Improving a lathe

[artme]

I have Teknatool TL1200 lathe. The head stock is very good and so is the tailstock. The toolrest is satisfactory.

The bed is a different matter. It is two parallel pipes and while OK, has its limitations.

There are several features I want to improve:

*The locking mechanisms on the tailstock and headstock ar both via a on nut on which one hangs a spanner.
Works OK but is neither quick nor convenient. In fact a right PITA. :~

Any suggestions on how to do a cam lock set up would be appreciated!!!

* The bed is too light and is inclined to flex a little. I am wondering if it would be possible
to make a better bed out of thick walled square material.
This would mean grinding some locating lugs off the head stock, and the tailstock
OR
Perhaps mounting any square section at 45* so as to make use of the locating lugs.

Again - any suggestions are welcome, (short of using it for a boat anchor! )

[chuck1]

Hi artme Re the bed of lathe we used to drive Timber wedges under the bar as a quick fix but can be annoying when it's time to move tailstock past the wedges. I have an idea for the camlock but it's not a camlock, like on the old teknatool lathes will post a photo shortly!

[hughie]

Hmm pipes for a bed, not good. The short answer is throw them away and use some heavy angle ie 100x150x10 etc


Heres one I have made follow all the replies as I go through it with some detail
http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=70958&p=722200#post722200

[pommyphil]

What about heavier pipe, or even solid bar the same size ? It would not flex ! and little modification. Phil

[BobL]

Hmm pipes for a bed, not good. The short answer is throw them away and use some heavy angle ie 100x150x10 etc


Heres one I have made follow all the replies as I go through it with some detail
http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=70958&p=722200#post722200

Did you ever finish it Hughie?

[KBs PensNmore]

Hmm pipes for a bed, not good. The short answer is throw them away and use some heavy angle ie 100x150x10 etc


Heres one I have made follow all the replies as I go through it with some detail
http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=70958&p=722200#post722200


Hi Hughie, I read the thread with great interest, only to be disappointed, with no final result as to how it finished up????:(
Kryn

[hughie]

Did you ever finish it Hughie?


Hi Hughie, I read the thread with great interest, only to be disappointed, with no final result as to how it finished up????:(
Kryn

:D I knew somebody would ask that. its not running at present, due to a lack of space in my shed. I gotta biff some stuff away :C. But all that is required is to mount the motor with its VSD. I have all the parts.

[chuck1]

This is a photo of the old locking mechanism, not sure if you can buy them still or it might be a trip to engineering shop!
If you get some they could be retro fitted to what you have.

[dai sensei]

I used to have a pipe lathe, I filled them with cement grout, which helped but I eventually got rid of it when I bent the 25mm drive shaft :-

[artme]

I used to have a pipe lathe, I filled them with cement grout, which helped but I eventually got rid of it when I bent the 25mm drive shaft :-

Thought of doing something like that Neil and while it will add mass I don't see it adding stiffness.

The walls of the pipe are only about 1/8" so they are a bit flimsy in my opinion.

The pipe is black steel and it seems to have been painted as it is slightly pitted and sliding the tailstock
for an operation such as drilling is a PITA.

I have thought of somehow extending the footprint of the tailstock base to help with sliding as it is quite short.

Might have to sus out some local talent here to get some ideas on costs and feasibility.

[artme]

I remember your build Hughie but for me that is a bit over the top!!! Mind you I would love to own
your beast, if only for skite value..:roll:

I had another look at the headstock and it has 4 lugs ( two pairs ) to fit snugly over each side of each pipe.
They come off with an inside angle of what looks like 135* on their inside surface and have about 1"plus gap
between each pair.

Now not sure if the angle or square section idea is so good.

Perhaps pommyphil's idea is the best option. I would need,however, to make absolutely certain the
new pipes or bars were dead parallel.

[PJames]

Might be easier and possibly cheaper to sell it and get yourself a TL3000 with the cast bed, had one for years and it worked well.

[pommyphil]

Yes, a nice VL175 on eBay for $2800, on it's second listing

[Paul39]

Artme,

I have a Hegner 175 with 2 inch square tubes for a bed. It has the same problem as yours, when I start with an out of balance bowl blank. The headstock, tool rest, and tail stock are all moving in different directions. When the out of balance is cut off, things settle down.

One of the fixes I thought of was to get some machine setting grout and put 3/4 inch rebar down the center and fill with grout.

If machine setting grout is hard to find, mortar mix will work. The grout does not shrink when it sets.

Another thought was to make a block to fit snugly between the bed and the bench below and then make a bridge over the top of the bed with a long bolt through it down through the top of the bench. I would use this when doing bowls, keeping the tool rest and tail stock to the left of the block.

I have since found two pieces of 4 foot 2 1/2 X 7 X 5/16 inch C channel for a bed that was being cut out of a metal building for a total of $6.00. Not yet installed.

