Biggest mod to one of my lathes

[apple320]

This is wrong in so many ways but it works like a charm.
I can go from 3/4 square to 1/2 round in one pass.

It is a small hand held router mounted on the tool holder.

 

[George417]

That scares the ever loving daylights out of me

 

[ragz]

is that on a metal lathe? can we get a pic from further back to see more of it?

 

[Dalecamino]

Scary but, cool.

 

[JF36]

Is that considered cheating? That scares me just looking at it.

 

[bluwolf]

Nothing scary or cheating about it. It's using your tools to get the most out of them. A lot of folks adapt trim routers to their lathes. Besides what he's doing with it, you can use it for things like cutting flutes. PSI makes a sled type setup for doing the same thing on wood lathes.

 

[Dalecamino]

Nothing scary or cheating about it. It's using your tools to get the most out of them. A lot of folks adapt trim routers to their lathes. Besides what he's doing with it, you can use it for things like cutting flutes. PSI makes a sled type setup for doing the same thing on wood lathes.

HEY! I've NEVER seen this in your shop. AND, why don't I have one?

 

[Timebandit]

LOL!! This is so scary it looks like there is blood on the yellow nobs to tighten the strap clamps down:biggrin:

 

[Gregf]

Nothing scary or cheating about it. It's using your tools to get the most out of them. A lot of folks adapt trim routers to their lathes. Besides what he's doing with it, you can use it for things like cutting flutes. PSI makes a sled type setup for doing the same thing on wood lathes.

Very nice setup!
Curious on how you mounted the router to the plate.
Any chance of a pic of the detail?

Thx

 

[bluwolf]

Nothing scary or cheating about it. It's using your tools to get the most out of them. A lot of folks adapt trim routers to their lathes. Besides what he's doing with it, you can use it for things like cutting flutes. PSI makes a sled type setup for doing the same thing on wood lathes.

HEY! I've NEVER seen this in your shop. AND, why don't I have one?

Cuz I only use it once in a while. When you're here just go through the drawers. If you see anything interesting just ask. Buy a trim router and we'll make it work somehow:biggrin:

Nothing scary or cheating about it. It's using your tools to get the most out of them. A lot of folks adapt trim routers to their lathes. Besides what he's doing with it, you can use it for things like cutting flutes. PSI makes a sled type setup for doing the same thing on wood lathes.

Very nice setup!
Curious on how you mounted the router to the plate.
Any chance of a pic of the detail?

Thx

Here ya go. Nothing fancy. Just a plate bolted to a piece of square bar stock that gets held in a quick change toolholder. I use the bolt that holds the router to the base plate.

 

[MarkD]

I'm sure all the safety guards were removed for the sake of the photograph!

 

[studioso]

I actually have something similar for my wood lathe.
Did you ever run with the lathe ON?
I always turn the blank by hand while advancing the router with the othet

 

[Canadian_Kid]

I don't think it is that dangerous. Your hands wouldn't be anywhere close to the bit and you could even use an auto feed if you wanted. The only thing that would be bad is if the router came loose but I am sure that it is nice and tight:biggrin:

 

[apple320]

A better pic

http://gecikaknits.blogspot.com/2011/10/when-we-knit-we-do-it-right.html

 

[bluwolf]

A better pic

http://gecikaknits.blogspot.com/2011/10/when-we-knit-we-do-it-right.html

Looks good. It looks like you modified it to be more of a quick change. Does it feel more rigid with the shorter hose clamps?

 

[apple320]

A better pic

http://gecikaknits.blogspot.com/2011/10/when-we-knit-we-do-it-right.html

Looks good. It looks like you modified it to be more of a quick change. Does it feel more rigid with the shorter hose clamps?

Yes now it comes off as one unit so I can use other tooling.

Rigid never had any problem with either setup but the second allows adjustment via the tool post to get angles and sharpen my pencils when they need it lol

See that other plug down there to the right? That was the block heater from my VW that I used to have to turn on for 15 min to heat up the oil in the head of my lathe.

 

[bluwolf]

I'm thinking the block heater for the oil is a good idea up north in the winter. Did you actually install it in the lathe or do you just stick it down in the headstock for a little bit?

I know this will sound stupid, relatively speaking considering where you are, but even when it gets cold here in Florida(hey, we have days that start out in the high 30s, low 40s down here occasionally) I feel better starting the lathe in a low speed for a few minutes just to get the oil slinging around before I crank up the speed. Kinda like stretching before running.

 

[bitshird]

Guys, that looks like a great idea, and I really don't see much safety issue, I'm sure OSHA would have a hissy fit. But for the most part I like Bluwolf's idea the best.

 

[apple320]

I'm thinking the block heater for the oil is a good idea up north in the winter. Did you actually install it in the lathe or do you just stick it down in the headstock for a little bit?

I know this will sound stupid, relatively speaking considering where you are, but even when it gets cold here in Florida(hey, we have days that start out in the high 30s, low 40s down here occasionally) I feel better starting the lathe in a low speed for a few minutes just to get the oil slinging around before I crank up the speed. Kinda like stretching before running.

This block heater epoxies to the oil pan so I just mounted it to the side of my lathe.
When it is really cold I always start off am bit slow as well just to get the oil splashed around the head of the lathe.

 

[apple320]

Guys, that looks like a great idea, and I really don't see much safety issue, I'm sure OSHA would have a hissy fit. But for the most part I like Bluwolf's idea the best.

(Bluwolf's idea the best) me too lol that will be my next mod. I had the routher for free because the base was missing so that is why I have the clamps and a welded up bracket to hold it all together. When it ever dies then I will buy a new one and make up a proper bracket for it. But for a temp solution it is now going on 3 years. Die bugger Die.

 

[cwolfs69]

nice job. we used to make set ups like that all the time in the machinist world. most of the time they were commercially available stuff but basically the same thing.
looks great to a machinist.

 

[apple320]

nice job. we used to make set ups like that all the time in the machinist world. most of the time they were commercially available stuff but basically the same thing.
looks great to a machinist.

Thank you very much.
My only machine training was a class back in grade 9 so it has been a long self taught road. I am sure lot of what I do is wrong or there is an easier way to do it, but at the end of the day I have something I seen in my mind in my hand so all is good.

 

[joefyffe]

Darn You, Chris! When I first opened that site and saw Gecika Knits, I thought I had been hacked!! :biggrin:

A better pic

http://gecikaknits.blogspot.com/2011/10/when-we-knit-we-do-it-right.html

 

[cnirenberg]

Chris,
It now makes perfect sense. You mentioned this type of setup a while back, possibly on another forum, but now I get it. Pretty cool, I like the way you sharpened up the knitting needles. I get a kick out of that.

 

[apple320]

Darn You, Chris! When I first opened that site and saw Gecika Knits, I thought I had been hacked!! :biggrin:

A better pic

http://gecikaknits.blogspot.com/2011/10/when-we-knit-we-do-it-right.html

Sorry but it was the latest pic of the lathe setup.
This child has been working my old 1941 South Bend of my grand fathers when she had to stand on a milk create to see the cutting tool. She used to make a pen for her teachers every year for Christmas as we have always encouraged them to make their Christmas gifts.


5th picture down
http://appleman-pens.blogspot.com/2011/10/studio-area.html