# DIY lathe ?



## hughie (Mar 22, 2008)

Has anybody built there own lathe?

I am currently in the process of building my second one,[pics in gallery]

Both are all welded construction out of standard steel sizes, with no machining of the bed areas etc. Rather careful clamping and welding procedures to ensure flat surfaces where required.


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## JON BELL (Nov 2, 2007)

Cool.Any pix?


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## hughie (Mar 22, 2008)

JON BELL said:


> Cool.Any pix?


should be in the gallery under hughie or hughie 900

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/gallery/showgallery.php?ppuser=3895&cat=500


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## Graphiti (Mar 29, 2008)

Actually, I've built 6 or 7 for various work on custom pool cues. Also built a CNC lathe for cutting profiles.
Randy.


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## Barry Ward (Mar 22, 2008)

I 1'st saw your pics in another forum.Looks like you got a nice thing going there.


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## hughie (Mar 22, 2008)

> Actually, I've built 6 or 7 for various work on custom pool cues. Also built a CNC lathe for cutting profiles.


Randy, your a busy man, 7 :blink: is a lot of work. :thumbsup:


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## Graphiti (Mar 29, 2008)

That's over the course of about 12 years. My dad taught me growing up if you can fab it theirs no sense in buying it. But that number also includes 3 CNC lathes 2 sanding lathes for employees to sand pool cues on and a lathe thats just for puting the linen wrap on the handle of the cues. If I counted the failures into the mix it's closer to 15 or 16. Every one that didn't do it's job as well as I wanted was recycled into the next generation. Actually, I get as much enjoyment from the fabrication of the machines as I do from building the cues on them. 

The first pool cue that I successfully built was made on a home made lathe that was built from a POS Harbor Freight lathe and my dad's 40+ year old Router. It's long been butchered for parts without even so much as a snapshot,  which is sad, I wish I had kept it for posterity. The baseframe now holds one of my Jet BD1340's and the lathe head has been recycled into the support for the polishing disk on a shop built, billiard ball polisher for my pool hall... I'll snap some pics of the polisher when I get a chance.

It's funny to look back 12 or 13 years and think of how I wish I kept something that was "Just obsolete and in the way" back then.


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## hughie (Mar 22, 2008)

Randy,

I aggree about fabrication. I built a smaller version to test some of the aspects of the current project.Given the current price of similar lathes here in Australia, I should come in about 25-30% of the price of same.

This current one is modelled somewhat on a Stubby, but at the same time it has some different and more versatile features

I have used the idea of a sliding bed like the Stubby but placed it on a base bed and with that, a modified clamping arrangment. This will allow me to move and clamp the sliding bed anywhere I choose. This should do away with the outboard turning set up along with any outrigger bed like the Stubby has on the operators side.


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## hughie (Mar 22, 2008)

*up date*

Here we go, finshed the welding process now onto the next stage. Building the banjo, cam locks etc.


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## littlebuddha (Aug 25, 2007)

aHHHHHHHHHH Hughie guess what i mist this to, can see the pics better in here as well the window most have been cleaned as i have the same glasses on:laughing: nice work i do like it, you will have to come here and do me one, you worked from drawings or straight in with the tape..:thumbsup: LB


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## hughie (Mar 22, 2008)

LB,
Not really drawing, rather scribblings on a bit of second hand paper, plus a tape :smile: sorta plan as I go, Its all drawn up in my head.


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## littlebuddha (Aug 25, 2007)

Im much the same, have loads of bits of paper/sketch books with doodles, id rather get on and do it rather than spend all the time drawing it, rough sketch and sizes or near to then get on and proform alter as i go if need be, nothing set in stone.:thumbsup: LB


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

I'm thinking about making a lathe from an old router but I've only minimal turning experience some 25 years ago and don't know much about lathes. 

Can anyone recommend a good introductory book I can use to learn all the parts I need to pay attention to while building this thing?

