Recommended lathe height

Rob Keeble

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Location
GTA Ontario Canada
My lathe bench has undergone modification.

To be clear this is a steel bench i have schlepped from pilar to post and across the oceans. It has history that goes way back with me. So parting with this piece of steel is not on the cards. :D

Anyhow I have cut about 1/3 of it off its width and merely forced to sides together and used 16 bolts to tie to halves together. Yeah not the neatest job the quickest job at this stage of the year given temps and power availability. Worked out fine.

Next i used some of the useless for anything else Pine that i lugged from SA as blocks underneath to mount some good LV blue poly casters with brakes.

So net result is lathe bench is now narrower and mobile.

Now the result has increased the surface height and before i get to re mount the now rusted lathe bed :( and get the whole thing back in shape, i wanted to check on what the correct height to work at is and sort that out at the same time.

I realise this is a little like "How long is a piece of string" but can anyone give me pointers onwhere to start for suitable height and i can then check on comfort and take it from there. I know how i had it previously was way too low for me. But my casters and double mounting blocks have raised it quiet a bit. Before i mount the lathe bed i would like to either lower again or make provisions for a nice mounting block for the lathe.

I am actually hoping that i can add a decent mounting block to the lathe and still be at correct height.

Thanks for help and suggestions.
 
I believe that the center of the spindle should be level with your elbow, but it's still a personal choice of where it is comfortable. :)
 
Jim's correct...elbow height is the standard, but that is to low for me. Mines probably 3-4" higher, I've never bothered to measure as it was done by what felt right.
 
whats going on here?

are you actually going to use one of those machines?

ya just joking around with us?

next thing ya know someones going to tell me someone else just finished a table.
 
I'm only 5'7". My first lathe was too low for me so I put 4" blocks under the legs. Then it was good.
My current lathe is 46" to center and it is just fine for me.
I prefer to stand upright when working, bending and hunching over is killer on the back.
 
I'll echo the other guys. Spindle at elbow height is the most common guideline, but I prefer mine a bit higher. How big of "bit"? I dunno...maybe a couple of inches. My lathe's not handy for measuring right now. ;)
 
The best method I have heard (and used) is the set the tool rest to center height. So as to not be influenced looking at the rest, turn away for the rest and take a tool in your hands in a comfortable stance. Tuck the tool handle to your side and turn back to the rest holding the position.
The distance from the tool to the rest height tells you how high/low to adjust the lathe height.

Mine is about 2” above elbow height I think.
 
I ave not tried it however Mike Mills idea sounds VERY logical.

Here is my data.

My height = 5' 7"
.....I have long back, short arms and legs (Of course Myrna is just the opposite. Her arms and legs go forever.).

Center of my spindle = 39 1/2 inches above the rubber pad I stand on.

My elbow to the rubber mat = 43 inches.

When I initially tried to find the correct height I laid several layers of 3/4 inch plywood on the mat and worked with it, as a floor, for three days. Then I raised or lowered my new "floor" by one plywood thickness. I found that ONE thickness difference in height made quite a difference in my comfort if I used it for a few days. (Actually, I started with 1 3/4 inch increments in my platform height. That was too much change at a time.) I started at elbow height.

Don't pay any attention to what Vaughn tells you. His lathe is so far off that he had to go get a pallet and put in front of his lathe for me to use it.

I learned so much from my stack of 3/4" plywood that I strongly recommend it. DO NOT make any one day decisions. Pick a starting height; use it for 3 days, then alter it up or down by one sheet and use it again for 3 days. I think things like what you had for dinner, the sign of the moon and how far off-schedule the airlines are have influence on quickie decisions. Don't be afraid to go back and re-try a height but do it for a few days, not a few hours. How well you slept last night, how much yard work you did, whether you played football with the kids, etc. all affect a one day height trial.

Use Mike's idea for your starting place. That way you won't have to mess around as long as I did to get to Eurreeeekkaa!
 
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