A potential new hobby goes pllllbbbbbtt...

[Tom Porter]

A little while ago, I bought an older lathe of craiglist (craftsman 113228160) with the plan to try and learn to turn bowls. I set it up, bought some inexpensive tools off ebay, did some research online to get a vague idea what I was doing, cut up some black walnut with the chainsaw and had at it. I have few tools, no jaw chuck and no experience but I was able to make a pretty nice bowl. There were a couple of failed attempts and a lot of mistakes but that's part of the learning process. However, I may have ended my new hobby before it really began. I loaded up a large blank today and was going to rough it out. I was worried that it was too large (it probably was) so I wasn't trying to round it in earnest, just trying to figure out if it was a mistake to work with a piece this big on this lathe. I had the tool rest up and locked and tried to lightly using the roughing gouge to see how it would go. It chipped off a little and then caught a bit and the tool rest holder snapped in two. I guess it was extended a bit but it didn't seem that the catch was that violent. (I suspect many reading this are muttering "idiot" at this point but it's not the first time, so I can live with that.)

Here's the big problem: the tool rest holder is a part no longer available. I did an online chat with searspartsdirect.com with no luck. So am I now stuck with a lathe I can't use because I have no tool rest? Any ideas?

[Bob Coates]

Measure the post size and look online at Penn State Industries, craft supply, grizzly, esxeor leevalley for selection. Since you are still learning, get a inexpensive one. Hope you are using a faceplate, and if possible bring the tail stock up to out of balance blank until it stabilize.

[Jamie Donaldson]

I hesitate to be so blunt Tom, but that was my first lathe 25 yrs. ago, and it is a piece of junk. The round tube for a bed will not retain alignment between headstock and tailstock, and is a reason that aftermarket replacement rest holders( often called a banjo) are not available. The banjo you broke is cast iron used in a poor design application, and you also dodged a possible injury by using a "spindle" roughing gouge inappropriately for bowl turning. I advise you to look for a better and safer lathe, but first you should find a local turning club or experienced mentor to get you started.

[Tom Porter]

Thanks for the reply. I'll give a couple of them a call on Monday. But I might not have been clear (or I don't fully follow your reply): it's not the tool rest which was damaged but the holder which attaches to the lathe base. There's the part that clamps onto the tube, the holder, which swivels around and locks down, and then the tool rest itself. It's the middle piece that is in two pieces now.

The blank was securely on a faceplate and I had the tail stock pulled up as well, though I don't think it was secured well. I was still adjusting things before getting started and foolishly decided to see how it would react to the gouge. Not the smartest thing I've ever done (but sadly, probably not the dumbest either).

[Steve Schlumpf]

I agree with absolutely everything Jamie just stated! I started out with the same lathe... and while they are not great, they can work for small stuff.

Learning how to turn on your own can be fun - but it can also be extremely dangerous when you start pushing the limits of the lathe, the tools being used and your limited knowledge of turning. Get with your local turning club and they will help you learn how to turn and also probably help you find a decent lathe at a fair price!

Good luck - and BE SAFE!!

[Tom Porter]

No worries on being blunt. I know I don't really know what I'm doing, so my ego isn't on the line. I was confused a bit about the use of the roughing gouge. I've seen a few sites indicating that it can be used to round a blank but further reading indicates that my research was incomplete. Thanks for the advice.

[bernard feinerman]

Is your lathe the monotube lathe that Craftsman sold?
and...is the broken part, the part that slides along the tube and holds the tool post?
If yes, then I have a spare one that might be useful.
Bernie F.
Fairhaven, Ma

[Tom Porter]

Yes and no. It is a monotube. The part that broke sits on top of the part that slides along the tube. It has a slot in the middle where the locking nut slides and a hole at one end where the tool rest mounts.

[Rodney Walker]

PM sent.
Rodney

[Biff Johnson]

I think there are quite a few turners that don't use a rest attached to the machine. You could probably fabricate one from steel pipe plumbing fittings if you aren't handy with a welder.

[bernard feinerman]

The broken part is called a tool rest holder. There is an 8" long one listed on ebay for $30 under "Craftsman wood lathe" . You could try owwm.org (old woodworking machines) and see if anyone has your part. I have an extra one if you can not find one.
The monotube is not a great lathe but you can make nice woodturnings using it.
Bernie F.

