Shopsmith Forums

I have been passing a fair number of turning jobs on to buddies with longer lathes. I thought I would add an extension to my Nichols lathe, but that requires a good fabricator and my guy is too busy with a big manufacturer to get my little job done.

Has anyone connected an extra set of tubes and another leg to the tailstock side to turn longer posts/columns? I have seen two units tied together, but don't want to go that route with the rigging that would entail. I am thinking that this would use an adapter to connect the tubes to the original unit leaving the tail stock end of it as the middle leg and add another leg for the tail stock of the lengthened unit. Adding a carriage on the extended side would allow use of a long tool rest supported by two carriages.

JPucket showed me this link: viewtopic.php?p=271959#p271959. That is the best idea I have seen so far. I just picked up an extra 520 and plan to connect the two using a modified version of this idea. Thinking I might get 60" or maybe slightly longer. Quick connection, no sagging issue and just realized with two in the shop, I can leave my SS 25" drum sander set up.

Got it figured out! So simple when you also have a 1200# Nichols lathe on the other end as ballast. Fitted a 6x6" PT post into the auxiliary ways of my Nichols lathe. Made a couple of L brackets to attach the 6x6 to the SS and used an old Delta 1440 tail stock which fits perfectly on the auxiliary ways and matches the center point height on the SS. Very solid and steady. Was able to run at 750 rpms instead of using the speed reducer. Pictures are too large to post here, but are posted on my Instagram @Scollinswoodworks.

LONGER TUBES?

viewtopic.php?p=136739#p136739

Longer tubes has been done before.

Not sure just how long you need to be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQbzEz0-7X0

JPG wrote: ↑Fri Apr 23, 2021 2:08 pmLONGER TUBES?

I want to connect tubes to my existing unit with a third leg. Like this: /----\----\ Looks like the top two tubes can be linked, but would need an adapter to bridge the legs to connect the bottom tubes. This should avoid any alignment issues and give support where needed to avoid sagging issues.

Most of the jobs that I have passed on have been 5-6' newel posts. I do have a repeat customer that has asked if I would turn 9' columns for his new house which will be built at some undetermined future date. Blanks would be stave construction so well balanced and very little to turn off to be round. Bird's mouth joint would give additional strength to joint and make stave alignment easy.

Reached out to shipwright by PM, but have not seen a reply yet.

What about doing a tailstock extension similar to what is shown at this thread:

viewtopic.php?p=271959#p271959

thunderbirdbat wrote: ↑Fri Apr 23, 2021 2:34 pm viewtopic.php?p=136739#p136739

Longer tubes has been done before.

Thanks. I had forgotten about that one.

scollins wrote: ↑Sat Apr 24, 2021 6:37 am [
I want to connect tubes to my existing unit with a third leg. Like this: /----\----\

You could take a base casting and another steel leg and do this with longer tubes. The left side casting may work best for modification for that middle portion. You can drill through or cut the casting for the bench tubes to pass through, they'll still be held by the notched steel brace underneath so the holes can be oversized. The portion of the casting where the SPT tubes go through can be cut off and drilled or cut for the way tubes to pass through, and they can still be locked in with set screws.

Base castings can be found used at reasonable prices, they're left over after double-tilt upgrades, and no precision drilling or cutting is needed. Legs may not be as easy to find, but you can use any kind of support in the center, you might even try a trailer jack. Even with no support leg at all a modified casting is an easy way keep the tubes all in alignment.

Longer alloy steel tubes can be expensive though, you might need to pay $150 each for 10 footers. You can get thin wall electrical conduit for reasonable prices but it won't be as strong.

edma194 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 25, 2021 12:29 pm You could take a base casting and another steel leg and do this with longer tubes. The left side casting may work best for modification for that middle portion. You can drill through or cut the casting for the bench tubes to pass through, they'll still be held by the notched steel brace underneath so the holes can be oversized. The portion of the casting where the SPT tubes go through can be cut off and drilled or cut for the way tubes to pass through, and they can still be locked in with set screws.

Base castings can be found used at reasonable prices, they're left over after double-tilt upgrades, and no precision drilling or cutting is needed. Legs may not be as easy to find, but you can use any kind of support in the center, you might even try a trailer jack. Even with no support leg at all a modified casting is an easy way keep the tubes all in alignment.

Longer alloy steel tubes can be expensive though, you might need to pay $150 each for 10 footers. You can get thin wall electrical conduit for reasonable prices but it won't be as strong.

How exactly would you do alignment if you are adding an additional base casting and leg outbound from the main Mark V? For the standard setup you have to adjust the tailstock to be concentric with the headstock drive spindle. I am not sure how you could easily do lathe alignment with this setup. Also, keep in mind you would need an additional carriage on this outbound section which is more cost and it may be problematic to turn near this transition.

RFGuy wrote: ↑Sun Apr 25, 2021 12:50 pm
How exactly would you do alignment if you are adding an additional base casting and leg outbound from the main Mark V? For the standard setup you have to adjust the tailstock to be concentric with the headstock drive spindle. I am not sure how you could easily do lathe alignment with this setup. Also, keep in mind you would need an additional carriage on this outbound section which is more cost and it may be problematic to turn near this transition.

The extra casting in the middle would only keep the tubes aligned relative to each other and it can be supported. I was just responding to the concept of using a third leg in the middle. An extra casting and leg could be used just to support the bench tubes and the top cut off to stay out of the way to avoid some issues. But I do think it's just a compromise and long tubes that are strong enough to resist significant bending is the real solution here.

Conventional lathes have a fixed headstock so the travel system doesn't need to support the weight of the headstock, just the tailstock and tool holder. With the Shopsmith, if you have very long tubes you have to worry about the weight of the headstock causing the tubes to sag when the headstock is out in the middle of the tubes. Maybe what is needed here is just a support leg under the headstock when it is in position.