work bench lathe stand

[Derek Voigt]

I have a workbench that I would like to turn into a lathe work station for my nova DVR. The stand is made of 2x4’s for the legs and the stretchers and the top is made from three 2x12’s. Overall it is about 6’ long, 30” wide, and 30” high (not sure on the height, but it is a good height for my lathe, not too high)

The stand feels pretty solid itself, but when I put it in the basement where I want it there it has some wobble to it. Too much for me to want to outboard turn a 20” bowl as is.

So 2 questions:
1) Do you think that this would be an adequate bench for long term lathe use?

2) So what is the best way to try and reduce the wobble? I was thinking about adding some adjustable feet to it to help level it, or maybe bolting it directly to the floor. I also plan to add some shelving and weight to the bench which should help out a little.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks,
Derek

[Thomas Canfield]

A photo might help. It sounds like your joints are not "tight" and a better description if screwed, nailed, glued, etc would help. Some extra stiffening and weight (even sandbags or similar) would also make the stand more suitable for turning larger pieces.

[Michelle Rich]

I have my lathes on cabinet tops. I bolted my lathes to the tops and the tops to the wall. It takes a lot to make walls shake :-)

[Derek Voigt]

I'll try to get a picture up tonight. The stand was screwed together with 2-2.5" screws. I don't think any glue was used.

More weight will get added as I go, i would like to add some storage under it for all my turning accessories.

[Stan Smith]

My simple suggestion. Build a 2x4 frame that will just fit around the base of the legs. Put a 3/4 piece of plywood on the bottom of the frame. Set the stand in the frame. Fill the frame with sand. Put a 1/4" of whatever over the sand. Oh yeah, you probably want to screw the 2x4 legs to the rframe. there's also a way to add casters on one end and a fulcrum to the other to move it around. I did this with my Jet 1642 lathe which I no longer have. YMMV.

[Reed Gray]

Well, is the wobble coming from the frame itself, or are only 3 legs sitting on the concrete? I did concrete work for 30 years, and even I would not guarantee my slabs to be dead flat. Basement slabs were the worst because you couldn't work the outsides very well because of foundation walls and framing. A rocking table can be fixed by adjustable feet fairly easily, or a wedge under one foot. If the table itself is wobbling, it is a different problem. One way, if possible would be to put a plywood frame around it, 3 sides at least. This would make a shear wall, and keep it from moving. Another way is with plywood gussets, or triangles, 2 on each leg, which would also prevent racking or twisting.

robo hippy

[Peter Fabricius]

Hi Derek,
The bench has to be solid, using the suggestions presented above.... Your bench height is also important and you need a three inch space under the ways of the lathe to clear out wood chips. Your spindle should be at elbow height so you will want to adjust for these requirements. Measure it out and cut the legs to achieve a fit that suits you. Levelling the legs with wedges glued to the bottom of the legs works well, then bolting down the bench is also good.
Hope it works for you, please post pictures.
Peter F.

Here is what my Lathe looked like in January 2010 when new. It is not quite so new looking now, but I just love how it works!!!

[Sparky Paessler]

Derek
I bought a used DVR years ago and it was mounted on a small woodworking bench with a tool tray in the back. The previous owner had stiffened it up by screwing plywood panels on the ends and the back. I also have a 80lb bag of concrete mix and several blanks on the lower shelf for weight. Has adjustible feet on it for uneven floors. Has worked well for me. You can kind of see the bench in these pictures.