[Ryan Mooney]

you also dodged a possible injury by using a "spindle" roughing gouge inappropriately for bowl turning. I advise you to look for a better and safer lathe, but first you should find a local turning club or experienced mentor to get you started.

Highly agreed, I'm relatively paranoid about the possible dangers on the lathe (and indeed most tools), I've seen to many things go wrong in a hurry (the dis? advantage of working with a lot of folks who didn't actually know what they were doing.. you get to see the wrong way before having to do it yourself :D)

Here is a cogent explanation of the danger of using a spindle gouge for roughing blanks complete with the resulting injury :eek:.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOhHeyoZLaY

Having said that there ARE places where you can use a spindle gouge for roughing bowl blanks.. Like for instance for doing the outside of an end grain piece where you are .. making a spindle... essentially...

[Robert Vroman]

... and tried to lightly using the roughing gouge to see how it would go.

I know others have mentioned it, but I feel it is enough of a safety issue to repeat. Never use a roughing gouge on a bowl blank, only spindles. The roughing gouge just does not have the correct grind and is too aggressive (therefore will violently catch) for all the grain changes that take place as a bowl blank spins. My other question would be, what speed were you spinning the blank at, and what where its dimensions? That is another factor to consider whenever doing large pieces.

[Tom Porter]

Well, I managed to fix my lathe tool rest holder. Thanks for the input. Here's the result. A reasonable outcome considering it's the third bowl I've made.249920

[Anthony Diodati]

Well, I managed to fix my lathe tool rest holder. Thanks for the input. Here's the result. A reasonable outcome considering it's the third bowl I've made.249920 looks real nice, what are we looking at? Cherry?

How did you fix the tool rest holder? Can you post a picture, I might have one laying around for cost of shipping.
Well if it's the same thing.
I am kind of just starting out too, although l have had my lathe for a while.
Here is one l just did, I'll just post it here.

[Curt Fuller]

Hey Tom, that's a great looking bowl. You obviously have the talent and skills to make a silk purse turning on that old sows ear of a lathe. Many of the parts for the older craftsman tube lathes interchange with the newer Ridgid lathes. Not sure about the tool rest holder but it's worth checking into. I spent my first few years turning with the Ridgid tube bed lathe and although it taught me to love turning the best thing I did was move up to a better lathe. Those tube bed lathes just aren't made for much more than spindle work. But again, that's a nice bowl!

[Rodney Walker]

I'm happy to see you didn't give up and got your lathe fixed. Great job on the bowl.
Rodney

[Ryan Mooney]

That came out very well! Congrats on fixing your tool rest.

[Fred Perreault]

Tom, you did a great job on the bowl and seem to want to persevere. I, and others here, started on the Sears monotube, but if you are serious, upgrading ASAP is highly recommended. Of course, money will enter into the equation, but on the other side of the equation is an immediate improvement in safety, quality and variety of your work, much greater fun factor, and of course the chance to acquire tools you did not know existed :) :)

shop till you drop, but upgrade as soon as possible

[Greg Ketell]

Very nice outcome!

[Jim Underwood]

One more caution on not using a spindle roughing gouge on a bowl. If the video above wasn't enough to convince you, then there's another reason not to use it. The tang is usually much too small to survive any really serious catch caused by the gouge's corners. The gouge can break and be thrown. Nick Cook tells of one of his friends who got one thrown into his face. He had to have his jaw wired shut while his face was rebuilt.

That said, nice job on the bowl. My first didn't look nearly that good.

[Dick Strauss]

You made quite a nice bowl. I'm with others and highly recommend finding a club and maybe a mentor.

One note to help you understand when the spindle roughing gouge should and should not be used. If the grain of the wood runs parallel to the length of the lathe tubes as it rotates, then it is a spindle and can be roughed using a spindle roughing gouge. If the grain runs across the lathe tubes as it rotates, then it is a bowl blank (not a spindle) and a spindle roughing gouge should not be used. I don't know what your experience level is and don't want to offend you but I wanted to make sure you understood the basics to avoid future confusion. Apologies in advance...!

Be safe,
Dick

[Anthony Diodati]

The tool rest I have