# Mcgraw Sabre-Lathe



## w1pers (Nov 27, 2013)

If the title sounds familiar to you its because someone joined the forum a few years ago looking for brushes for one. I recently acquired one off of Craig's list. Unfortunately it arrived non-functional. Fortunately I was refunded the small amount of money I spent in purchasing it. Because they did not require that I ship the device back I decided to try to fix it. It turns out that the piece of plastic that holds the brushes in, was damaged, probably during shipping. I was able to fabricate a new piece and got the lathe working. 
I have not worked on a lathe since I was a boy working on a project for Boy Scouts so I don't know a whole lot about them. One part I know I am missing is the tool rest. I will send pictures in case someone has suggestions on what I can do to replace that. 
I am also trying to figure out how to mount work in it. On the "motor" end is a large flat plate with multiple holes in it. How do I mount the work on it?


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

Pictures always help. Normally, a large flat plate is known as a face plate. They are removable and often threaded on. They can be used to mount bowls and flat work like rosettes. When removed, a drive center is usually mounted which will allow you to do spindle work, using the drive center and the tail center on the opposite end. Both of these mount in a tapered hole, known as a Morse taper. Typically, there is a hole or slot that a tapered pin or angled piece of steel is tapped into to force the center out of the Morse taper. After market tool rests are available. Do you have the mounting part for a tool rest?


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## w1pers (Nov 27, 2013)

Thanks Hammer1. Photos included here. One photo shows what I assume is a work piece rest as the lathe was designed as a multi tool..you could mount a sanding pad, wheel grinder, buffer pad and it even has a spot to mount a saber saw blade although this is missing the table portion. That work piece rest can be removed and it looks like a tool rest could be mounted.


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

That's not what I expected to see, Rob. I thought it would be a more conventional lathe. The parts look proprietary to that tool. I don't know of any universal lathe parts that would fit. Tool rest carriages normally have a round post for the tool rest. If you want to turn spindles, you will need a drive center and you won't know what that might be until the faceplate is removed. You can make a wood tool rest.


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## w1pers (Nov 27, 2013)

The face plate does unscrew. Since I don't know what I am looking for on the tool rest I am not sure what to do for the tool rest. I would happily make a wood tool rest but not sure what it should look like.
The box stores in the area aren't of much use. No lathe's and no lathe tools or parts. Any suggestions?


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

Found this, has a wood tool rest. Just one example. You need adjust-ability back and forth, up and down. 
http://rizaydog.webs.com/treadlelathebuild.htm


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## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

Hammer1 said:


> Pictures always help. Normally, a large flat plate is known as a face plate. They are removable and often threaded on. They can be used to mount bowls and flat work like rosettes. When removed, a drive center is usually mounted which will allow you to do spindle work, using the drive center and the tail center on the opposite end. Both of these mount in a tapered hole, known as a Morse taper. Typically, there is a hole or slot that a tapered pin or angled piece of steel is tapped into to force the center out of the Morse taper. After market tool rests are available. Do you have the mounting part for a tool rest?


2 comments:
1) Lathes typically don't have a slot for a tapered pin to remove the morse taper device, usually accomplished with a knockout bar through the hollow spindle.

2) The lathe in question - I'm going out on a limb and say judging by the picture - no morse taper spindle, just threaded mount. (If it does have one, it's most likely a #1, but the spindle looks too small for even that). If no MT, a spur center can be easily made for the threaded spindle.


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## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

http://lakeland.craigslist.org/tls/4259199062.html

http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=7848


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## w1pers (Nov 27, 2013)

Alchymist said:


> 2 comments:
> 1) Lathes typically don't have a slot for a tapered pin to remove the morse taper device, usually accomplished with a knockout bar through the hollow spindle.
> 
> 2) The lathe in question - I'm going out on a limb and say judging by the picture - no morse taper spindle, just threaded mount. (If it does have one, it's most likely a #1, but the spindle looks too small for even that). If no MT, a spur center can be easily made for the threaded spindle.


Thanks for the links. The one showing the tool rest gave me a good idea of how to fabricate one. As for the morse taper device...uh what? I have no idea what that is. Are you referring to the large flat plate on the motor end? As I told Hammer..no idea what I am doing with it. I have not turned anything in 40 years. So what the different components are is a mystery to me right now, although I do intend on figuring it out. That flat round piece does un-screw from the motor spindle. What is a spur center?


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## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

A Morse taper refers either to a tapered hole in a shaft, in your case the lathe spindle, or the tapered end of a tool that matches that hole. Morse tapers come in several different sizes, starting at #1, found on the smallest lathes, #2, common on many lathes, and #3 & above for large machines. If there is no hole in the end of your lathe spindle after the faceplate is removed, you don't have a Morse taper. Again just judging by the size of your lathe in the picture, if it does have one, it will be a #1 (WAG).

A spur center is a tool that either fits in the Morse taper hole, or screws on over the threaded end of the spindle. It usually has a pointed center, and three or four spurs . First pic shows my home made one.


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## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

Perhaps this will help:


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## w1pers (Nov 27, 2013)

Exactly what I needed to know. What does the flat plate do? I assumed it was there for mounting various devices depending what you were turning. Where is the most likely place for me to find the Morse taper that would work for me? I definitely do not have a hole in that shaft, just threads..


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## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

With no hole in the spindle, forget morse taper. You need a threaded spur center to turn between centers - (spindle turning). Here's a pic of one, and a video that might help with the face plate discussion:


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## NetDoc (Aug 6, 2013)

Building a tool rest shouldn't be that hard for this. It should be rigid and not prone to vibrations.


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## w1pers (Nov 27, 2013)

Alchymist said:


> With no hole in the spindle, forget morse taper. You need a threaded spur center to turn between centers - (spindle turning). Here's a pic of one, and a video that might help with the face plate discussion:
> 
> WOODTURNING: Mounting wood on the lathe (1 OF 2) - YouTube


Unfortunately that youtube video can't currently be viewed. I have been looking for threaded spur centers online and am not sure what to look for but haven't found anything I think will work. I measured the thread dia. on my lathe and it is 3/8". Not found anything that looks like it will work.


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## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

Hummn ...video works ok here....are you on an iPad or similar?

Anyway,looks like you are going to have to make something for a spur center. What is the thread per inch on the spindle? Found one adapter to get you to 5/8-11 thread, but didn't find any threaded centers in either size. Perhaps either a 3/8 or 5/8 coupling nut could be a start for making your own center.

Adapter:
K-Tool International (KTI87140) 3/8-24 Spindle Adapter - Amazon.com


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## w1pers (Nov 27, 2013)

Thanks Alchymist, you have given me some ideas to work on. I knew it would be a project when I got it. I have been thinking I may visit my local senior center to see if there any old farts around there that can give me some ideas too.


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## Delited2meetU (Feb 3, 2014)

The flat table top portion is for jig saw purposes, the bars and the triangle slider piece will be what holds tool fore lath/buffing/grinding purposes as well as another rectangular bracket. Hope link is good did see good pictures. https://images.search.yahoo.com/sea...wNmcC1hdHRyaWIEc2xrA3ZpZXdtb3Jl?p=sabre+lathe


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