Thread: Lathe restoration

A couple of pictures, plus any make and model info would be a good start.

Once people have an idea what you've got, I'm sure there will be plenty of good advice available.

I agree, few pics would be good.

Looking forward to the WIP . I am sure there will be lots of advice. But yes clean up first then pics.

Randir,

Start the ball rolling with make and model, you never know somebody may actually have one the same.

Thanks for all the responses! I'm glad there's some interest.

I took a bunch of photos and have attached some of them. As I said, if anyone wants close ups etc. it only takes me a second to snap a shot.

It is a Craftmaster WL-1000. As you can see the sticker on the motor was never filled in, so I don't know anything about that.

It seems to me to work fine. I turned it on and watched it for a while (with nothing in there) and it seems to spin true, in that theres no wobble in the plate on the headstock. A few of the knobs are pretty stiff and the tool rest and tail stock don't slide smoothly, but that should all be fixed with WD-40.

The two issues I don't have intuitive answers to:
The variable speed pulleys: Do I need to do anything to them? Are there any bearings in there that might need opening and greasing? Is the belt likely to need replacing? I haven't had a thorough check of the belt yet for perished-rubber-cracks, but I assume that if I don't find any it will be fine to use.
The other issue is the motor. I'm not so hot with motors and electronics, so is there anything I need to be wary of with an old motor that hasn't been run for ten years?

Thanks
Brendan

There are several variations of this type of lathe. It is retrievable and would be useful for basic bowl and platter turning and spindle work.

Its limitations are size and - possibly - speed range. plus the fact that it does not have a hollow tail and head stock, These are important so that you can use differing morse taper centres or drill chucks. You cannot fit chucks to this type of lathe and that presents more limitations.

Still, at the right price (free) it is a good beginner lathe.

Artme not to hijack the thread but why is one unable to use a (headstock)chuck? surely an adaptor could be had? , i've looked at the tailstock end and nothing looks good there in terms of a drillchuck, i'm about to get my own similar in age and style to this one. cheers.

Neal.

G'day Neal. I waslent similar lathe when we were in Brasil. You ar right about the tailstock as foud it very frustrating and could see prolems down the track with wear and tear replacing that centre would be a PITA.

As for the headstock, I could not do anything that would give me accurcy.I had a very good machinist make an adaptor that screwed onto the spindle thread and then a drill chuck was screwed to that. The big problem was accuracy - The more attachments you have to screw on to get what you need/ want, the more slight innacuracies are magnified.

In the long run I gave up out of sheer frustraion.

Bare in mind that you would have to get parts specialy made and that, in Oz, becomes an expensive exercise. Better of putting the money to better use on a "proper" lathe.

Excuse my ignorance, but if I can't use a chuck then how do I hold a bowl or platter, which you said it would be appropriate for?

You have to resort to the old method of screwing the blank to the face plate. Problem is you wind up with screw holes in the bottom of the piece. This method also limits the thickness - or should I say thiness - that can be achieved with the base.

You can also glue the blank to a sacrificial piece of timber so that the screws only penetrate that timber. This method also allows for better shaping of the bottom of.your bowls or platters.

I had a look at the lathe after your comment and thought it might have to be something like that. But, as you say, at the right price I really can't complain. I may end up just doing spindle work on this lathe and then buying a "proper" lathe if I think I'll do a lot of woodturning.

Brendan

Randir,

I heat with wood, so I have a lot of various kinds of timber to choose from. I cut off a piece about the diameter of the log, split the timber down the middle, then cut off the corners to get it roughly 8 sided.

I then flatten the rounded part more or less parallel to the flat with an ax and screw the faceplate on, centering by eyeball.

If I am using dry timber I turn, sand, and finish the bowl, inside and outside, leaving a nice tall foot on the faceplate side.

Then I use a parting tool (see below) to start a groove, clearing the screws, stop the lathe, and finish with a hand saw. I turn the bowl by hand and saw round and round until it separates.

I put the bowl on a flat bench on a thin pad and with sandpaper on a board flatten the bottom. I turn it over on a flat bench and check that the rim is the same distance from the bench all around. I adjust by sanding, do my finer grits and finish.

Find an old turning book or three from the 50s to 70s. Library, used book stores. There are lots of techniques that do not require expensive equipment.

When cleaning up and unsticking your lathe, remember that WD-40 is not a lubricant. Use that and 400 - 600 grit sand paper to clean up the rusty places, wipe off and wipe with oil. 20 weight if you are going to buy it, what is left in the bottle after topping up your car's engine is fine. Unless the tailstock live center is catchy or gritty sounding, best leave that alone. That usually has grease in it. Same for the headstock bearings.

Parting tool: Stout junk store bread knife, 50 cents for mine, grind 2 - 3 mm off the sharp edge, grind point about 80 degrees, use dulled sharp edge on tool rest, ease top of knife into wood at center hight. Makes a thin cut. More than 13mm deep may grab unless you take another cut beside the first. Go slowly, it cuts fast.

Something to look at: Wood turning lathe tips:techniques: woodturning instruction

Paul
Thanks for the tips! I'll probably still spend a fair amount of time on spindleturning before that, but I've bookmarked this page so I can come back to your advice.
In terms of learning material, so far I'm primarily reading Woodturning: A Foundation Course, by Keith Rowley, as that seemed to be recommended by many people on this forum, but he uses chucks. I mentioned this to my brother however and he pulled out a woodworking book he has that has a description of bowlturning using screws, so I do have access to material.

On the parting tool - I do have an actual parting tool. Is there any reason you use a breadknife rather than a parting tool?

The bearings feel ok, I should just have to clean up the rails and the thread on the tailstock. This job is starting to look smaller than I originally thought it might be!

Brendan

Brendan,

The bread knife parting tool makes a thinner cut. I also have a diamond shaped parting tool which I use for deeper cuts.

Assuming your tailstock thread is moving, even a little, apply WD-40 generously at each end and turn back and forth until it gets to to one end, spray the exposed thread and wind to the other end.

Spray and wind until it moves freely through the range, then repeat using oil a couple of times.

A Foundation Course, by Keith Rowley is a good book.

When we read advice about how to begin turning, there is a great deal of: one must have a variable speed lathe, a 4 jaw scroll chuck, M2 steel tools, a Tormek sharpening system, etc.

All of these things make turning more convenient and help make turnings faster, but people have been making wonderful turnings with primitive lathes, carbon steel tools, sharpened on a rock picked up off the ground for hundreds of years.

Correctly sharpened tools are very important. A 6 or 8 inch dry grinder with home made or bought jigs makes life much easier.

I think the best approach is a bit of reading and / or education and time in front of the lathe, in small sessions 1 - 2 hours at a time. If things are not going well stop, read about the process, come back later.

For skew practice, I make tool handles. A chip out or a spiral groove does not make so much difference. Other than tool handles I don't do spindle work.

Read and listen to advise from all turners, then do what works for you.

If 10 turners get together, there will be at least 15 opinions on the BEST way to do anything.