Homemade lathe

Awesome… I’ve been wanting to make one, just so I can do some turning outside on nicer days!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

this is wonderful… thank you so much for digging out these pix and posting the “how to”.

Fascinating!

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Probably wouldn’t be sold in Woodcraft. But it gets the job done. Great Job Mark.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

An aerobic work out and woodworking, too!

-- Paul, Texas

Turning in the Park! I can see the new fad now!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Awesome OS….I never really thought about making my own…..I’d like to try my hand on some really big stuff but couldn’t see buying one of the big boys…..I have a gas engine with a throttle cable…..WOW…this is going on the list…..variable speed….5 hp…...I wish I had time to do it right now…....ggrrr….maybe late fall…more like next spring.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

I could repurpose the old 3/4 hp craftsman motor from my grandfathers old table saw (presently in service as a buffing station)... though there is the cool factor of taking the lathe back off the grid…

I did see a 6’ bowl that was turned on a lathe powered by a (or simply attached to a) tractor wheel… just use the lug nuts to attach a mounting bracket, and the car could double as a lathe… oh what would the neighbors think?

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

A poor man will always find a way to do it when he wants to.
Now I suppose your trying to figure out what to make with all that lumber just sitting there. LOL

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Great inspiration for those of us that are turning deprived.

-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3

I like it!

-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""

I actually used a weedeater string dispenser, drilled four holes from the sides and used lag bolts as a means of holding the stock on the head stock end. It was wicked! I found that an 11/16” socket fit perfectly on the flyweel of the motor and that is how I attached the drill to the motor. By going this route I was able to understand the evolution of my commercial lathes even better than I would have otherwise. The bungie cord style and pole lathes have been know to be able to turn up to 1000 rpms! If you search the web for pole lathes you’ll be amazed at the work that can be done on them.

I’m glad you enjoyed it.

-- Jesus is Lord!

I had a chance to try a pole lathe at the Ozark Folk Center in Arkansas. It was fun, but I like my old Craftman lathe better. After using using a power lathe, it would be hard to go back, unless we run out of electicity.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

O’s this is a cool tool! Did you make it, or modify it to you wanted?

Did you actually have a plan or did you copy someone elses?

-- Carpe Lignum - Seize The Wood,

This site is where I got most of my idea of building my homemade lathe: http://www.btinternet.com/~e_methven/woodcraft/downloads/spring-pole-lathe.pdf. If you do a search on pole lathes there are several sites with lots of information. I hope this helps.

-- Jesus is Lord!

You mean there are other people who think like that. LOL

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Yep, there are as many who enjoy doing woodworking with these primative tools as those that have to have the most technological ones. And their work is just as amazing.

-- Jesus is Lord!

I love it! Spray paint it yellow and stencil powermatic on the side no one will ever know the difference.

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

I guess that pretty much qualifies you as a Bodger!

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Imagine making a lathe from an old bicycle. You could sit down while turning, and get your exercise at the same time. You could even get fancy and use something like an old 10 speed and shift the gears to increase the rpms.

Nothing wrong with your method Os. I know of people who have grinders that were from old washing machine motors.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

Sounds interesting. Have you built one of these machines, Bill?

-- Jesus is Lord!

Not yet, but I have a bicycle that could be used for that! It is actually an 18 speed, so think of the RPMs.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

I would think torque would be more important than speed when a gouge starts cutting into the wood…I may be wrong? Do you have pictures or a design of this beast and how it works? You could always build one with the large wheel and have an apprentice turn the wheel for you while you work the business end of the lathe. I don’t think that I could sit down while turning. I depend on shifting my weight from one leg to the other to much.

-- Jesus is Lord!

I wonder if pedaling a bicycle lathe would be easier than standing and using one leg to constantly pump the treadle? Intersting how many different ways we could have solved this lathe building challenge a hundred years ago!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

It may be harder to control your arms while pedaling a bike.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

I would think that pedaling would make it hard to keep control of the gouges. With the treadle you are able to use the shifting of you weight from side to side as you do today on the modern lathes. Even the lathes that worked like the old sewing machines were treadle type, not pedaled. I’m not saying that it wouldn’t work are may be better than a treadle, but I personally couldn’t imagine sitting and pedaling while at the lathe.

-- Jesus is Lord!

I agree!

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Here you go, Bill…this is what I was talking about.

-- Jesus is Lord!

Now there is a wheel.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

When that big wheel starts turning, there’s no stopping it. Lots of inertia.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Anyone seen the new Pop Wood? There is an article about bicycle powered bowl lathes. Very cool and timely!

I presume some of us will be seeing this in the mailboxes – or perhaps our “thorsen” subscriptions will start with the next issue…

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

Mark -

You are amazing! Very cool to build a treadle lathe. I like Dennis’ remark of painting it yellow /gold and stenciling POWERMATIC on the side!

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

If folks are interested the latest issue (August) of popular woodworking has an article on foot powered lathes.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Thanks for the info on the article, scottb and WayneC. Too bad we didn’t get that Popular Woodworking magazine for our first one. David, I liked Dennis’ remark, too. If it were still in use, I’d do it just for a laugh.

-- Jesus is Lord!