Lathe Stand

[Brandon Speaks]

Hi Guys,

Next weekend I intend to build a lathe stand for a midi lathe. The workbench it sits on now is about 8 inches too high and also I want that space back. I have a couple questions.

1. Should it be framed with 2x lumber or would 3/4 plywood and pocket screws work?
2. Would it be better as a stand alone unit or part of a larger work bench to add mass and stability? (If stand alone I would add sand for sure to add weight).

Thanks

[Michael Schneider]

I recently built a stand for my vicmarc 300 bare lathe. I am a new turner, having been away for 20 years. I have always been a fan of the lathe, and did not want to spend the $$ for the entire package.


I used Southern Yellow Pine 2x12's (easier to find straight 2x12's) glued up for the sides and a pair of 6x6 Douglas fir beams between them for the main support.

I built a torsion box shelf from 2x4's, with 3/4 ply. This is where the motor sits, and provides great stability.

I put a 2x12 on the back to hold the sides together.

I put 3/4 plywood on top of the Douglas fir beams for working top.

Note: I cut a gap in the top between the 6x6 beams to allow the chips to fall through.

This turned out to be rock solid and weighed a couple of hundred pounds.

I am very happy with this. I am 6'5" tall, so I was able to fit it to my needs easily.

I will try send a couple of pictures later. I received some great ideas from several people in the group. Even some rough plans.


I started with this, and beefed it up with the pair of 6x6 beams, and added a slot under the weighs for the chips to fall through. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?102818-Vicmarc-VL300-bare-bones-build-up-gonna-need-some-help/page5&p=1032662&highlight=vicmarc+300

Dave Mueller reached out and gave me some very good data. Here is a photo of his stand http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?251945-Vicmarc-300-chip-shute-question&p=2659299&highlight=#post2659299


I originally had the extension on the normal bed, but after seeing what Dale put together, I moved it outboard. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?238700-Worth-Another-Look-Long


The folks at woodworkers emporium have been great http://www.woodworkersemporium.com/Vicmarc_V00767-3/


The people of the group are very generous with their wisdom and artistic ability.

Right now, I am working on making a nice mulch path in my backyard and garden. I put a perfectly good piece of wood in the lathe, and contribute the result to the path. After the path is complete, I should be able to starting turning with better techniques :-)

Happy Turning,
Michael

[Michael Schneider]

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Hope this gives you a couple of ideas to borrow from when you build your stand.

Have fun,
Michael

[Chuck Ellis]

It's a little on the crude side, I'm not much of a finish carpenter....but I put my Jet1014 on a 2x4 stand with a box of rocks (gravel from the driveway) at the bottom... I added a small drawer to hold small items under the table top... the top is 1/2" plywood.... with the rocks and weight of the lathe the whole thing weighs in neibhborhood of about 180-200 lbs. It's on small casters so I can move it if necessary and built to my height... I'm about 6'1"...
The front is vertical, but the back legs are canted out about 15 or so degrees to make it more stable.

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[Mark Kelly 92040]

I had a similar issue. I found a bench plan in Shopnotes Issue #75 and modified it to fit my needs. It's made of dimensional lumber and I made provisions for 2 50 pound bags of sand under the lower shelf. That thing isn't going anywhere. The big pieces are held together with 4 inch construction lag screws. The picture should give you a pretty good idea. If you want more info, PM me your email address.

Mark

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