MC1100 Lathe Cabinet/Bench with storage

**Robomanic** · 21st May 2011, 09:30 PM

Hi All,

It is finaly time for the wobbly pressed steel legs on my trusty MC1100 (Hare and Forbes WL-20 version) to go. For those unfamiliar with it, I didn't grab a snap but here is the H&F pics from their website. Carbatec sell a similar version with cast iron legs to add more weight, but I also wanted the storage and maybe some draws or racks at the tailstock end for sandpaper etc. I will also need to put a splash back behind it so that finishes and the like don't threaten our bond in this rental.

Attachment 170672 Attachment 170673

Basic framing pine and 18mm ply are the materials here. The main objective is to get a working platform under and behind the bed bars as I have an unbreakable habit of laying turning chisels on the bars between uses. They fall off, nuf said

. It will get full of chips so it needs to be a big enough gap to easily got the 80mm vacuum hose in from the shop vac.

I also wanted a bottom shelf and for it to have a lip front and back so things did not vibrate off. It will eventualy have doors and a back. but until then, things won't go sliding out onto my feet

I am really enjoying hand cutting the joints at the moment so I though I would go for a mostly screwless frame with dovetailed halving joints, and trenches to hold the ply shelves. I could have gone completely screwless and set the ply ends back from the edge, but wanted the flush surface on the inside of the cabinet, so screws it is.

Attachment 170671 Attachment 170674 Attachment 170675 Attachment 170676
#1: The beginings of the dovetails. #2: Sanity check for fit. #3 Detail of rebate for the end ply. Pic #4 is where I did not think things through. the rebate went through all the way as intended, but I did not double check the depth and it actulay undercut the pin of the dovetail. So in the interests of moving forward I decide to play the 'it's a bench' card and do not bring the ply all the way up onto the cross member as intended. It will leave a gap, made worse by the breaking out around the joint, but it is a lesson learnt.

Attachment 170677 Attachment 170678 Attachment 170679
#1: After the main joints are cut, I glued and screwed up each end piece. #2: The top shelf and bottom shelf have their rails glued on, and are inserted into the end. I accidentaly had the top the wrong way around and was trying to drive it home way too enthousiasticaly. The joint split out so the little clamp is holding it back together until the glue sets the split. I'll pay a lot more attention to my marking next time. #3: Both ends on. No clamps, the joints where a tight driving fit, even with the glue on. This is my first time working with PVA-like glues for a long time and under-estimated the fit leaving them too tight. Once they were home, they were home.

I am very happy to say that right from the start the frame was square and true

! I had the ratchet straps out ready to pull it in but in the end did not need to worry about it.

Attachment 170685 Attachment 170686

The next stage is to add the second rail to widen the landing where the lathe bolts down. The plan is to dovetail the rail into the top as with the full post, and mortise the short uprigh into the long rails. I will probably biscuit the assembly onto the existing upright as well. This is mostly asthetic because I'm sure the cast iron bed will not care if there is a little extra pine under it or not. Bit more jointing practice can't hurt anyway.

I'm very keen to try it out but will have to exercise a bit of patience. Maybe another weekend and I should be able to get the Lathe on.

#Edit: Apologies for the quality of the pics. Will pay more attention to the light next time.

**Sawdust Maker** · 22nd May 2011, 08:49 PM

Nice work

if you intend laying your chisels on the shelf under the lathe bed it might not hurt for you to have the front edge a bit scalloped (half circles about 2" diameter) so they can't roll around

ie ````````````````````````````U``````U``````U`````

hope this makes sense - if not I can find a piccy somewhere

**Sawdust Maker** · 22nd May 2011, 09:51 PM

This sort of idea

Attachment 170762

**Robomanic** · 22nd May 2011, 10:47 PM

Hey SM,

Thanks for the idea on the notches. It is something I am going have a play with because I am not sure in my head what will feel more natural, laying them cross ways with the handles sticking out or laying them in wholy under the lathe parallel with the bed bars. Don't really want them rolling around as you say, but if I brush them with the hip I do want them the move out of the way. It will fill up with chips pretty quick so that might hold them pretty well too.

Bit more (unexpected) progress today. Tails cut in additional uprights, and pins cut in one rail. Second rail to go, then plan the faces back on each for gluing and M&T them into the shelf rails.

