Increase the swing of my Jet for one project

[Ricc Havens]

I was given an Australian Red Mallee burl. It's about 17-1/2" so it's a little too big for the swing of my Jet 1642. The weight of the burl is not an issue as it's not very thick - it's jusst too big in diameter. I do not want to cut it to fit and lose the natural edges of the burl. Unfortunately, I don't drive due to a vision issue and there is no club within a reasonable driving distance anyway. The closest clubs are over an hour or more away and none of the members live close to me either. So, finding someone with a bigger lathe isn't much of an option. Even if someone with a bigger lathe was close by I would rather have the option of turning it in my shop at my convenience since I may not have the time to do all the turning at one time.

Does anyone have any ideas, pics, plans, etc on increasing the swing by adding a homemade lowered bed extension since the headstock can be slid to the end of the lathe?

Or, Maybe plans, pics, etc of a floor standing or outboard tool rest that I can use the banjo on?

And even though I appreciate the offers of help by those of you who will suggest having me ship the burl to you - that's just not going to happen!! :):)

Thanks
Ricc Havens

[Mark Greenbaum]

Since your Jet 1642 has a movable headstock, is there any possibility of sliding it so the workpiece overhangs the other end? Then you might me able to construct an outboard stand to support your toolrest. Check out DIY Outboard Toolrests on google. Here's what I found on a quick search:
http://www.woodturnersresource.com/extras/projects/Out%20Board%20Rig/OutboardRig.html
And it's for a Jet 1642 - go figure!

[David Sloan]

Ricc, I have a 1642 (great lathe!) and tried sliding the headstock to the end and rigging a makeshift outboard support. It didn't work and was potentially quite dangerous. I bought the JET/Powermatic outboard stand which works very well (used it a number of times) but it was quite expensive. It is helpful reducing a block larger than 16" down to 16'' so the headstock can be slid back to allow you to turn normally. Great for large >16" platters too. Maybe others have cheaper solutions.

[John K Jordan]

Ricc, I have a 1642 (great lathe!) and tried sliding the headstock to the end and rigging a makeshift outboard support. It didn't work and was potentially quite dangerous. I bought the JET/Powermatic outboard stand which works very well (used it a number of times) but it was quite expensive. It is helpful reducing a block larger than 16" down to 16'' so the headstock can be slid back to allow you to turn normally. Great for large >16" platters too. Maybe others have cheaper solutions.

A friend of mine made an outboard tool rest for his lathe. He used a truck wheel on the floor and a vertical pipe, then for stability c-clamped it to the lathe with a couple of pieces of angle iron. He turned some pretty big bowls that way.

JKJ

[Sam Beagle]

Check out Kyle toth. He built his own riser blocks for the head and tail stock. He is crazy talented.

[John Keeton]

Here is a thread for a shop made bed extension - http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?174054-Home-brewed-bed-extension-for-Mustard-Monster

You would need a long post tool rest, or an extender. You would also need to consider whether you need tailstock support. Here is a pic of the Laguna Revo extension which may give you some ideas.

[Don Bunce]

I was going to suggest riser blocks, but Sam beat me to it. Here is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5H_kqpvk30

[Jay Mullins]

Mark, thanks for posting the ourboard tool rest from Google. I see one of those in my future.

Jay

[Ricc Havens]

thanks guys for all the info. Now, I will look at all the info and see if I can find something I can do with my limited skillset and resources. Especially since I don't have a welder or know of someone who does have one

Keep the does coming if someone has something else to add


Ricc

[Steve Arnold]

The Jet 1640EVS comes with a 'Tool Rest Extension' (JWL1440-205) with a one inch post. I know the headstock on the 1642 doesn't pivot, but it may work if you were to slide it to the end of the bed ways.

Pictured as item J here.

358677

[Ricc Havens]

Steve, Unfortunately that won't work. I need to slide the headstock to the end of the bed so the oversize burl will be able to spin without hitting the bed. As a result there is no where to put the banjo and tool rest. If my headstock did pivot then maybe this would have been an option.

Thanks
Ricc


The Jet 1640EVS comes with a 'Tool Rest Extension' (JWL1440-205) with a one inch post. I know the headstock on the 1642 doesn't pivot, but it may work if you were to slide it to the end of the bed ways.

Pictured as item J here.

358677

[Thom Sturgill]

A discussion on this came up today at a club gathering. Best suggestion was a 12" sono-tube about 2' long, a 1" ID pipe, some scrap plywood and two bags of concrete. Weighs about 175# but rolls easily once you push it over at an angle. Drill and thread the pipe to hold a bolt to lock the tool rest in place, use the plywood to block the bottom of the sonotube and make some holes for bolts in the bottom end of the pipe to lock it in place in the concrete.

