# Headstock parts for generic lathe



## osp001 (Aug 31, 2010)

First post- excuse the newbie in the room.

I bought myself a Craigslist special- my first wood lathe, a WW10018 no-name brand lathe. For the price, it was tough to resist. But, as a metal lathe kind of guy, my mind wanders and now I'd like a 4-jaw chuck.

How do I tell what kind of taper I need for the headstock and tailstock parts? One website says it uses an MT-2 taper; is that pretty standard if I want to buy a 4-jaw chuck?

My second question: I have plenty of Chilean mesquite that has dried over the summer (maybe two summers by now). Anything special I need to know before toying with the stuff? I took out three books on turning wood from the local library, but- unsurprisingly- there is nothing in any of them about mesquite. I always thought the stuff was really soft, given how fast it grows, but it seems to hard to turn. (Maybe it's the $5 Craigslist turning tools, what with how I have yet to sharpen them! :laughing: )

This looks like a great community, and I look forward to learning as much as I can.


----------



## bcstinson (Aug 30, 2010)

I turn mequite all the time. It makes for great end turning projects and does not shrink as much as some other woods. I usually end turn lidded bowls and try to get the grain to match up so you cant see the lid line. I am using Texas mesquite and am not sure how different that is than chilean mesquite


----------



## Barry Ward (Mar 22, 2008)

*headstock parts for generic lathe*

1st, as for whether its # 1 or 2 taper doesn't matter with a chuck as the chuck screws on,so you need to determine what size threads are on the headstock,most of the generic brands have 3/4 by 16 TPI threads an thats what size threads you need on the chuck.The moris taper size may even be a # 1 so be sure and double check before you buy.A picture would be great.

2nd,as for mesquite I have turned only a few pieces from out west somewhere and it is hard as a rock,iy had been setting almost two yrs,so it was pretty hard,so you will need to sharpen your tools more often,especaly if they are the cheaper tools.I got four 12" beautifull platers from a big blank.


----------



## osp001 (Aug 31, 2010)

Not sure which species is which; Texas mesquite (according to Wikipedia) may be _Prosopis juliflora_ _or __Prosopis glandulosa;_the former has a bunch of synonyms- none of which I recognize- and the latter is honey mesquite. The Chilean hybrid mesquite out here is _P. chilensis,_ and it grows big. Here's my backyard nightmare:










That wall barely visible at the bottom is 6' tall. The stuff'll grow 2-3 feet in a summer, has thorns up to 3" long, and tends to overgrow and then break in windstorms. It's one of three that I have, so it's nice to do something with the bits I cut off of it!

I finally figured out the spindle is 1”x 8 RH thread. I don't know how much of a problem that is going to be for me to find suitable parts.

Any tips for someone who sharpens tools without a grinder? I suppose the best advice is to go buy a grinder, but money is limited right now. The diamond whetstone I've been using is OK, but I've been having problems putting an edge on the gouges.


----------



## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

Your lucky. 1"x8 is probably the most common thread size out there and there are lots of chucks available. Check out www.pennstateind.com They have good buys on cheap chucks. Not the best chucks but a good buy for them money.


----------



## Barry Ward (Mar 22, 2008)

Your lucky on the thread size.Go to amazon and they have the nova midi chuck for 79 bucks free shipping an no tax.I have three of those chucks and they work just fine.


----------



## MJD (Oct 8, 2016)

osp001 said:


> Not sure which species is which; Texas mesquite (according to Wikipedia) may be _Prosopis juliflora_ _or __Prosopis glandulosa;_the former has a bunch of synonyms- none of which I recognize- and the latter is honey mesquite. The Chilean hybrid mesquite out here is _P. chilensis,_ and it grows big. Here's my backyard nightmare:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I am looking for advise on working with mesquite myself. I can tell you that many desert trees break easily in the wind if they are over watered. When watered less frequently, you get more summer wood which is stronger.


----------

