Thread: Poor man's foot powered lathe

Who needs a lathe when you have ingenuity? When I needed to make vise handles for my outdoor workbench the belt on my lathe decided that it no longer wanted to be a team player; I made them using a concave spokeshave and the wood held between the “centre attachments” on my Oz-Vise.

If you haven’t stumbled across him yet look up Robin Wood; he is a English pole lathe turner. As well as his website and YouTube videos he has written at least one book on the subject with a foreword by Richard Raffan.

Wow.

Is it fair to assume you already know how to turn on a lathe? I couldn't imagine the learning curve on a treadle lathe.

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

Who needs a lathe when you have ingenuity? When I needed to make vise handles for my outdoor workbench the belt on my lathe decided that it no longer wanted to be a team player; I made them using a concave spokeshave and the wood held between the “centre attachments” on my Oz-Vise.

If you haven’t stumbled across him yet look up Robin Wood; he is a English pole lathe turner. As well as his website and YouTube videos he has written at least one book on the subject with a foreword by Richard Raffan.

Thanks Chief. I will look him up.

I mainly read and watched Roy Underhill and watched a few videos from this guy. I found that was a good introduction

Beginners Guide To Pole Lathe - Peter Wood (Part 1/5) - YouTube



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Originally Posted by LanceC

Wow.

Is it fair to assume you already know how to turn on a lathe? I couldn't imagine the learning curve on a treadle lathe.

Actually Lance I have never used a wood lathe in my life.
Maybe that even helped, because I don't have anything to unlearn. Took me a little to get into a rhythm with kicking and advancing the chisel and then retracting it again. Also to focus on doing long steps and not short fast ones. With a long step I get about 5 revolutions per step.

Further the good thing is that there is no danger in the treadle lathe and if it catches it stops instantly. Happened quite a few times, but the damage is limited.

I also have to be honest that I do not get a smooth finish from the chisel. Sandpaper is my best friend. [emoji6]

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Originally Posted by Cklett

Actually Lance I have never used a wood lathe in my life.

Well Cklett, in that case, I take my hat off to you. Not only for your ingenuity, but also your skill.

Cklett,

That is so fantastic, love the idea of I will build not buy,

Also if you get tired of pumping, it was not too long ago that the “Others” were put to a good cause an not left to wonder the streets, I’m just saying that’s all.


Cheers Matt.

Originally Posted by Simplicity

Cklett,

That is so fantastic, love the idea of I will build not buy,

Also if you get tired of pumping, it was not too long ago that the “Others” were put to a good cause an not left to wonder the streets, I’m just saying that’s all.


Cheers Matt.

Oh yeah, the good old times. And then they introduced child services....... [emoji6][emoji849]

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I think uri tuchman (youtube) used to have for powered lathe build off an old sewing machine

OK, got some practise and made few test handles for chisels.



I have a set which needs new handles. Bit first I want to practise and work out what shape I am going for.

What shape do you guys prefer and how are you going about it?

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Originally Posted by Cklett

What shape do you guys prefer and how are you going about it?

I sometimes just stop the lathe and hold the handle as I’m shaping it to see how it feels. That tends to result in handles that don’t look a lot like any others but do fit my hands.

Hi CK. My 1st batch of chisel handles were "mostly" similar, certainly all from the same wood! They were for a collection of socket firmer chisels and organic-ish in shape (like a combination of your middle and RH examples). Sorry no photos, but I could take some if needed Recently I have been experimenting with the London pattern style, using some well seasoned redgum. See below

20211114_220357.jpg

This one is not quite finished but gives general idea. I am planning to combine a motley collection of bevel edged bench chisels for bench work and rehandle them all this way

An all round good story.
Well done, ticks a lot of boxes.

Its getting the job done and has those new fangled features like reversing and var speed.
Of course sooner or later you will want something more modern.
TREADLE LATHE - YouTube
Regards
John

I wondered when somebody was going to bring this up.

Essentially CK's lathe is a pole lathe as it operates as a spring and is not continually rotating in the same direction. A treadle lathe rotates continuously in the same direction and relies on a foot operated motion through a crank and flywheel. For this reason the old sewing machines that had a treadle action are probably a good basis for converting to a lathe.

Regards
Paul