How to make a wood lathe

[No name]

My question is does anybody know of any website,book,plans,etc.that i could buy or view to make my own wood lathe?i would prefer it be a mini lathe but any size will do.Thanks

[berry]

Are you thinking of a human powered lathe like a spring pole lathe or are you trying to make one with a washing machine motor?

[No name]

one with a washer motor .I was able to find a foot powered one.If you have access could you give me the info on both of them?Thanks

[berry]

I can't directly give you the info you're looking for but I may be able to help you move the right direction.

There is a group shopbuilttools@yahoogroups.com that has some very clever people and they are always discussing building tools from scratch. If I wanted to make a tool with leftover parts, that is were I'd head first.

For a foot operated lathe I'd head to my local library for books by Roy Underhill. His PBS series on the craft of woodworking (without any electricity) is a marvel. He believes the most important tool a person can have is an ax.

I did a quick internet search and there is no shortage of information about treadle or spring pole lathes.

I'm not sure you going to find "plans" but the great thing about building your own tools is they are your own tools.

Post a pic when you complete it so we call all appreciate your skills and good luck!

[tchwrtr55]

You might also try http://www.uncpress.unc.edu/woodwright/ Roy Underhill. I hope this site is still available. It has been a while sinse I have visited it. He used to have a PBS television show "The Woodwright's Shop". It has not been on Iowa Public Television for the last several years anyway. But back to the story, he has built several wood lathes for his shop on various shows over the years. Of the two I remember, one was a spring-pole and the others were flywheel type. The flywheel type could probably be adapted for electric motor.

Mark:

[No name]

Thanks you guys are great!!!I visited the for mentioned site very helpful.Just to add i also found a couple of sites after several trys.one was mother earth news they were able to build a lathe from angle iron a washer motor and a serpentine belt from a ford escort(how cool is that).The other was haulton fine woodworking , a man from Savannah Georgia took old i beams and a delta head and added a 3/4 horse motor to make a bowl lathe.I cant wait to get started though it make take me a little while to complete once it is done i promise i will send pics.And last but not least thank you! thank you! thank you!

[rflaherty]

Hello No Name--
I remembered your posting when I ran across an article on building a wood lathe out of plywood and a furnace motor, in the Jan-Feb 2004 (Vol. 13, No. 73) issue of ShopNotes. The article is available here in bound volume #13 here:
http://www.shopnotes.com/bound-volumes/
It looks VERY cool!
--Bob

[deanthom]

Most of the home built rigs that I've seen and the couple that I've actually used are fun tools, but they're definitely not precision tools in any sense of that phrase.

Ernie Conover had plans available for a home built lathe, too. Seems that I looked at it once and figured that by the time I bought the necessary parts and pieces, plus decent lumber to make the puppy last, it was cheaper (and a WHOLE lot less work!!!!) just to buy a lathe!

If you're one of those who are dyed in the wool (wood??) about making your own, be looking for old barn timbers that you can have milled. If they're old and dry and sound, they'd make a great basis for your efforts. If you have an Amish community nearby, you might want to visit them, too, either for their ingenuity in that realm or for a source for old, aged wooden beams.

Good luck. Keep us posted on your process.

[No name]

Ok guys i have managed to make some rough plans of what i want the lathe to look like . im going to to use some i beams my father was able to get me at a job site for the base and legs.Second the head stock will be the motor spindle ,i was able to find a 3750 rpm motor with a 5/8 spindle,so i can mount a chuck to it.Third the tool rest is just going to be two pieces of tube steel that will be able to slide in the gap between the i beams.The only thing im having trouble with is live center or tailstock im not quite sure how to go about it.But if i use this lathe just for bowls will i or will i not need one?And deanthome once again you are correct if i bought all new parts i figured about 700 dollars.And im sure i speak for most of us when i say money is always tight around my house!back to the point,as soon as i accompish building it i will send pics or you might here from me sooner if hit a snag.But i know i can count on you guys to help me through. Thanks

[deanthom]

The only thing im having trouble with is live center or tailstock im not quite sure how to go about it. But if i use this lathe just for bowls will i or will i not need one?

Yo No!:)

It's always preferred to start between centers. That way you can "lean on it" a little more than you might if you were simply relying on the chuck. It will also be significantly less stress on your spindle bearings if you share the load at two ends instead of just one. Like 25% of the load, if I remember my physics.

PS, how 'bout putting at least a first name in your signature, and a state for your location in your profile??? Feels kind of silly referring to you and No or NoName, NoName.