Mini lathe on stand vs mini lathe in bench?

[nz_carver]

Hey all with the re fit of the workshop just around the corner I'm looking to use my shop space to its full

my woodfast mini is on a woodfast mini lathe stand and it good
im looking at getting a bed extension for it. But I'd have to buy the extension to the stand as well

this got me thinking about mounting it to my bench and using the space to its full
I'm all thinking about sticking a bit of a soiled wood bench top on the lathe stand and useing it to set my bench grinder on

Whats the good side of haveing the lathe on the bench??

[RETIRED]

You can stack 200 leg blanks there.
A good place to put your cup of tea with a lid on.:wink:
You can put your chisels there.
You can put pencils there so they roll off or get covered in shavings and you can't find them.
You can screw bits and pieces on like dust extractors and patterns.
That is the up side.

The down side is that unless the bench is solid they can move a little more than a stand will.
Feet access can be restrictive.
The bed of the lathe can fill with shavings and in the minis and midis with the motor underneath they can overheat.

I prefer benches myself but be warned about any flat surface, they clutter up.:D

[BobL]

Here's mine.

The bench frame is 40 x 2.5 mm SHS.
1HP 3Phase electric motor from an old WW lathe slung low provides extra stability
Cheap but effective VSD (I run it from 20 to 100 Hz) so still have to swap the gears occasionally.
I was going to weight in down with some concrete slab shelving on the bottom spreaders but it's more than stable enough for what I do.
At some stage I will remove the original motor as it will make it easier to clean underneath
http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachments/f245/217178d1343299213-bobls-shed-fit-nearlycomplete.jpg

Have since added adjustable dust collection (Yes I have added a mesh cover to that opening)
http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachments/f200/221004d1345902325-air-speeds-around-duct-openings-blades-nb-invisible-dust-discussed-lgebm1.jpg

[Paul39]

You can make drawers or compartments to fit under the lathe. It will take a while to fill with shavings or dust.

I do bigger stuff, so anything on my bench gets buried in shavings. Even with in balance pieces the vibration makes almost everything fall off the bench. Including open cans of finish.

Stand is under construction.

[HardingPens]

I put my buffer on the bench too and fastened the bench to the wall so nothing moves it. Built tool holders into the bench and put a drawer underneath.

[wheelinround]

:? thought you sold the Woodfast http://www.woodworkforums.com/f221/woodfast-305-mini-lathe-164210/?highlight=woodfast+lathe

:U Oh you bought the Cougar :2tsup:........................ or is it a Vicmarc:roll:

Not sure why you'd want the extension bed if you have the Nova:?, its should be long enough. I'd buy the extension for that instead if you need extra length although there is ways of getting around it for one or two jobs.

I reckon stand is best feet legs have room to get under
I have the Jet mini on the bench standing sitting there is APIA as I have to splay my legs to get close.

[nz_carver]

I sold one of my minis
Cougar are a waste of time and $ and there to dam low for me


the only vicmarc I like is the VL 300 shortbed
The VL175 is cute but its not me, I'm not a fan of swinging the head around

stubby is not to bad but $8000 then another $2000 to get the mods done and around a month wate for one

[Jim Carroll]

Stick to the stand, dont waste bench space .

Another thing to consider is how often do you need the extension.

You could have the stand extension and the cast extension sitting in the corner and bolt together when needed.

[wheelinround]

I sold one of my minis
Cougar are a waste of time and $ and there to dam low for me


the only vicmarc I like is the VL 300 shortbed
The VL175 is cute but its not me, I'm not a fan of swinging the head around

stubby is not to bad but $8000 then another $2000 to get the mods done and around a month wate for one

I didn't realize you still had the Carb-tec one Dave thought you sold that ages ago.:? even more so.

[nz_carver]

That's rite I did sell the carba tec

[wheelinround]

That's rite I did sell the carba tec

and more recently the Woodfast as above so what mini have you got now???

[wheelinround]

Dave I have used a Stand just a Gorilla fold out on demos often its easy to adjust height hold the lathe steady a little room for some tool holding easy to clean off when done.
At home use a bench plenty place to put stuff.

