Lathe Stand/Cabinet Suggestions

Dan Gonzales

Member
Messages
511
Location
Whittier, CA, USA
Hello All,

I have a lathe I need to build a stand/cabinet for. It is a Delta 46-701 that needs a sturdy base with some storage capability.

Would you please share what you have done or would recommend in regards to construction, storage capability, mobility, lathe height and foot clearance? Or anything else?

Attached is what it would look like if it were assembled. Sadly mine is in parts on a shelf right now. Please help me make it a happy machine. :D

Cheers.
 

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Hi Dan

I have the same lathe except supplied by Busy Bee and probably finished a little worse than Delta. Anyhow, dont waste your time with that stand they supplied. Use the metal for something else. I guess this is part of the reason for your post.

I have a sturdy solid steel bench that is a long story but its nice and heavy.

Its made of about 2"x2"x1/4" angle iron (legs, cross members, rails) and then I put some heavy pine boards in the top of the angle iron and on top of all that I am going to put a good layer of MDF.

Before setting this up I have turned using the included sheet metal frame stand, and its a rattle trap.

Sorry for the old picture. The lathe is on it now but the picture shows the sturdy table. Vise is now removed.
 

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I would make a nice wooden cabinet that can hold different chucks and such. Where the toe kick area is, you can fill that with sand for added weight. Heigth is a personal thing and depends on ho you feel comfortable.
 
Dan
Compared to some of the cabinets shown by others, my stand is pretty crude and cobbled together. I built this stand for my Jet mini. I didn't build any storage into it, but could add some in the future. The box on the bottom is full of rocks to stabilize and steady the stand... I put a small drawer under the the top to hold mandrels, drives and other small pieces.
 

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Dan, you can make your stand out of steel, if you are a weldor, or 2x4s and plywood work well too, the important things to keep in mind are stability and vibration dampening, it is also a great benefit if the stand does not get in your way, is easy to clean, and has some onboard storage.

How you go about doing all of that is a really wide open answer.

The stand I made for my DVR 3000 is good and solid and dampens the vibration well, but I made a couple of mistakes, one, the bottom of the bed is too close to the top of the stand, I should put a 3/4" spacer in there to make it easier to clean out, and the leg right under the headstock is always in the way, I did poorly on that design aspect of the stand, I have to constantly step around that leg, yes it provides good stability, but it is in the way.

Alan Trout built an outstanding stand :thumb:

Links
>> Stand Started <<
>> Stand almost done <<

Even if you are building with 3/4" plywood and 2x4s, I'd still have a good look at Alan's stand to take some lessons from it.

A large ballast box full of sand low down is a good thing, it provides both stability and vibration dampening.

Cheers!
 
Al's response and others are on target. Made of 2x4's if yer not a welder would be just fine. Critical is height and foot space. If you are not comfortable the whole experience will be bad. Let us know what you do.
 
Also remember the first build probably won't be the last...you'll see a pic of someone elses and think, "why didn't I think of that. :doh:"

Or you could take the time, like your doing, and get loads of ideas and then pick and choose the best to fit your needs...please show us what you end up doing. :thumb:

Here's a quick google image search that might give you some ideas as well (take a look at pic number 2, where have I seen that one?:dunno:)

>>>>>Lathe Stand Pics<<<<<<
 
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Here is mine...

P1000664a.jpg
 
Thank you for the replies. I am noodling an idea borrowing some build and configuration processes you guys have shown. I will say the robustness of Stu's, the use of storage in Bill's and the top tube and leg layout of Alan's are guiding me right now.

It will be a mixed materials project. I have to get some measurements together and start putting pencil to paper so I can start collecting the materials. I tend to scrounge the cutoff/recycling bins at my local metal vendor so it might be a while.

Cheers.
 
This is mine it is made from 1 sheet of 3/4" Birch ply. In the sides I enclosed the inside & put a garbage bag inside & filled each leg with 50 lbs of sand. T%he top is 3/4" MDF & 3/4" Birch ply. I have the PDF if you want it.

Chuck

Click pic for full size





My workbench is the same way except I have a bigger top on it.


 
lathe stand

Heres a couple of pics of my most recent lathe stand build. Made for scrap lumber from the back of the shop.
1-1/4" MDF, 3/4" construction plywood,8x2" laminated beam off cut, and 10x2.5 Douglas Fir for the main beam support. It has hollw legs for additonal ballast probably gain an extra 300lbs when full of sand. The last pic has the lathe bed temporarily laid on it to drill the holding down bolt holes.
 

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