Lathe height and clean up

One of the projects I've been working on lately is cleaning up my old Rockwell 46-111 lathe. Broke it all down to clean and paint and broke it!:eek::D Well kinda maybe.....:eek: I had what sounded like a bearing making a noise on high speed so I figured I'd install some new ones while it was apart. Found out the pulley had two set screws. One loose and one missing. It had allowed the pulley to get messed up and I couldn't get it off the shaft but did succeed in rounding the incorporated nut on the end of the step pulley.:eek: Well step in Tony B. to the rescue! He had me box it up and ship it over to Honolulu to have a look see. Got the head stock fixed up in no time a shipped back over to the big island. Today I finally got it all back together and not only looks mighty purdy but runs smooth and quiet! Big Mahalo to you Tony!!

I do have one question. How do you go about setting the height of the machine for good working comfort? I thought I heard something about where your elbow is in relation to the center of the headstock, but don't remember.

I'll try to get the photos posted tonight when I get through our here in the shop.
 
Can't wait to see the pictures Royall. From everything I have read you are right about the center of the headstock being at elbow height. I still need to raise mine about 4" to make it more comfortableand that would put it at my elbow height.
 
Good to hear you island boys are playing well together :D :thumb:

The height of the lathe, well, that will depend on a lot of things, you are correct, the "Usual" height recommended is about at your elbow, but, some like it higher or lower, depending if you are doing a lot of little detailed pieces, spindle work, or a bunch of BIG bowls.

What I did was stand comfortably, and stick my right hand out like I was going to shake someone's hand, and that was the basic height I started at, in the end, I moved this up about 2", but it might be different for you.

Cheers!
 
Thanks guys for the guidance.:thumb: I measured my elbow and then the headstock. Looks like I'll have to raise it up about 3" for a starting point.

Also, here is the link to the before and after photos of the clean up of my Rockwell lathe. I can't find some of the before shot I took while taking the lathe apart. but that's the way it goes sometimes:D

http://royallswoodworking.shutterfly.com/
 
Doesn't hardly look like the same lathe. Great job. Now get to work and get it dirty. They don't run just right until they have shavings and finish all over them.
 
C'mon Royall...tell the truth. You swapped out the old lathe for a newer one, right? :p

Great job on the rehab. Like Doug says, it'll run even better with chips and stuff on it. ;)
 
Yes Vaughn, He sure did a nice job on that lathe. Nice pictures too.

Looks real good Royall. And, thanks for the compliment. Just trying to help out a friend. (Now, if we could just figure out how to get Larry into spinny stuff. :dunno:) :rofl:

I'll be waiting to see what you turn on it. Should be pretty seeing as you are right in the middle of some of the finest tropical wood sourcs and wood turners.

Enjoy and the best of luck with your new toy (I mean tool. :eek:)

Aloha, Tony
 
Wow Royall had a look at the pictures and man you did a fine job. I also thought you had swopped it out. I love to see this happening to an old machine. Kudos to you. Really looks neat with the new chuck. :thumb:
Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy.
 
I've looked at the pics and I must admit that when I see and old tool or machine restores it makes me feel good.

I'm pretty sure that now you feel much better when you're using it, in a way that's the way machines and tools reward us, if we treat them well they perform well in exchange, I still can't understand how there are some people who do not believe that.

Great job!:thumb:
 
Great looking lathe Royall. You did a great job on it. My lathe also had to come up 2" but I put a 4 X 4 under both ends and the additional 2" works great. Don't have to bend over as much now.
 
Doesn't hardly look like the same lathe. Great job. Now get to work and get it dirty. They don't run just right until they have shavings and finish all over them.

Thanks Doug, just need time to get it dirty! Too many irons in the fire:eek:

C'mon Royall...tell the truth. You swapped out the old lathe for a newer one, right? :p
.

I knew Vaughn would be on to me:D:D If I had the money I'd get one with variable speed so I didn't have to buy a new belt!

Yes Vaughn, He sure did a nice job on that lathe. Nice pictures too.

Looks real good Royall. And, thanks for the compliment. Just trying to help out a friend. (Now, if we could just figure out how to get Larry into spinny stuff. :dunno:) :rofl:
I'll be waiting to see what you turn on it. Should be pretty seeing as you are right in the middle of some of the finest tropical wood sourcs and wood turners.
Enjoy and the best of luck with your new toy (I mean tool. :eek:)
Aloha, Tony

If it hadn't been for you Tony, I'd have probably put it in a box and stick it in the shop attic to work on "later":D And thanks again!:thumb:

Wow Royall had a look at the pictures and man you did a fine job. I also thought you had swopped it out. I love to see this happening to an old machine. Kudos to you. Really looks neat with the new chuck. :thumb:
Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy.

Thanks for the warm fuzzies Rob. Like I said earlier, just need more time. I get home and I just got the poop to pop:D

I've looked at the pics and I must admit that when I see and old tool or machine restores it makes me feel good.

I'm pretty sure that now you feel much better when you're using it, in a way that's the way machines and tools reward us, if we treat them well they perform well in exchange, I still can't understand how there are some people who do not believe that.

Great job!:thumb:

Thanks Toni. I do love old machinery. Having been a mechanic for so many years I can appreciate an old hunk of well machined iron. I think what Reg does with his old tools is marvelous! I don't think there is to many old machines on the island that is worth fixing. Iron just rust too bad, too fast here.

Great looking lathe Royall. You did a great job on it. My lathe also had to come up 2" but I put a 4 X 4 under both ends and the additional 2" works great. Don't have to bend over as much now.

I figured I might need 3" but I've got some 4x4 stock in back of the shop that I think I'll used and need be I can always trim it back a little. There is some 30-40" lengths of Norfolk pine laying in a guys yard up the road. Maybe I'll ask him for a chunk before it rots!
 
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