Asking Robust Owners

[skott nielsen]

I just received th Robust American Beauty and it is in the shop up on it's casters awaiting power and then I will drop it and level it. I must say it looks fabulous but I have not yet given it a spin. I also just installed the Oneida V 3000 dust collector and ran the piping yesterday. Oneida reccommended a 5 inch square hood that goes to 5 inch flex hose and that came with my system.

My question is how have you robust owners connected dust collection to your lathes? While I have you, have you found a particular light that fits and works well in the standard provided on the headstock?

Skott

[Steve Schlumpf]

Skott - congrats on your new lathe! Looking forward to seeing photos once you are set up!

[Reed Gray]

Scott,
As far as the light goes, I have one of the Moffatt lamps with the magnetic base. I don't use the provided receptical on the lathe. I do have the light off the lathe on occasion, and the 2 foot long arm on the lamp allows it to be moved just about anywhere.

I also have an Oneida dc. with a 5 inch hose to the lathe. For spindle, and smaller turnings, the hose is plenty. For bowl sanding, I made a hood from a 55 gallon white plastic drum (diameter is about 24 inches), with the hose mounted onto it. I cut off about a third of one end which makes it a more proper length for my bowls, and put plastic film (clear acrylic sheet stock some day) over the open end. I cut a hole in the other end to go over the headstock spindle, and cut out some of the side of the drum so that the front was open. I screwed some plywood to the bottom of the hood to fit it into the ways of the lathe. I can sand all day (power sanding) with no mask on. I get some dust on my shirt and hands, but none on my glasses or up my nose. I have checked the nose part several times even after 6 hours of sanding black walnut. No dust in my nose. You can also buy 1/4 inch 4 x 8 sheet stock of the plastic and make a custom hood as well. Sorry, no pics, but Oneway does make some thing similar to it.

robo hippy

[George Clark]

Skott,

I use the standard swing arm lamp available at most office supply stores. I've seen them in two different arm lengths and I would recommend the longer arms and a 100 watt bulb capacity. Mine was under $15 at Office Depot. For dust collection, I currently use a custom red oak funnel (I just had to get the bottom a little bit thinner) tie wrapped to a roller stand and connected to a 2 hp commercial Oneida. I have visions of a more elaborate system but this works surprisingly well. Some hardware cloth in the bottom of the funnel would reduce sandpaper disappearance. You can see from the lamp you do have to turn the system on to collect the dust.

I also included a shot of my solution to tool and accessory storage for the Robust.

You are going to love your lathe. Brent is excellent on his after the sale service.

George

[skott nielsen]

Reed

Where did you purchase your Moffatt lamp?

[Steven DeMars]

My neighbor to the rear of me repairs dental equipment for dentist offices. I told him I would really like to get my hands on a exam light like those over the dentist chair.

After his son sailed a couple of baseballs against my shop walls, cracking the siding he decided a "like new dental light" would be in order . . . .

BTW, my siding guy fixed my siding for free :-)

All that aside . . . . did you know many of the dental lights actually use a automotive headlight for it's bulb . . . . yep, an old sealed beam . . . .

Do I hear wheels turning . . .?

Steve :)

[Reed Gray]

Moffatt lamps are available through Craft Supplies and Packard. Don't know if Woodcraft is carrying them, but at our last club meeting, where I demoed, the club members took note of mine, and the store owner asked if anyone would be interested in buying them if he got them, about 10 hands went up. I do prefer the bendable arms to the articulated ones here. More stable, and doesn't move when you get some vibration from big bowls. You may be able to web search them and find the company.
robo hippy

[Jack Mincey]

Reed, I would love to see a picture of your dust collecting barrel system. I'm going to buy a Oneida system this spring and would like to build one for my lathe.
Thanks,
Jack

[Bob Bergstrom]

Now I know what to do with all those bowls that I have turned through the bottom. I like the idea of using them on the end of the dust collection hose!

[Wilbur Pan]

While I have you, have you found a particular light that fits and works well in the standard provided on the headstock?

I don't have a Robust, but one thing puzzles me about lights and lathes in general. I would think that given vibration when the lathe is in use, and how that vibration is going to shorten the lifespan of the bulb, the lathe would be the last place I would mount a light. I'd mount one to a wall, the ceiling, or on a separate stand before mounting a light to the lathe itself.

