rhancock 21st June 2007, 09:47 PM I tried to find an earlier thread about manual lathes, but couldn't find it, so I'll start a new one.
I was wasting time yesterday in the antique stores in Paddington, Brisbane, looking at overpriced crappy old tools, when I came across a treadle powered band saw. I couldn't find anyone to tell me what the price was, but I did have a fiddle and it seemed to be in working order.
It was very close to a direct drive, just a treadle connected to the wheel and a belt to drive the blade up and down. I think this means it would take a lot of foot power to get anything of a decent size cut up!
Anyone come across one of these before?
echnidna 21st June 2007, 10:54 PM seen photos of them thats all.
you looking for treadle lathe plans?
rhancock 21st June 2007, 10:57 PM As a long term project, I want to set up a manual lathe of some sort, but it'll be a decades long project! At the moment I'm just doing research, finding out what is out there, what experience people have had.
Skew ChiDAMN!! 22nd June 2007, 12:24 AM Anyone come across one of these before?
Yup. I'm a fan of treadlies. :) From what you're describing (with a reciprocating action) it's a scroll-saw rather than a bandsaw, but I have seen treadle operated BS's too. I'd imagine that it'd be the same for either saw as it is for a lathe... the better ones have fairly heavy fly-wheels and more effort goes into spinning 'em up to speed in the first place than goes into maintaining the speed. The real trick is operating 'em while standing on foot. :rolleyes: It's sorta like rubbing your belly and patting your head at the same time, with the added complication of keeping your fingers. :D
There will be a maximum practical thickness it can cut, of course, but that's probably thicker than you'd think. After all, even with a powered BS or scroll-saw, you should always have a sharp blade and let it cut at it's own rate, not force the timber through. :wink:
griffithpark 22nd June 2007, 04:19 AM have shut down many woodworking programs in high schools (kid's ages 14 - 18 (Imperial and Metric)), some teachers have converted bandsaws to treadle or cranked machines. Insurance companies seem to think no motor = no risk.
rhancock 22nd June 2007, 09:19 AM Yeah, I think you'd have to be a ballerina to be able to balnce on one foot, treadle (is that a verb?) with the other foot, push the timber around and not lose any fingers. Or maybe the idea is to use some child labour to do the hard work...
This saw didn't have a fly wheel, so for every up and down, you've got to pump the treadle.
Hmm, Griffithpark, I can see that people would think treadle power is safer than electic, but if the blade is moving, its still going to rip your fingers up.
I imagine that with a bit of practice you'd get the blade moving fairly fast, especially if you'd got a decent sized fly wheel.
I'm going to go back to the store next week and take some photos and see if I can find out the price too.
joe greiner 22nd June 2007, 01:35 PM Scroll saws have been in existence a lot longer than electricity. Can't find it now, but I have a book around here someplace; shows a scroll saw with a seat like on a bicycle, both feet operating pedals of some sort IIRC.
Joe
Iain 22nd June 2007, 02:04 PM http://www.americanartifacts.com/smma/advert/ay331.htm
http://www.amazon.com/Barnes-Velocipede-Reproduction-Powered-Scroll/dp/B0002RTUMU
There are a few around and I have seen picturesin different mags, the second one with the seat is/was a common variety made by a number of American manufacturers in the mid to late 1800's
I suppose I could attach a bicycle to my old saw to make it work.
yeoman 22nd June 2007, 02:13 PM I imagine a treadle bandsaw could be made similar to a spinning wheel, used to turn fleece into thread. You'd also be able to sit down for that.
At the Deloraine Craft Fair a few years ago there was a guy using a 'bush lathe'. Treadle powered, made it in about an hour I suppose, and turned bowls and all sorts from it. Made nearly completely with bush poles and such.
Dave
rhancock 22nd June 2007, 05:40 PM Ooh, this one didn't look any where near as well made as those two! In fact my first thought was that it was a stage prop!
rhancock 3rd July 2007, 10:44 PM Here's some photos. Its in one of those antique markets where each bit is owned by someone else, and when I went to the desk to find out the price, the guy said "Bloody hell, I thought that'd gone years ago" Anyway, he went off and asked someone and came back with $295, but "She said if you fall off your chair to ask what you'd pay for it" So what's a good price?
The only writing I could find on it is The Gem.
rhancock 3rd July 2007, 10:59 PM I did a google search and only came up with one other picture, which was sold on Trademe in NZ for $136 in May this year http://www.trademe.co.nz/Antiques-collectables/Tools/auction-100968417.htm
I found a couple of other sales for 65 uk pounds, (about $160) a couple of years ago, and one for five pounds! also in the uk a few years ago.
According to this site: http://people.iarc.uaf.edu/~cswingle/archive/get.phtml?message_id=160920 Its made by "Hobbies"
This site has a picture of a guy using one http://www.bosham-walk.co.uk/crafts/wood.htm doesn't he have the best job in the world.
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