Lathe Question

[Barry McFadden]

In another post I made about lathe vibration I emailed Record/Coronet in the UK about it and in the reply they sent me a PDF of the lathe setup. Covered the usual things like make sure it's level..etc.. One thing it did say was to NEVER fasten the lathe bench to the wall. Mine has been attached to the wall for years to try to minimize vibration when turning a very out of round piece. Does anyone know why it should not be attached to the wall? Do any of you guys have your lathe attached? I realize on a very large lathe it probably wouldn't need to be attached but for a smaller one like mine it helps but now I'm wondering if I'm doing the lathe harm by having it attached.

[Tom Brouillette]

It may be more of a precaution for the structure than the lathe. Wall structures are intended to support a vertical load, not to absorb any lateral load or shock/trauma. Whatever vibration is dampened by the wall is not doing the wall any good.

Just my $.02.

[Barry McFadden]

It may be more of a precaution for the structure than the lathe. Wall structures are intended to support a vertical load, not to absorb any lateral load or shock/trauma. Whatever vibration is dampened by the wall is not doing the wall any good.

Just my $.02.

Thanks Tom... I hadn't thought of that...I don't think I'm doing any turning that would shake the wall down so I guess I can leave the lathe attached..

[John K Jordan]

Interesting. I haven't fastened any of my lathes but I do have a friend who clamped his relatively lightweight lathe to the wall in his garage with pipe clamps. This allowed him to turn large bowl blanks outboard that otherwise would have walked the lathe across the floor. He did this for years and nothing broke, on the lathe or the wall.

As far as the mechanics involved, it seems to me that fastening to the structure would be an extension of adding ballast weight. Perhaps it would be different with a really huge chunk of wood, like Lissi Oland turns. (If you are not familiar with her, check out this: https://youtu.be/1PMEJ7rirso - she loaded up my truck once with some great pieces of wood once when she was getting ready to move!)

JKJ

[Brian Brown]

When I first started turning I attached my midi lathe t0 the wall so it could be in the garage, and I could still park my truck along side of it. I also built shelves starting at about 2/3 the way up the wall so I could store the logs that were drying. The lathe seemed to work OK in the wall mounted position, until I started turning larger bowls and hollow forms. Then I couldn't get the tool handles far enough across the ways for good hollowing. They would hit the wall. The worst part about having the lathe mounted to the wall, was that when I turned a really out of balance blank, it vibrated hard, and I would get conked on the head with a log that fell off the shelf over my head. The average person would learn after the first walnut to noggin interface, that this was a bad idea. I of course am not average. I have never been accused of being the sharpest tool in the shed, and it took about 3 conks for me to build a mobile cart, and get out from under the shelves.

[Barry McFadden]

Thanks for the info guys... for my lathe I built an extension about 11" from the wall that I fastened it to so I have lots of clearance and somewhere to lay the tools when I'm turning...

311954

[Michelle Rich]

I have had 2 lathes attached to wood cabinet bases that are attached to the wall for over 25 yrs. No lathe has failed & no walls have collapsed/broken or vibrated apart. Many years ago one was told not to bolt the base to the floor or use hundreds of pounds of sand to the base, as it would cause issues also. they figured it would be problematic when the lathe turned on & the head would want to move & the base not. One hears many theories, most are just that. If it works for you, then do it

[Thom Sturgill]

I would bet that a lawyer is behind the manual statement. The company does not want to be sued....

[Barry McFadden]

I would bet that a lawyer is behind the manual statement. The company does not want to be sued....

You're probably right on with that thought Thom...