[George Clark]

I don't have a Robust, but one thing puzzles me about lights and lathes in general. I would think that given vibration when the lathe is in use, and how that vibration is going to shorten the lifespan of the bulb, the lathe would be the last place I would mount a light. I'd mount one to a wall, the ceiling, or on a separate stand before mounting a light to the lathe itself.

Robusts don't vibrate.:D:D:D

George

[Jim Becker]

Wilbur, George is correct...while it's "possible" to make an 800-1000 lb lathe "vibrate", it's not very common unless you are working something off-center or large and of uneven density. My Stubby doesn't vibrate either. Nor do the big OneWay and Poolewood lathes that I've turned on. But it could be a factor on some lathes that have less mass, so it's worthy of consideration.

[Wilbur Pan]

Robusts don't vibrate.:D:D:D

George

True (I've had the pleasure of using a Robust once), but you get what I mean. ;)

[Reed Gray]

I don't seem to have any problem getting my Robust to vibrate. I do turn fairly large, heavy and wet, as well as turning at as high of a speed as possible: turn it up till it vibrates, then back off a bit.

As far as light bulbs go, the standard cheap ones don't last. There are 'rough duty bulbs that survive even what I throw at them. Being on the lathe isn't a problem, and lets me get them closer to the work. I do have a floor lamp that is one of the multi spectrum types that gives almost sun light quality. Love it. It is a Blue Max light, and they did advertise in the earlier Woodturning Design magazines.

Jack, if I knew how to take pictures, load them into the computer, and then post them, I would. I aint there yet. If you get to Oneway's site, they have a hood for bowl sanding that is similar to what I made. If you can find one of the barrels, it isn't too hard to figure out. I got mine at a honey place, and have seen then from beverage (soda pop) makers.

robo hippy

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

I've turned on a friends Robust one to two days a week or the last year. We frequently turn 200 to 475 lb pieces on it. Always out of balance to start. Vibration has never been a problem when turning them. The light he has is a adjustable arm halogan light from Staple's. I don't know how long the bulbs are suspose to last but his is used almost daily, and he hasn't replaced it in the last year.
I have the same light mounted on my Powermatic 3520 & it works great for me too.

[David Peebles]

Hi Joe,

You have got to get a pic of a #475 piece on the lathe for me. That is a little mind boggling to me. :)

Best wishes,
Dave

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

Hi Joe,

You have got to get a pic of a #475 piece on the lathe for me. That is a little mind boggling to me. :)

Best wishes,
Dave
Dave
Here it is :D

[Martin Shupe]

Wow!!!!!!!

That's fantastic!

[David Peebles]

Holy Cow!!!

Thanks Joe,

That goes into my top ten!!

Dave

[alex carey]

Joe that is the epitome of the turning I would like to do someday. Great pictures. Any idea what the weighted before you put it on lathe?

Alex

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

Joe that is the epitome of the turning I would like to do someday. Great pictures. Any idea what the weighted before you put it on lathe?

Alex
That one was right at 475 lbs.

[Ted Calver]

I'd like to see THAT hollowing rig in action!!

[Dave Ogren]

I really like your steady rest !!! Could we get some more details on that ?? In the picture it looks as another green one in in the background. Steel thinkness, how the slides work, type of wheels, the quick tighten feature of the slides, etc. Awsome work, keep it up.

Dave Ogren

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Skott, here is a pic of my dust collector and light together. I have also posted an article from my website on the dust collector.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=66440&d=1182021582

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

I really like your steady rest !!! Could we get some more details on that ?? In the picture it looks as another green one in in the background. Steel thinkness, how the slides work, type of wheels, the quick tighten feature of the slides, etc. Awsome work, keep it up.

Dave Ogren
Dave
The Steady rest on the Robust Lathe, is made by Robust. It is actually a Proto-type that Bret English made. He now sell these through his web site.
I don't know all the details on it. I've never really payed that much attention to it. However the owner & I use it on all of the Very large pieces we turn & it works very well.

[Dave Ogren]

Joe,

Thank you,

Dave Ogren

[Dave Ogren]

Joe,

Thank you.

Dave Ogren