Have Lathe, Will Travel

[Allen Neighbors]

This is a couple of shots of my little Vicmarc outside my travel trailer. We bought a toy hauler, so we could carry what we wanted when we left home for a while (craft cases, etc.). My wife takes her quilting, and sewing machines, and I carry Lil Vic with blanks and tools.
The table it's on is the Northern Tool Hydraulic Lift table that another Creeker told us about. The lathe fastens down with a triangle knob under each corner of the diamond pattern table that screw into tee nuts in the ply. I take the lathe off and slide it into my truck, the trolley collapses and goes right beside it. Tool rack lays down, so I can close the bed cover on the truck.
The other pic shows the enlarged cutout, so I can see the pulleys when I change speeds. It also shows the speeds, as calculated for this 1725rpm 3/4hp motor. The slow speed is too fast to hand chase threads, but so far hasn't caused too many problems. I try to get the blanks pretty well balanced before I stick 'em on it.

[Jim Underwood]

So is the little scissor jack thing rather heavy? Or would it be easy to pick up and put in the back of the car?

[Allen Neighbors]

Empty, it's probably about 40 pounds or so... not sure of the exact weight... it may be as much as 50 pounds. But I'm 69 years old and getting weaker, and I can still lift it into the truck.
The good thing about this trolley is that when you get it out of your trunk, you can jack it up to put something else on it. :)

[Joshua Dinerstein]

That's awesome. I love the idea. I wish my wife and I had the time and means to get away more. My young daughter ties us pretty close to home in lots of ways. So I will file this away in the old mental data bank and somewhere down the road I will dust it off and give it a whirl. :)

Joshua

[Steve Schlumpf]

Allen - looks like quite the setup! Have fun traveling!

[Baxter Smith]

Thats a neat rig. Bet its a great conversation starter and you never lose your touch!

[Ray Bell]

Very neat, the best of two worlds there. Throw your fishing pole in, and it would be the best of 3 worlds.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Allen that is really a cool idea.

[Allen Neighbors]

Thanks for the comments, everyone.
I do get a lot of comments from folks, and many of them stop by to visit.
Ray, I do have my fishing pole. Just haven't been fishing in over 30 years. Gonna try it next week, when my grandson gets here. :)
I'm going to post some more pics after while of my buffing and sharpening setup.

[Ray Bell]

Awaiting pictures of the turnings....and the fish

[Allen Neighbors]

These are pics of the way I buff and sharpen on the Vicmarc VL100.
The buffing wheels and the grinder wheel all have the same type of mounting system, except the grinder has tail stock support.
One pic shows my Carnauba wheel mounted on the lathe. You can see the pen on the mandrel with the brass wheel removed. Easy to buff with them mounted on the mandrel, by holding them at an angle against the wheel.
Two pic shows the buffing wheels with their hardwood mandrels facing up, laying on the picnic table. I carry each of them in their own ziploc bag, with the rouge and wax in a separate bag inside.
The mandrels are made to mount in the chuck. A hole was drilled on the lathe to accept the 1/2" bolt that goes through the hole in the buffs. There's a 1/2" cpvc pipe length super-glued in the center of the wheel as an axle shaft. The head of the bolt is recessed, and the bolt is epoxied in.
Pic 3 shows the grinding wheel mounted with a friend holding the gouge against the wheel in a homemade 30* varigrind. Though it doesn't look like it in this picture, the tip of the tool is above the center of the wheel, so there are no catches.
Pic 4 shows the white plexiglas device I use to measure the leg distance from the wheel. The slide has a 1/4x20 bolt to lock it at the proper distance.
Pic 5 shows the platform I use for scrapers and Oland cutters. It's just mounted in the banjo.
I have a short tutorial on this little buffing system and another on my sharpening system, if anyone wants. Just email me:
amneighborsATsbcglobalDOTnet

[David E Keller]

Great looking setup all the way around. Instead of having wood sent to you, you can just drive to the wood. Need to remember this if I ever get to retire and travel.