How Much Fun Can A Guy Have For $40? (Be careful with your answer this is a "G" rated forum!)

[henry1164]

Background - I have never had a lathe set up at home. Began turning pens several months ago using the Jet 1442 lathe at MakerSpace (a membership club with all kinds of great/high end equipment for woodworking as well as other trades). With COVID19 the club was immediately closed in March and remained so until just recently.

So, what does a guy have to do for fun - i.e. pen turning? On a lark I bought the micro/mini lathe from eBay (picture below) and set it up in my garage. Adding a few other small little items that I needed for turning it added up to around $40.

I had to modify the lathe by taking the motor/head off the aluminum bed and mounting it a few inches away from the bed to get the length I needed to turn pen barrels up to 5 inches. Because I was already turning pens prior to losing my lathe source I had the sanding/finishing/bushings/mandrel/etc. stuff. My son 3D printed a collection cone (in the background of the lathe picture) for my shopvac and I had some dust collection. The space I had with a jammed tight garage was a 6' X 6' area (social distancing?) but it was enough to get the job done!

So, how did it work out you ask? From the very first pen I turned on this lathe I was (re)hooked on pen turning. Using the techniques I had already learned i was able to do a complete turning from that first pen. I continued to make pens over the last month or so. The last picture shows the pens made with this little beauty. I am sold on this "toy" lathe and will continue to turn pens at home as well as eventually returning to MakerSpace (during the hottest and coldest times as my garage is conditioned for only natural weather).

Thanks for viewing.

 

[Charlie_W]

You made it work!! Great looking pens

 

[Dehn0045]

Least expensive lathe setup so far. Curious what you use for a tool rest?

 

[dogcatcher]

My grandkids went crazy making beads with a similar set up that I made. The granddaughter must have made a bracelet for every girl she knows.

 

[Dieseldoc]

Yup, more that one way to skin a cat. Oops make pen's.
Happy it works for you.

 

[GraiDawg]

way to think outside the box.
the maker space i use also closed at the outbreak of covid, so me and my wife are opening our own.

 

[henry1164]

Least expensive lathe setup so far. Curious what you use for a tool rest?

I AM a "cheap" person.... The picture shows the original tool rest to the right. It was not wide enough and a little too high for the tools I use. Had a small aluminum i-beam that i cut to fit and lowered the level of the tool rest to about center of the mandrel. Since all of the items I turn are very small I just need to screw down the tool rest and then make adjustment on how I hold the tool to complete the turning from start to finish.

 

[MPVic]

Background - I have never had a lathe set up at home. Began turning pens several months ago using the Jet 1442 lathe at MakerSpace (a membership club with all kinds of great/high end equipment for woodworking as well as other trades). With COVID19 the club was immediately closed in March and remained so until just recently.

So, what does a guy have to do for fun - i.e. pen turning? On a lark I bought the micro/mini lathe from eBay (picture below) and set it up in my garage. Adding a few other small little items that I needed for turning it added up to around $40.

I had to modify the lathe by taking the motor/head off the aluminum bed and mounting it a few inches away from the bed to get the length I needed to turn pen barrels up to 5 inches. Because I was already turning pens prior to losing my lathe source I had the sanding/finishing/bushings/mandrel/etc. stuff. My son 3D printed a collection cone (in the background of the lathe picture) for my shopvac and I had some dust collection. The space I had with a jammed tight garage was a 6' X 6' area (social distancing?) but it was enough to get the job done!

So, how did it work out you ask? From the very first pen I turned on this lathe I was (re)hooked on pen turning. Using the techniques I had already learned i was able to do a complete turning from that first pen. I continued to make pens over the last month or so. The last picture shows the pens made with this little beauty. I am sold on this "toy" lathe and will continue to turn pens at home as well as eventually returning to MakerSpace (during the hottest and coldest times as my garage is conditioned for only natural weather).

Thanks for viewing.

I'm impressed, how very resourceful!! Good for you & kudos to your son for the dust collection hood!!!!

 

[Sand Mountain Designs]

do you have a link to it? What kind of RPM's are we looking at?

 

[henry1164]

do you have a link to it? What kind of RPM's are we looking at?

I got mine from eBay. I searched for "mini wood lathe". There are a few models/makers so you'll need to read the descriptions. Most are variable speeds but some run way too fast at the lowest speed (i.e. 4,000rpm). Mine has a range of 1,500rpm to 7,000rpm. I run mostly at 1,500rpm. Also, if you see the photo I have it bolted to a 2X4 and then clamped to the work surface. Almost vibrated into my lap when I first used it. Good luck.