I'd like to know what your opinion is being you started with the Carba-tec min on a bench. Had the Nova 1100 on a bench, Had the Woodfast on a bench and then on a stand your way ahead on this subject I think. I have some photos to prove it.

[nz_carver]

I have NEVER had a woodfast on a bench
I have had a woodfast on a stand

If you read the first post I was asking about sticking a mini lathe with a bed extension on a bench to use the space I have to its full, I also said that I was thinking about sticking a extension on at no point did I say I was.

I'd love to know were I said at any time that I had a cougar lathe,

I'd all love to know were it says that I don't still have a woodfast?

I am well awear about the lathes I have had and also what they have been set up on,

[derekcohen]

I have my Jet mini -with-extension on a stand. This places it in a corner where it does not get in the way of my handtools and, especially, my bench. The bench is for handtools, NOT a lathe. (The stand (http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/AStandformyJetMiniLathe.html) is built like a brick you-know-what).

This was taken after building the stand, as I was setting up the new workshop 4 1/2 years ago.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/AStandformyJetMiniLathe_html_m698e7c99.jpg

It looks more like this today (far end) ..

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/ImagesOfMyWoodshop_html_m57e71b6.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[nz_carver]

Thanks Derek what's size between centres ?
I was looking at adding the extension on the mini as the bed on the nova is short 600mm with out tail stock and its cheaper to add the extension to the mini then adding it to the nova

how do you find the Hammer bandsaw??

[derekcohen]

Thanks Derek what's size between centres ?
I was looking at adding the extension on the mini as the bed on the nova is short 600mm with out tail stock and its cheaper to add the extension to the mini then adding it to the nova

how do you find the Hammer bandsaw??

There is 850-870mm with the extension.

The Hammer? Very powerful, solid machine.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[hughie]

This is the way I would go,benches are handy but..... as mentioned clutter magnets
http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/AStandformyJetMiniLathe_html_m698e7c99.jpg

It looks more like this today (far end) ..

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/ImagesOfMyWoodshop_html_m57e71b6.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek[/QUOTE]

[wheelinround]

Hey all with the re fit of the workshop just around the corner I'm looking to use my shop space to its full

my woodfast mini is on a woodfast mini lathe stand and it good
im looking at getting a bed extension for it. But I'd have to buy the extension to the stand as well

this got me thinking about mounting it to my bench and using the space to its full
I'm all thinking about sticking a bit of a soiled wood bench top on the lathe stand and useing it to set my bench grinder on

Whats the good side of haveing the lathe on the bench??


Dave see the highlighted in blue this was I feel your main question. My points were "You have had a number of lathes on benches"

I was not aware you bought the lathe stand and the wood fast at the same time as I had suggested to you at the time that a Gorilla stand is what a lot of fellows were using.

[BobL]

Benches may be clutter magnets but the underneath of most lathe stands I have seen are big sawdust traps. Very few of the spaces underneath lathe stands are left clear enough so that they can be easily cleaned. Most folks sheds are cramped and crowded so the underneath of a lathe stand ends up collecting stuff embedded in a pile of dust and shavings. As to be expected, nobody wants to pull all that crap out from underneath every time they clean up? As long as you can get your feet reasonably close I reckon a sealed cupboard/bench is perhaps better for the average WWorker. Benchtops also collect sawdust but I guess the total volume is usually smaller and being more in the woodworkers face they are more likely to clean it up?

To some extent it also depends what you are turning, for big stuff with lots of shaving and limited possibilities for DE at source then using a stand makes a lot of sense. If stuff being made is small and you have a good dust hood DC combo then a bench works equally as well as a stand with added advantage of having organized storage underneath.

[orificiam]

Mine's Mounted on the bench as well, and is as solid as a rock.

Cheers Tony.:)
252639

[orraloon]

When I started turning I read Keith Rowley's Woodturning A Foundation Course and used his bench plan (with some slight changes to match the materials I had). I upgraded to a Leady lathe and still use the same bench. When I got the Leady I had a few good long chats with Bruce Leadbetter who reckoned wood was better than metal to stand a lathe on as it better absorbes the vibrations. It does need to be good and solid however. Anyhow I have only ever used a wood bench so cant offer any personal experience with metal stands. I think the only down side to a flat top bench is that you have to swipe away the shavings now and then as you go.
Regards
John