Power Station as a Lathe

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:00 am

The "pen turning on the power station" thread got me thinking. Thinking often gets me in trouble.

Can I use the Power Station as a mini-lathe for anything other than pens.

For example: Could I do salt/pepper mills?

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:44 am

Is the Power Station used here (Turning pens on a Power Station) a bit different than a "Power Station"?

There appears to be an on/off switch on both sides of the power head.

http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Arch ... g_Pens.htm
(pause the video at 10:13).

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:49 pm

Dusty - Sharp eyes! This looks like a version of the old "Crafters Station". Looks like the back side power switch has been removed and blocked off with a black, rectangular escutcheon. Maybe, since they stopped making the Crafters Station, some of these units were re- configured - motors re-wired and they became power stations.

As for making pepper mills on the power station - you will need some way to drill the hole through the mill.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:57 pm

charlese wrote: As for making pepper mills on the power station - you will need some way to drill the hole through the mill.

Yes, there are procedures that could not be done on the Power Station but the question is: Can the Power Station be used for turning other than pen/pencils?

This sparked my attention just like the Crafter's Station did. It is a unit that would be much more transportable than the Shopsmith. I could load and unload it by myself; I need help to load/unload the Shopsmith.

Greenvilleguy · Post by **Greenvilleguy** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:43 pm

I'm just impressed with Nick and Drew's creativeness! Who would have thought of using the Power station as a lathe?

They also get an "A" for the ingenuity of the indexed router jig.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:53 pm

Thanks for your kind words, folks. The distance between centers on the Power Station Lathe is 7" to 8", depending on whether you're using the drive center or the chuck. The swing is 4", owing to interference from the SPT mount. So you can turn a pen/pencil/salt shaker/bowl/candlestand/drawer pull/croquet ball up to 8" long and 8" in diameter.

The Crafter's Station actually evolved from the Power Station, and for a short time the headstocks were macined so you could mount the switch on either side.

With all good wishes,

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:03 pm

What is a Crafters Station? I have never heard of it, what happened to it since evolved from the Power Station which is still here was the evolution a bad thing?

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:21 pm

Nick wrote:...The Crafter's Station actually evolved from the Power Station, and for a short time the headstocks were machined so you could mount the switch on either side.

With all good wishes,

Paul - The Crafters Station actually had two power switches. The switch on the front rotated the shaft so the table saw would work. The switch on the back caused the motor to run in reverse so you could use bandsaw, jointer, belt sander, etc.

I think I have the choice of switches correct. Anyway, one switch ran the motor in one direction, the other switch ran the motor in the opposite direction.

Because of continued electrical problems, I traded mine in for a Mark V.

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:48 pm

charlese wrote:Anyway, one switch ran the motor in one direction, the other switch ran the motor in the opposite direction.

That's too bad there are times I would like the lathe to run in reverse.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:09 pm

Why not just turn the workpiece end for end - or put the tail on the other end of the Mark V and the drive center/chuck on the left side.

Don't know if this will work - just had the idea! Seems feasible at first blush.

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