JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them. - Picasso
Looks, maybe. I'll bet the steel is incompressible along its length, which is what counts, and with what appears to be box construction, probably won't flex under any off-center loading that would clear the bed.
Looks like a great idea if you happen to have I-beams and stuff laying around...
To a wood worker in training like me, I'd pay to have one built before I spent the time to learn metal working..
So many projects, so little time...
mac
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A few year back, the Smithsonian Folk Festival on the Mall featured Hawaii. There were a couple of guys turning koa bowls. One had a bowl massive lathe made from structural steel. We speed control was an old truck transmission. Very impressive.
Joel
I'd make the base as heavy as possible, maybe even poured concrete. Oversized turnings have a way of making a lathe want to walk, especially if you don't rough the blank first.
Speaking of older issues of FWW, does anyone recall the DIY bowl lathe made from an old VW hub?
Sun, Jul 8, 2007, 3:04pm (EDT+4) snipped-for-privacy@home.net (George) doth sayeth Looks, maybe. I'll bet the steel is incompressible along its length, which is what counts, and with what appears to be box construction, probably won't flex under any off-center loading that would clear the bed.
The front two legs are splayed, with no brace between them, I wouldn't want to bet they wouldn't splay more over time. Neither set of legs are braced front to back either, so they won't start leaning. The lathe looks pretty small, even so, I'd make it sturdier. If I was to make a lathe, I'd make the biggest I had room for. You can still turn small bowls on a big lathe, bt you can't turn big bowls on a small lathe. And I'd make damn sure I braced it every which way.
JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them. - Picasso
Sun, Jul 8, 2007, 10:17am (EDT-3) snipped-for-privacy@bajadavis.com (mac=A0davis) doth claimeth: Looks like a great idea if you happen to have I-beams and stuff laying around... To a wood worker in training like me, I'd pay to have one built before I spent the time to learn metal working..
Read the sig. You don't need I beams. Just some scrap tubing and all. Check the phone book for scrap metal. Or, an old car would probably provide all the raw aterials you'd need. Think positive. Never think, "I can't do this, because I don't have the right stuff"; think, "Hmm, what can I use to do this?". No prob.
My son taught one of his young girlfriends to wald in less than 5 minutes, with a MIG wire welder. You saying you're not that bright? Of course, it takes a bit longer to get pretty welds, but 5 minutes will normally do for welds that'll hold. Arc or stick welding takes longer, and longer yet to get pretty welds. TIG welding takes longer yet, and quite a bit longer to get pretty welds.
Inexpensive chop saw, inexpensive wire welder, gas or flux wire, place where sparks won't set everything on fire, no prob. You gonna let a girl beat you? LMAO
JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them. - Picasso
Sun, Jul 8, 2007, 12:36pm (EDT-3) snipped-for-privacy@aol.com doth sayeth: A few year back, the Smithsonian Folk Festival on the Mall featured Hawaii. There were a couple of guys turning koa bowls. One had a bowl massive lathe made from structural steel. We speed control was an old truck transmission. Very impressive.
Read about a guy who built a lathe for turning BIG bowls. Used two, count 'em, two 5-speed truck transmisions for speed control. I can't see me making anything even 1/4 that size, but I'd sure like to look it over close.
JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them. - Picasso
Sun, Jul 8, 2007, 2:06pm (EDT-3) snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (Father=A0Haskell) doth sayeth: I'd make the base as heavy as possible, maybe even poured concrete. Oversized turnings have a way of making a lathe want to walk, especially if you don't rough the blank first. Speaking of older issues of FWW, does anyone recall the DIY bowl lathe made from an old VW hub?
Oh yes. Or at a minimum, I'd want provisions to stack sandbags to hold it in place, if I ever figured on moving it. Or fill it with sand
- be a pain removing it, but if would work. My preference make it as heavy as I could, then fill it with concrete. Let someone else worry about moving it, after I'm gone. LOL.
Don't recall that one, but do recall one somewhere from a truck hub. It's all in what you've got handy.
JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them. - Picasso
it's more a matter of priorities, bro...
I'm finally semi-retired and able to spend the time, money and shop space to really learn sawdust and shaving production,while making a bit of dinner and drink money pimping my turnings...
I have a list of stuff that the boss wants built for the new house and after 9 months here, I still don't know how the shop will be set up..
Just too many irons in the fire to get side tracked, which is my nature.. lol
mac
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Mon, Jul 9, 2007, 10:59am (EDT-3) snipped-for-privacy@bajadavis.com (mac=A0davis) doth sayeth: it's more a matter of priorities, bro... and after 9 months here, I still don't know how the shop will be set up.. Just too many irons in the fire to get side tracked, which is my nature.. lol
No prob. All you've got to dois get some metal, and a welder. Weld a couple of pieces together. Later weld some more on. No rush, because you haven't got a shop. I do any number of my projects that way, do a little, decide what the next step is, plan it as you go along.. That way by the time you've got a place to use it, you'll have a custom bowl lathe.
Imagine my surprise, when yesterday I found some huge angle iron pieces out n the front yard. They are about 2'-3', around 1/2" thick, and 6"-8" each side. A couple of them are about 4' long. Plus some misc tubing. If I wanted one, there's enough metal out there to make a lathe capable of handling some pretty healthy chunks of wood. But so far my HF lathes takes care of all my turning needs. I wonder what the kid would say if I started using up his metal to make a lathe. LMAO
JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them. - Picasso
Actually, I do have room in the shop for something like that... love to make it digital speed too... lol You've got me thinking now, about welding, metal fabrication, etc..
A friend down here just finished building his house and I'll be helping him build a large detached shop... Might just be a coincidence, but he's going to build desert rails in the shop... hmmmmm...
mac
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"mac davis" wrote
Desert Rails???
What are those?
And as my father used to say,
"A friend with a shop is a friend indeed."
Wed, Jul 11, 2007, 10:05am (EDT-3) snipped-for-privacy@bajadavis.com (mac=A0davis) is now thinking right: Might just be a coincidence, but he's going to build desert rails in the shop... hmmmmm...
Ah. Welder. Free scrap metal. No worry about buring your own shop to the ground. Life is good. LMAO Hell yes, make a small one, prototype, and if that one doesn't work, make another. Repeat until you've got something that satisfies you, sell th prototypes, and then make a HBF lathe for youself. Tip, wait until you get it home before filling it with sand, cement, or whatever.
JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them. - Picasso
Wed, Jul 11, 2007, 1:13pm leemichaels*nadaspam*@comcast.net (Lee=A0Michaels) doth query: Desert Rails??? What are those?
Must be for desert trains, eh?
JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them. - Picasso
Must be for desert trains, eh?
sand rails, also known as dune buggies.
Wed, Jul 11, 2007, 12:55pm (EDT-3) snipped-for-privacy@nospam.stratus.com (charlie) doth sayeth sand rails, also known as dune buggies.
Hey, don't tell me, tell the guy that asked..
JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them. - Picasso
Well, there's 3 versions of "buggies", all based on VW bug parts..
Dune buggy.... rip off the vw body and put a fiberglass one on... for very light use and or to be looked at cuz they're cute..
Sand rail.. looks sort of like an old "rail" dragster, mostly beefed up VW guts with light duty frame and good suspension.. some have tube frame.. Used mostly (AFAIK) in WA and California on sand dunes..
Desert rail... Sand rail on steroids, to take the pounding of rocks, etc... Usually built from ground up with heavy gauge round or square stock, VW bus engine & transmission, fuel cell, disk brakes, EFI, etc...
mac
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Yep.. great minds DO think alike.. lol
He's had several machine shops in the states and has a bunch of stuff in storage.. "wire" welder, "mig" welder, etc... (all Greek to me)
I was thinking that he's turned a few simple projects in my shop and got a kick out of it, maybe if he saw the advantage of a bowl lathe, he could design and build a couple..
mac
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