david brum
06-21-2009, 8:19 PM
I thought anyone who's using a 1236 style lathe might find this useful.
I am trying my hand at bowl turning. I got this 1236 a few years ago on Craigslist. It works fine for spindle work. I mounted an out of round bowl last week and had it oscillating like a hula dancer. Even with several hundred pounds of sand, that sheet metal stand just wasn't stable. It was clear that something was going to break if the lathe ran that way. I even tried screwing plywood to the inside of the stand. No improvement. I see why people get frustrated with these lathes.
At this point, I briefly considered upgrading, but then financial reality brought me back to earth. So I tried to think of the cheapest, most effective way to improve the lathe. I got my idea from my workbench top, which is heavy and ridgid. I laminated a bunch of 2 x 8s ( for the verticals), leaving gaps to act as mortises. Then I inserted 2 x 10s (for the verticals), like tenons. The tenons got turned into boxes, filled with 150# of sand. The whole thing weighs probably 300 lbs, but mainly it really works!
I can now turn with very little vibration. The best part is that my total investment is maybe $40 (plus a quart of glue).
This, along with a Fenner link belt on the Reeves drive seems to have this old girl humming really well.
If anybody is interested in details, I'd be happy to share while it's fresh in my mind.
I am trying my hand at bowl turning. I got this 1236 a few years ago on Craigslist. It works fine for spindle work. I mounted an out of round bowl last week and had it oscillating like a hula dancer. Even with several hundred pounds of sand, that sheet metal stand just wasn't stable. It was clear that something was going to break if the lathe ran that way. I even tried screwing plywood to the inside of the stand. No improvement. I see why people get frustrated with these lathes.
At this point, I briefly considered upgrading, but then financial reality brought me back to earth. So I tried to think of the cheapest, most effective way to improve the lathe. I got my idea from my workbench top, which is heavy and ridgid. I laminated a bunch of 2 x 8s ( for the verticals), leaving gaps to act as mortises. Then I inserted 2 x 10s (for the verticals), like tenons. The tenons got turned into boxes, filled with 150# of sand. The whole thing weighs probably 300 lbs, but mainly it really works!
I can now turn with very little vibration. The best part is that my total investment is maybe $40 (plus a quart of glue).
This, along with a Fenner link belt on the Reeves drive seems to have this old girl humming really well.
If anybody is interested in details, I'd be happy to share while it's fresh in my mind.