FrankP


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

Frank A Router would not be a good idea. They run at too high an rpm. You can slow them down with a speed control unit but even running at 1/4 speed would still be 5000 rpm which is too fast. 
I built my first one using a drill but this isn't a good idea either. Drills weren't designed to run constantly at one speed and will burn up rather quickly.
Treadmill motors work pretty well if you can find one of those with the speed controller. The downside is they always start at slow speed and you have to ramp them up each time.
It's hard to beat a good strong single speed motor with step pulleys. You do have to buy or build a drive shaft but these aren't that hard to find. They won't have a nice morse taper hole through them which is handy to hold many accessories. 
All in all it's hard to beat the store bought lathes even though you can save some money.


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## hughie (Mar 22, 2008)

Frank,

I agree with John, a router would not be suitable they are just too fast.

There a number of small well made lathes on the market for a very reasonable price. Failing that look around at second hand, here there is the opportunity to gain a lathe plus tools at a bargain price.

Buying the lathe is only the beginning. I bought a cheap chinese lathe first off, something like a Grizzly. The tooling would run to at least 4 times what I paid for the lathe and I have not bought the best. Just a few selected quality tools the rest regular HSS tools.


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Thanks all for the input. I've actually been looking around for used lathes but haven't found too many in my price range. I expected I'd spend more on tools but thought if I could just build a lathe using what I have laying around I'd be able to get better tools.

I'll keep looking for now, or figure out ways to step down the speed from the router, perhaps.


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## hughie (Mar 22, 2008)

[


> I'll keep looking for now, or figure out ways to step down the speed from the router, perhaps.


[/QUOTE]

Frank, 

Ok you can step down the speed by using three pulleys.
Have a look at your local hardware or engineering tool supply and or perhaps your local wood working store. Most of the drills there, be they bench or pedestal will have a three pulley set up. Just pop the guard covering the belts and have look.

But maybe look around for an old washing machine motor. Old motors can be very cheap. But you will still have to build the rest of the lathe. ie headstock, bed, tool post and banjo.


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Hughie, 

That's exactly what I was thinking about for stepping down the router speed. I hadn't thought to look at other tools to see it done by "professionals" but I'll do that next time I'm in a decent tool shop.

I think building the lathe will be most of the fun. Plus, I think I'll understand a lot more about the lathe if I build it myself. 

In the end, I may just buy one since I have so many projects and so little time, but the goal is still to build it.

FrankP


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## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

Hi Hughie

Very nice work on the lathes, Nice work on the bowls too.

Gerry


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## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

Hi frankp

I think you would have better luck with Hughies suggestion to look around for an old washing machine motor to use for a lathe. Router motors are built for high speed and low torque, but what you need is low speed and high torque. 

Gerry


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## bikebuilder (Aug 23, 2021)

I built a small drill powered mini lathe (after the Izzy Swan youtube video). It's not at the level of anything being discussed here, but for a total novice (never turned anything before) it was a lot of fun and I made a number of handles for my socket chisels.


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## FirebirdHank (Jan 25, 2021)

I made one using a Makita 1/2" variable speed drill. I built it primarily for wheels for my wooden truck hobby so I don't have any capacity to do any spindles or tool handles. I have started using it for steering wheels for the trucks and scale beer barrels and milk cans to put in the back of the them. I'll post some pics when I get it out again.


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## FirebirdHank (Jan 25, 2021)

Here's the one I made using a drill motor. It works great for wheels and other small items. It is easy to store and doesn't take up much cabinet space.


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## TurningLad (Sep 28, 2021)

FirebirdHank said:


> Here's the one I made using a drill motor. It works great for wheels and other small items. It is easy to store and doesn't take up much cabinet space.
> View attachment 430283
> View attachment 430284


Hey FirebirdHank,
I have the same three jaw chuck in the top right of your photos. I've been looking for a bolt/shank for it for months with no luck. Did you make yours or did you figure out what size of bolt/threads you needed?


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## FirebirdHank (Jan 25, 2021)

I looked through my box of assorted metric nuts and bolts and found one that fit. Not sure what thread it is but I do know that it is 12mm.


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## Bob Bengal (Jan 2, 2021)

I'm in the middle of making a router lathe with a spindle capacity of about 8' x 15", 30rpm to make poles to be wrapped with sisal rope for cats. A typical pole will be 7', 2.8" diameter with the ends flaring with a curved profile to 6" at the top, 9" at the bottom. Building the lathe with more capacity than my immediate needs.


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