Lathe question

[Eric Krewson]

The topic doesn't sound like a bow related question but it really is.

I bought a mini lathe the other day with the intention of making fancy osage handled pin knot scrapers to donate to the up coming Trad Gang St Jude auction. I am going mount it on a heavy wall shelf. I was concerned about the proper working height. Any suggestions?

All my other woodworking tools are for making bows and I have never owned a lathe.

[Tater John]

Eric,  I'll give you my 'For what its worth'

Bend your forearms parallel to the floor and measure from the floor to your elbow. Set the lathe centers to that height above the floor.

Rusty

[Glenn Carl]

Eric.

I have 4 guys working in my cabinet shop that range from 5'9" to 6'5" tall. All of our tools seam to always get mounted on a 36" high bench or table. That is the same height as a standard kitchen countertop and just seams to be comfortable for everyone. Just my 2 cents.  Glenn

[Dick in Seattle]

I recently "remodeled" my shop to downsize to smaller tools than I used to have, including a Delta midi-lathe.  I mounted it on a roll around tool cart with four lock wheels.  It works great and is a good usable height.   Here's a pic of three main tools... lathe in the corner.   I can just pull out whatever I need...


 

If you want to see the whole shop, check it out at:

 http://www.dickwightman.com/shop/shopandbowroom.html

I put a lot of thought into creating a decent work area for an older guy who can't do quite as much as he once did.  

dick in seattle

[Tater John]

'Perpendicular' to your body...seeesh

Rusty

[Killdeer]

Rusty is just bragging that he can spell "parallel".
Killdeer (unedited)

[Tater John]

Yes, of course. Whatever it takes to impress the senoritas! But I never know which it is, the brain or the brawn.

Rusty, still learning proper usage and definitions

[kerry]

Eric,

Two questions:

What is a 'pin knot scraper' ?

The lathe is so heavy, I wonder what a wall shelf will do to absorb the weight and make it spin true.  I'm not doubting your design at all. It is that I've mounted mine to the work bench which dispereses the vibrations through the bench and floor.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I was wondering about that one myself??? That thing id going to shake the pictures off the wall in the next room          

[kcbrown]

Eric, where I work we have them pretty small and up to where they have a small ladder to get up on it. Really for that size tater is dead on. You really dont want to have to bend or stoop to put something in the lathe.

[Eric Krewson]

I have heavy duty metal shelf supports I will bolt to the wall and have a 2x12 I will use for the shelf. The lathe weighs over 100lbs, hopefully it will be stable.

As for the pin knot scraper, I thought my build along was in the how to section but it is not. It has also been removed from the archives. I can post it again if there is enough interest.

The pin knot scraper is made from a concrete nail, heated and annealed to soften, pounded flat, shaped filed almost sharp, heated and quenched to reharden and buffed to a razor edge. You can work around osage pin knots easily with this tool.

 

Another view.

 

[Tater John]

kcbrown, I worked for Dresser Rand service/repair center for 5 yrs. I know about those lathes it takes a ladder to get to!

Eric, Being that your machine is 100 plus lbs. and even if it wasn't I'd anchor it to the floor.

Rusty

[Tater John]

I'm assuming your lathe is a woodturning lathe and you will actually be cutting your spindles freehand. If you have an engine lathe and expect to stand alot or use a tall stool 36-40 inches to centers for a 6 ft. person would be about right.

Rusty

[Matthew D]

Nice work Eric..