I made a 3 inch oak knob with a glued in coupling nut for my tool rest banjo. I got a carriage bolt that the square fit in the banjo slot and extended through the clamping piece under the bed. There is just enough room under the bed for me to get my hand to tighten. You may have to put some blocks under yours to get enough space.

If you need more explanation, ask. I can make sketches and photos.

[artme]

Excellent Paul, thank you for your time and suggestions!!:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

I like your bolt and block idea and perhaps your idea of Re bar and grout may work.

Chuck1 tells me that these lathes have a problem with the bars spreading under certain conditions
so I'm thinking of combining your block and bolt idea with something to tie the bars in place.

[Paul39]

Chuck1 tells me that these lathes have a problem with the bars spreading under certain conditions
so I'm thinking of combining your block and bolt idea with something to tie the bars in place.

If you drilled two holes the size and spacing of your pipe bed in a block then cut through the centers, then measure from the bottom of the pipes to the top of the bench, and cut the block that length, then drill longways through the part above and below the bed for a bolt, that whole system would keep the rails from spreading and hold it still.

A coupling nut glued inside a wood knob would make it easy to place and remove.

Coupling nut: http://img0.fastenal.com/productimages/1170945.jpg

See sketch below.

[artme]

Thanks |Paul, Much the same as I had in mind!!!

Obviously great minds think alike!:B

[issatree]

Hi All,
I'm with Pommyphil. Don't waste your Turning time trying to fix That Lathe. Flog it & buy something much better.
That VL175 Sounds like a good idea.
Can't get a much better Lathe than that, & at $2800, might even get it a bit cheaper.
You will have to Barter a bit, but with constant bidding, you never know your luck.
Haven't had a look at ebay, but it might not be Variable.

[artme]

I'd love to have the money to spend on a better lathe!!!

Between Paul, myself and Chuck1 I may well be on the way to a pretty good fix.

This may lead to some inconvenience but that won't bother me too often for the sort
of turning I do.

[Paul39]

I'm with Pommyphil. Don't waste your Turning time trying to fix That Lathe. Flog it & buy something much better.
That VL175 Sounds like a good idea.
Can't get a much better Lathe than that, & at $2800, might even get it a bit cheaper.


I'd love to have the money to spend on a better lathe!!!

Between Paul, myself and Chuck1 I may well be on the way to a pretty good fix.

This may lead to some inconvenience but that won't bother me too often for the sort
of turning I do.

$2800 for a good deal on a lathe is out of reach for some of us. Scrimping and saving to accumulate $100 or less a month would put a lathe 28 or more months down the road.

So we get what we can and live with the limitations, but are making turnings, learning, and having a grand time in the shed.

Sometimes a screaming deal will fall into our life and the $2800 lathe can be had for $800 in awful looking but serviceable condition that can be improved by some sweat equity.

For some of us the longer process of getting to the "good" lathe and all the bits that go with turning is as much fun as using the lathe.

Below is my $850 short bed, variable speed and 5 step pulley, 20 inch swing Woodfast that came covered with rust, and hand wheel, face plate, drive center, and tail center firmly rusted in place. The Oneway chuck came later.

It took a week end of penetrating oil, heat, beating with brass hammer, and some bitter cursing to get everything working and shined up.

It is an absolute joy to use. It is lathe # 4. First was a used $150 Chinese 7 X 12 inch metal lathe that started me down the primrose path, then a free 1940s Delta 12 X 30 inch with a pot metal headstock and steel plate bed, then the Hegner 175 mentioned above.

I learned something with all of them, and with all the chisels, scrapers, carbide tools, gouges, chucks, grinder, grinding jigs, flexible shaft, right angle drill for sanding, etc., acquired over 7 years, I still don't have $2800 in the whole lot.

Meanwhile I have been turning and for 5 years selling, mostly bowls.

[artme]

Well said Paul!!!:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[artme]

Just saw an ELU lathe on Gumtree.

It has a long bed similar to mine but the wall thickness of the pipe at least 6mm and it has a
support about halfway along the bed that would add extra stability.

In fact it has given me an idea that I think I can apply to my lathe. Just have to check the
clearance on the tailstock where it rests on the pipes.

[chuck1]

Maybe some angle iron and flat bar strategicly welded and bolted together to the side of the bars! Like the ule but far better!

[artme]

I've been away for 10 days, including an all too brief interlude at the WWW Show where I caught up with Old Croc, John - Gawdelpus, Dave TTC, Superbunny and a few others.

Loved the Laguna Lathes!!

Tried to get a set of Teknatool Power Grip jaws, But no one has them!!:~

Today I went to see about some steel to make some improvements to the lathe.
I dropped in on a welding business and as luck would have it he was once a professional woodturner! His son is turning as a hobby and has an old blue Record lathe. Had similar problems to me.

People who knew what I was on about!! Bewdy!!

For about $250 I can get a new bed made with hollow section bar.

I think this is the way to go.