Thread: Ultimate pen turners bench design

Don't have a lot for you here, but if you are going to make a bench then I guess the first question you need to ask yourself is would you prefer to do your turning standing or sitting. Once you work that out the general rule of thumb for height is the spindle in the headstock should be level with your elbow.

I have just completed a bench for my metal lathe, which will also be used for pen turning.

I have found that drawers are the ideal storage for all the turning paraphernalia, so included 14 drawers. Bench is made of 18mm MDF, top is 32mm laminated chipboard with 25mm thick hardwood edges.

Will also be making one of these for my MC900 wood lathe.

I've been thinking about it myself. (OK, thinking about it for a couple of years now..)

I'm imagining a shelf with compartments angled downward 45 degrees so I could
"holster" the chisels tip down, each in their own compartment. If the shelf is underneath the lathe and the tips are angled downward, that means the handles are up facing me, it's a good angle to 'draw' from and if I mark the ends of the handles, I don't have to guess which chisel it is.

This is FAR better than shoving all the chisels back and forth on the table in order to see the one I want, as I am doing now. Could be cheap pine verticals with routed channels in it so you can slip in 2" pieces of leftover luan or masonite as dividers/shelves.

I'd also put a hole in either end of the bench for the power cords to go through. (one for a light/magnifier on a spring loaded swivel base, one for the lathe).

I had a big chunk of 8/8 pine that's a bit warped, so I put it up as a shelf over the lathe. and in the edge, I drilled some holes and there's a bunch of long screws sticking out. I hang things on the screws .. like scissors, angle finder, calipers, compass, rulers, chuck keys etc..

.. and in the drilled holes I put a few pieces of brake line that I had hanging around the shop. (any thin metal rod would do) It's about 1/8" or so .. I cut it into 10 or 12 inch lengths and stick them into the holes. Their weight keeps them in place.
I use those to slide the pen parts onto so I can let the finish dry without tying up my mandrel. I take the nut off the end, take off a bushing and then slide the blank off the mandrel and onto the brake line. I can let them sit and dry/cure while I go back to turning.

If I were building a bench, I might incorporate things like this into it. Maybe some little compartments for sandpapers, too. I have to stop and look through my sandpapers to find the grit I want, and I'm always thinking "if I had only cut these to size beforehand, and put them into some sort of shelf / divider ..." only I never got around to it.

Oh wait .. did you want to know what WE would do? Or what we think YOU should do?

Now you are getting down to the nitty gritty, choose the lathe that will dictate the bench, decide if the lathe will have a motor attached under or back or well below the bench, that will dictate how to extract dust and where to locate that. How will you light the turning area, where will the light (what type etc) be mounted. As already said will you stand or sit to turn? What power access do you have to eliminate cords under foot etc and away you go. First things first.

Have fun Peter.

Originally Posted by NewLondon88

Oh wait .. did you want to know what We would do? Or what we think YOU should do?

Both - if I aim for Buckingham Palace and end up with the Opera House, it's all good. But if I aim for City Hall & end up with the Ettamogga Pub, I'll regret it.

Russell.

Originally Posted by Big Shed

I have just completed a bench for my metal lathe, which will also be used for pen turning.

I have found that drawers are the ideal storage for all the turning paraphernalia, so included 14 drawers. Bench is made of 18mm MDF, top is 32mm laminated chipboard with 25mm thick hardwood edges.

Will also be making one of these for my MC900 wood lathe.

Wow, nice bench, but all those drawers!!! I'm afraid my cabinet making skills are not up to that. I can make something functional, but not pretty. I also like to take a module approach when I design things, having compartments that may have interchangeable sections, or functions. Only problem with this approach is, it can lead to a lack of solidity if things aren;t fixed down permanently.

But I take the point about storage. I'll add that to the design casserole floating around in my head and give it a bit more of a stir.

Russell.

Originally Posted by NewLondon88

If I were building a bench, I might incorporate things like this into it. Maybe some little compartments for sandpapers, too. I have to stop and look through my sandpapers to find the grit I want, and I'm always thinking "if I had only cut these to size beforehand, and put them into some sort of shelf / divider ..." only I never got around to it.

Oh wait .. did you want to know what WE would do? Or what we think YOU should do?

NL
You might want to check out how TTiT organises his paper on his paper tree
I haven't plagiarised his design and made one yet but can see the obvious advantages and will be doing so very soon. It's so much fun playing at the lathe with the spinning wood and sharp steel that I don't find the time to do the little things that could or would make life easier

Heres my functional ,but not pretty main lathe and goodies

the second one is my new carbatec ,a very minimalistic approach , I use 2 chisels and sandpaper most of the time ,room a plenty for that, I have no room to have my car my metal lathe and wood lathe all at once, so I took an old engine stand out of retirement to mount the mini on, handi ,I just wheel it out side when weather permits ,and the wood dust is good for the garden hehe.


In the first picture the centre angled storage folds up when not in use ,mainly storage

Great looking mulcher!

Do you have any problems with it being level? I like the rolling stand idea, just wonder if that might contribute to wobble at all.. (mine did ..)

No problems so far! the stand is designed to hold a v8 engine so pretty solid, the three wheels mean it self levels to a degree,and the timber under the lathe is solid pine and lathe is fixed to it ,its only for pens so no real loads in any case,and under the pine is 2 lengths of 6mill right angled channel screwed to the timber with coach bolts, and bolted to the upright with 2 half inch bolts at the correct angle to level it with the base.The lathe is only about 20 kilos or so and the main weight is right over the upright support, all in all quite sturdy