needed.
Photos 1- 3 show the front, end and back of the extension whilst photo 4 shows the tailstock resting on it.
I finished the sides etc by painting it black and the top is finished with a few coats of Trad. wax as per photo 5 and the last photo shows the completed unit ready for turning a pendant.
Enjoy.
Peter.