HAND WHEEL for HF Lathe

Paul Douglass

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S E Washington State
I have the Harbor Freight lathe (I make no apologies), :eek: and the main thing I like to improve on it is to add a hand wheel. Anyone figured out how to add one? I can't figure out what threads are on the headstock hole. They look left handed.

Thank you
 
If you are talking about the Jet 1236 clone, Jet has a hand wheel as optional accessory. It doesn't have a through hole for knock out bar. If you have to remove the hand wheel each time you use the knock out bar, then it is more hassle than it's worth. Just my opinion.
 
Welcome to the Family Paul! :wave:

I don't know of the lathe you are talking about, but maybe the Jet hand wheel would work?

Could you drill a hole in it for the knock out bar?

Cheers!
 
It is indeed a lefthand thread. depending on which year or what model it can be several different threads. Take the faceplat down to the local Mom &Pop Hardware store and ask them to check the thread. then order a nut that size (a few bucks and a couple of weeks and it will come in) use the nut to weld to a disc and make a offboard faceplate and a hand wheel. Another solution might be to tap an appropriate hole in a disc and screw it on to the drive side, behind the chuck.
 
IIRC, I don't think there is a male thread on the outboard side of the spindle and there is no outboard face plate provided. It is just a hole with female thread. I won't be surprised if I am wrong; this is not the first time my memory failed.
 
I have the Harbor Freight lathe (I make no apologies), :eek: and the main thing I like to improve on it is to add a hand wheel. Anyone figured out how to add one? I can't figure out what threads are on the headstock hole. They look left handed.

Thank you

Two methods I can think of that might get you the answer you need.
1) Write HF and ask them.
2) Make a casting of the internal threads and measure. The product Cerrosafe used by gunsmiths will do the job.
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/productdetail.aspx?p=384&st=cerro&s=
 
IIRC, I don't think there is a male thread on the outboard side of the spindle and there is no outboard face plate provided. It is just a hole with female thread. I won't be surprised if I am wrong; this is not the first time my memory failed.

That is how it is on mine. I think I will try to make something fit on the inboard side, like an old face plate, with a hole in it so I came still drive the taper thingy out.

The real solution I would like is a Jet or Steel City Mini lathe.

Thanks all
 
Ok after giving it a little thought and spending about 1 1/2 hours playing here is my solution/ Very simple but I think it will work fine for pen turning. This is mounted on a 4" face plate. Easy on and off.

just showing the recess and hole in back so the face plate will scew all the way on.
 

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Great solution, Paul. :thumb: I did something similar (but not as nice) with my Sears lathe. It didn't have a place to put an outboard handwheel, so I'd just screw on a 6" faceplate before inserting the pen mandrel into the spindle. Not as nice on the hands as your wooden version, but it worked.
 
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