Lathe from a portable drill?

[Bob Stroupe]

I'm thinking of making a frame for an old corded hand drill to use as a lathe for small stuff, as a way to get started in turning. Eventually I'd like to turn bowls maybe between 8"-13" around from green wood. If I built the frame appropriately could a drill turn a bowl?

[Paul Williams]

I have seen a lathe made using a drill for power. However it was used to turn 1 to 2 inch spindles. I doubt that this is a good idea for a bowl lathe of any size.

If you search some of the old issues of fine woodworking at the library, and probably similar articles are available on the internet, there have been many lathes built with wooden frames. I would look for a discarded 1/2 hp motor and look into building a wooden lathe before I would attach anything as large as an 8 inch bowl to a drill.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Most of the drill lathes I have seen are for spindle turning. That would be a stretch to do a 13" bowl especially at the speed it would run when locked in the run position. You can get some good used lathes for a good price and some new one's that will do up to 12" bowls that are variable speed and from $399. The drill lathe would be good for pens, ornaments, mini birdhouses, etc. but IMHO not for bowls.

[GLENN THOMAS]

Bob,

I agree with what has already been said. It would probably work ok for pens or something really small like that. I can almost promise you that if you did make one and got hooked you would out grow it in about 5 minutes. I would suggest that you look for a good quality used lathe or a good mini lathe.

GT

[Paul Atkins]

I'd bet there is someone who has a little lathe not being used around your area for a good price. You might ask around - maybe there is someone here.

[Mike Campbell KS]

I have used a setup like this for making fly rod handles, but I was just spinning cork and not using any tools except sandpaper. Grizzly has a model like you are planning on http://www.grizzly.com/products/Hobby-Lathe/H2669. I have heard of people using it on the rodbuilding forums that I read, but have never seen it. I cannot believe that you could do more than very small spindle type projects.