Attachment 170785 Attachment 170786

Can't wait for the transplant and hopefuly the drive belt is up to it after laying idle for 12 months. This and a drop saw bench with wings and end stops is something I have been planning for a long time....

Any other suggestions are very welcome.
I thought about gluing some thin rubber (bike inner tube) to the bottoms of the feet but don't want black marks on the concrete I can't get off if/when we move again. Maybe silicon like the new cooking trays and mats won't leave a mark? $ though...

**thompy** · 23rd May 2011, 12:24 AM

how about a lazy suzan type deal but use it for chisels under the bed. bump it no worries it moves, but keeps all the chisels close to hand.

Neal.

**Sawdust Maker** · 23rd May 2011, 09:13 AM

My thought is/was just to hold the couple being used on the particular job
rest them there while changing rest height or whatever

Some sort of storage system could be built at each end, on the ends

**Cliff Rogers** · 23rd May 2011, 09:24 AM

Watching.

**Robomanic** · 23rd May 2011, 10:13 AM

Neal, Lazy Susan vertical or horizontal?

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

Some sort of storage system could be built at each end, on the ends

Agreed. The main reason why I like the thicker ply on the ends, you can hang anything off it. I do have a shadow board that will prob fit there somewhere.

The cupboard is 1200 long. I will prob put in three draws ~500 wide at tailstock end, and split the remaining 700 with 2 cupboard doors... I love flexibility

Thanks for the suggestions guys

**stuffy** · 23rd May 2011, 12:57 PM

Hi Robomanic,

I've been thinking about a holder for my most used tools that mounts on the end of the lathe stand.
By using a series of pvc pipe or similar, mounted on an angle like scabbards or holsters, the tools could easily slide in and out and always be close at hand.

I'd have to put in some kind of stop so the handles project evenly, maybe a dowel in the top of the tube to catch the handle at the ferrule, but open at the end so shavings fall through.

I'd have to be able to easily identify each tool by the end of it's handle but that's easily done.

I like the idea of drawers and cupboards under the lathe. You could always fill up the cupboards with heavy stuff to add ballast.

Steve

**Sawdust Maker** · 23rd May 2011, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by stuffy

...

I like the idea of drawers and cupboards under the lathe. You could always fill up the cupboards with heavy stuff to add ballast.

Steve

A lot a chisels can get heavy

**sjm** · 23rd May 2011, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Robomanic

I thought about gluing some thin rubber (bike inner tube) to the bottoms of the feet but don't want black marks on the concrete I can't get off if/when we move again. Maybe silicon like the new cooking trays and mats won't leave a mark? $ though...

I use bike inner tube for holding stuff in my chuck. Works nicely in both compression and expansion modes. But for under the feet, I have some thicker sheet (about 3mm) from Clark Rubber. My feet are about 150x250, and the rubber has stopped all movement, and virtually eliminated vibration and noise. No black marks that I can see, but even if there was, a stiff brush would lift it.

**Robomanic** · 23rd May 2011, 05:09 PM

Yep ballast will be necessary. I want the lathe on the front edge, and it will need to be countered when I swing the headstock out. I was thinking large section scrap steel bolted down the back wall. Still moveable when it is broken down.

Stuffy, I like the PVC tube idea. What do you think about cutting a long tapered wedge out of the back of the length so that it can be clamped up and actualy tapers down the length to wedge the chisel in and it doesn't need to rest on the cutting edge.

The 3mm rubber from Clarke rubber sounds like unexpanded neoprene? That is a good idea, I have some 1mm left over from another job, wish I had of thought of that

. It is much cleaner too like you say.

Thanks guys

**artme** · 23rd May 2011, 05:15 PM

Looking good Shannon!

**hughie** · 24th May 2011, 10:11 PM

It is finaly time for the wobbly pressed steel legs on my trusty MC1100 (Hare and Forbes WL-20 version

I have been there and had to throw mine away as well, damn near useless legs. I see your no stranger to flat work either.

**cookie48** · 25th May 2011, 05:15 PM

Great idea. I got some rubber mats from Bunnings to stand on. Solid one are very comfy and easy to clean.

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