Travis Johnson
Member
- Messages
- 2,369
Well I am about to embark on a rather strange and unusual lathe project. I think I am going to build my own lathe. While that is nothing new I guess, the way I am going to do just might be.
I am not a wood turner, but I use an engine lathe a lot. Since an engine lathe is too pricey for me, and my current lathe is too small, I thought i would make my own. I have the equipment to do it, and I think (big word there being THINK) I can make a functional engine lathe with all the features I want, that can do both metal and woodworking turnings.
My plan right now is to tear down this old tiller I have kicking around, a Gilson Rear Tine Tiller. I'll use the piston bore to accurately hold the headstock on sturdy bearings that can allow for pass-thru stock. The bore is already accurately machined and the mass should be pretty strong. I plan to use another small engine block for the tail stock and am in hopes to have this be adjustable on several axis.
I am not sure how this will go all together right now, but after I tear down the Rototiller, that should give me some parts to play with. For instance it has numerous pulleys, clutches and idlers. It also has a right angle drive, some bearings for the wheels and maybe the rims themselves can be of some use.
Its an ambitious project, so wish me luck, help me out by giving me some advice, and follow along as I try to make this into a lathe. It might end in utter failure, but what they hay, I had a marriage do that so what can I lose?
I am not a wood turner, but I use an engine lathe a lot. Since an engine lathe is too pricey for me, and my current lathe is too small, I thought i would make my own. I have the equipment to do it, and I think (big word there being THINK) I can make a functional engine lathe with all the features I want, that can do both metal and woodworking turnings.
My plan right now is to tear down this old tiller I have kicking around, a Gilson Rear Tine Tiller. I'll use the piston bore to accurately hold the headstock on sturdy bearings that can allow for pass-thru stock. The bore is already accurately machined and the mass should be pretty strong. I plan to use another small engine block for the tail stock and am in hopes to have this be adjustable on several axis.
I am not sure how this will go all together right now, but after I tear down the Rototiller, that should give me some parts to play with. For instance it has numerous pulleys, clutches and idlers. It also has a right angle drive, some bearings for the wheels and maybe the rims themselves can be of some use.
Its an ambitious project, so wish me luck, help me out by giving me some advice, and follow along as I try to make this into a lathe. It might end in utter failure, but what they hay, I had a marriage do that so what can I lose?