DIY LLR for my 3520B Lathe

[Mike Goetzke]

First thanks to Robert Hayward who made one of these a few years back and was very helpful in the design and welding.

I've always drooled over the Lock Lift 'N Roll at Craft Supplies but couldn't stomach the roughly $450 to my door price. I put load leveling casters on my lathe instead but don't like getting on the ground to adjust them nor do I like the way they raised my lathe at least 2" (I'm 5'10"). Thought "I could make this myself." Design is a little trickier than one would think. I used Robert and my 2-D drawing program to mock up pieces out of wood to make sure it would work. I have never welded before (well maybe a bit in 8th grade but I'm 61 now). I planned to save money by getting an $80 HF welder and buy the materials. The materials including fasteners and casters was a little less than $100 but the HF welder wasn't going to cut it so I eventually purchased a Lincoln 180 welder (and a few other things). The welding vortex is just a bad as the turning vortex. Anyway it works better than expected and I picked up another hobby. I got much better at welding as I practiced. Some beads still not that great but the black paint hides the welds pretty well:


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[Tom Giacomo]

I'm sure you posted pictures but I do not see any.

[Mike Goetzke]

I'm sure you posted pictures but I do not see any.

what! Shows up on my phone and computer. Maybe I need to upload them to SMC?


OK - see if the small ones show now.

[Pat Scott]

I see the pictures but there is a lot of white space between your write up and the photos - just keep scrolling down.

Nice job on the LLR! It looks just like the Powermatic version except for the paint color (I think mine are mustard color but I see on CS website the new ones are black?). I have the Powermatic LLR from Craft Supplies that I bought years ago when they first came out. I used it once and then after a few months took them off because I kept tripping over it when I walked around the end of my lathe (my shop space is tight).

[Mike Goetzke]

I see the pictures but there is a lot of white space between your write up and the photos - just keep scrolling down.

Nice job on the LLR! It looks just like the Powermatic version except for the paint color (I think mine are mustard color but I see on CS website the new ones are black?). I have the Powermatic LLR from Craft Supplies that I bought years ago when they first came out. I used it once and then after a few months took them off because I kept tripping over it when I walked around the end of my lathe (my shop space is tight).


I used links to my google pictures for the first three I posted (that others don't see). Maybe I need to change sharing ? Last three photos I uploaded to SMC.

Pat - I noticed too that these stick out a good 6" with feet down and the bar sticks out about 13" when on the casters. I leave the 18" extension on my lathe so tail end is ok and the motor usually overhangs a little at the business end so it's ok too.

[Cary Falk]

Mike,
Would you be willing to share the drawings. I welded one up about a year ago for my Grizzly 766 but something is off and it won't lift.
Thanks,
Cary

[Tom Giacomo]

I can see the pictures now. Nice work and your welding is fine too.

[Mike Goetzke]

Mike,
Would you be willing to share the drawings. I welded one up about a year ago for my Grizzly 766 but something is off and it won't lift.
Thanks,
Cary

I used Delta Cad 2-D drawing program. It allows you to print full size prints. PM me, we should be able to figure a way to get you a copy.

Mike


I can see the pictures now. Nice work and your welding is fine too.

Thanks - I practiced quite a bit with flux-cored but Bob Hayward kept telling me to try MIG. So I did. Had a little more of a learning curve but MIG is much cleaner weld (less smoke and almost no slag).

Mike

[Keith Buxton]

I made a set for my grizzly a few years ago and installed them on the inside of the legs so when I slide the head down and stand at the end and turn bowls they are out of my way and great for tight spaces

[Robert Hayward]

Wow ! You went public with your project. You did a nice job and should be proud to show it off.

Guys, I watched Mike ( through email pictures ) go from someone that did not know how to weld make this mobility setup. I had a lot of fun giving advice and watching the progress over the weeks. I wish I had had someone to give me pointers back when I made mine using one grainy picture I found on the Internet as my example. Mike is one brave guy taking advice from a self taught amateur metal worker.

[Mike Goetzke]

Wow ! You went public with your project. You did a nice job and should be proud to show it off.

Guys, I watched Mike ( through email pictures ) go from someone that did not know how to weld make this mobility setup. I had a lot of fun giving advice and watching the progress over the weeks. I wish I had had someone to give me pointers back when I made mine using one grainy picture I found on the Internet as my example. Mike is one brave guy taking advice from a self taught amateur metal worker.

Another proof why forums are great. Learned a new skill and better yet made a new friend.

But I think Bob cost me at least a years worth of tool budget on this new metalworking hobby.

mike