Using a Metal Lathe for Turning Wood?

[islandturner]

I'm thinking I might sell my Nova DVR 3000 (which has been a fantastic machine, BTW) and go back to a metal lathe for both wood turning and metal work. I used to have an Atlas (approx 12 X 30) but sold it a few years ago during a move. In the new house, I bought the Nova, not knowing how much I'd miss the Atlas, and being able to turn metal.

To turn wood on a metal lathe, I guess the tool rest is the issue. Can you buy a generic tool rest that will fit the bed of a metal lathe?

Does anyone here own a metal lathe only, and turn wood on it? Any thoughts or advice? Maybe I need to be talked out of this… L

Tks
Steve

 

[Lawrence Witter]

Re: Turning wood on a metal lathe

Steve,

I have a 7X14 metal lathe that I use to turn wood pen bodies. I bought a tool rest for it but that's not the way to go, I couldn't get it close enough to the work. Then, I had a bright idea and began using a boring bar on a quick-change tool post. Depending on your set up, it may also work for you.

Regards,

Larry

 

[cnirenberg]

I use a long handled allen wrench bolted to the stock TP. Seems to work ok. It's similar to Larry's approach.

 

[mredburn]

I have a sherline 4400 I use it to turn my pen blanks as well. I have a couple of different set ups to do the hand work. I use the standard hss tools to round the blanks and then go to a tool rest to do the final shaping. In my case I adapted a taig tool for turning wood to my uses. made up a 1 1/5 wide tool rest so in can get right up to the Blank its adjustable for height and the head turns to match the area i need to turn

 

[randyrls]

To turn wood on a metal lathe, I guess the tool rest is the issue. Can you buy a generic tool rest that will fit the bed of a metal lathe?

Does anyone here own a metal lathe only, and turn wood on it? Any thoughts or advice? Maybe I need to be talked out of this

Steve; I did turn wood on my metal lathe, but the max speed of most metal lathes is between 2000 to 2500 RPM. The other issue is that the spindle nose thread on most metal lathes isn't the same as wood lathes. They don't appear to make cross adapters either, but with a metal lathe you can make one right?!


I made a tool rest for my 9x20
http://www.coleman-family.org/gallery2/v/temp/MetalLatheToolPost.jpg.html

 

[bgray]

Nothing wrong with it, but be mindful of dust.

Metal lathes with quick-change gear transmissions will have the gears in an oil bath in the headstock. There will also be oil points on the carriage, crosslide, leadscrews, etc...

You don't want to foul oils with chips and sawdust.

 

[Penhecked]

I started on a metal lathe, but as said before RPMs is the problem.
Plus to me it is just not pratical. I purchased a little Wilton Mini,
much better gas mileage!