[Steve Arnold]

Steve, Unfortunately that won't work. I need to slide the headstock to the end of the bed so the oversize burl will be able to spin without hitting the bed. As a result there is no where to put the banjo and tool rest. If my headstock did pivot then maybe this would have been an option.

Thanks
Ricc

Of course Ricc, I don't know what I was thinking.:o

I hope you're able to come up with a reasonably priced solution.

[Ricc Havens]

Thom, was that just someone's brainstorming idea about the sonotube or did someone actually do it and speak from his experience? Sounds like an easy idea but I'd rather know if someone did it with success before I tried it!! :)

Thanks
Ricc



A discussion on this came up today at a club gathering. Best suggestion was a 12" sono-tube about 2' long, a 1" ID pipe, some scrap plywood and two bags of concrete. Weighs about 175# but rolls easily once you push it over at an angle. Drill and thread the pipe to hold a bolt to lock the tool rest in place, use the plywood to block the bottom of the sonotube and make some holes for bolts in the bottom end of the pipe to lock it in place in the concrete.

[Thom Sturgill]

Yes. One of our members who runs a cabinet shop made that. A couple of others used truck wheels but complained that they were not as stable as they would like.

[Len Mullin]

Ricc, why would you increase the swing for just one project? If you go to the bother of increasing it, why wouldn't you make it a permanent fix? I think that if I was going to do this, I would want to get more then one piece from it? It's not as easy or quick to do as it looks in Kyle's video, there's a fair amount of work involved.
Len

[David Sloan]

[QUOTE=Len Mullin;2683473]Ricc, why would you increase the swing for just one project? If you go to the bother of increasing it, why wouldn't you make it a permanent fix? I think that if I was going to do this, I would want to get more then one piece from it? It's not as easy or quick to do as it looks in Kyle's video, there's a fair amount of work involved.
Len[/QUOTEhttp://carlford.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/pm_outboard_stand-189x300.jpgThought I would show the picture of the outboard stand Jet makes (Powermatic version identical). I thought I wouldn't use it that often but I did use it more than I thought. It is cast iron so very heavy. And it does give very good support. I can't remember what I paid but it was around $350 (still cheaper than a lathe upgrade)

[Ricc Havens]

Len, I was lookin for something quick and easy and most of all inexpensive since I'm on disability income. I can't afford something more permanent like the outboard turning rigs that Vicmarc or powermatic make as they are just not in my limited budget.

Ricc



Ricc, why would you increase the swing for just one project? If you go to the bother of increasing it, why wouldn't you make it a permanent fix? I think that if I was going to do this, I would want to get more then one piece from it? It's not as easy or quick to do as it looks in Kyle's video, there's a fair amount of work involved.
Len

[John K Jordan]

Len, I was lookin for something quick and easy and most of all inexpensive since I'm on disability income. I can't afford something more permanent like the outboard turning rigs that Vicmarc or powermatic make as they are just not in my limited budget.
Ricc

Then I would probably slide the headstock down to the end of the lathe and use 2x4s or something to make a strong frame to bolt or clamp to the leg of the lathe. Use wood to make some wooden tool rests that can be positioned and clamped or even fastened with screws and repositioned as needed. I knew one guy who made a long tool rest from scrap wood.

JKJ

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Len, I was lookin for something quick and easy and most of all inexpensive since I'm on disability income. I can't afford something more permanent like the outboard turning rigs that Vicmarc or powermatic make as they are just not in my limited budget.

Ricc

I don’t know how handy you are with working some basic iron pipes and bolts, but here is one a turner I know made for some outboard turning, should work for you, just adapt to what you have or can scrounge up.

359046

[Brice Rogers]

Leo, I saw a bunch of pipe fittings in your pictures. I'm wondering how the person got the joints rigid? Just tighten the heck out of them? Pin them? Solder them? Or use thread-locker? When I've used threaded pipe for a project, it wasn't as rigid as I would have liked - - but I just tried to tighten the heck out of them....

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Leo, I saw a bunch of pipe fittings in your pictures. I'm wondering how the person got the joints rigid? Just tighten the heck out of them? Pin them? Solder them? Or use thread-locker? When I've used threaded pipe for a project, it wasn't as rigid as I would have liked - - but I just tried to tighten the heck out of them....

Brice I do not know what he did to keep things from rotating, maybe used CA after tightening them well.

I do know that he made another one that was much more involved, and even that was not to his liking to use all the time, so he extended his stand and that was much better as he said, bought a large lathe a couple of years after.

Though to make clear the one I did post in the post to the OP, was for what he needed, one time use and cheap.

The oner ones here where by the same turner, and as you can see he did build them better.

359072 359073