Mounting a Lathe.....?

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

OK people, the lathe is on the way, it is about a week out, I'm wanting to make space for it's landing.

I have a spot on the wall, I'll have to move some stuff, but hey, what else is new...?
http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/sheetmetal_brake/sheet_metal_brake_up_position.jpg

Not the best pic, you can see the thickness planer, and the MIG welder in the Lathe's spot

The space is between two of the concrete corners in my shop.

I understand the mess these tool make, so my idea is to have a catch basin under the whole thing, made from sheetmetal, and hooked up to the cyclone, because of this, I was thinking of putting the lathe on a bracket that is then attached to the wall. I'm in the Dungeon here, the wall it VERY thick concrete and underground, so the wall should not vibrate.... much.

The lathe itself does not weigh much, so my other idea is to have the bottom of the bracket like a large square box, full of sand, this would surely dampen any vibs.

The neat thing about the way I envision this set up is that it will be a bracket that any lathe, within reason, could be mounted on in the future.

Well, what say you...?

[Dick Strauss]

Stu,
I'm glad to hear you are taking the plunge. Keep us posted. We'll help however we can.

I'm in the process of building a ballast box myself for my Delta 1440. There is a review of how to build a box for a Jet 1642 that I'm sure you could adapt to fit your purposes (see link below). I'm planning a plastic liner for the inside of the main box. I also plan to leave the sand in the individual 50# bags so that I can remove the sand if I have to move the lathe.

By the way, if you are doing green turning, you may want to let the scraps fall to the floor. The green pcs don't make much dust and are very easy to clean up. I'd rather not have the constant noise of the DC while I'm turning, especially since I like to turn late at night.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/articles/7/

Good luck,
Dick

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Stu,
I'm glad to hear you are taking the plunge. Keep us posted. We'll help however we can.

I'm in the process of building a ballast box myself for my Delta 1440. There is a review of how to build a box for a Jet 1642 that I'm sure you could adapt to fit your purposes (see link below). I'm planning a plastic liner for the inside of the main box. I also plan to leave the sand in the individual 50# bags so that I can remove the sand if I have to move the lathe.

By the way, if you are doing green turning, you may want to let the scraps fall to the floor. The green pcs don't make much dust and are very easy to clean up. I'd rather not have the constant noise of the DC while I'm turning, especially since I like to turn late at night.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/articles/7/

Good luck,
Dick

Thanks for the tip Dick, and the link, that ballast box is what I'm looking at.

The pan under the lathe would be set up on a dump gate, kind of like a blast gate I guess, but it would not be hooked up to the cyclone running, I'd just run my large flex hose over to it and connect it, and then turn on the cyclone, open the blast gate and it would suck up all the chips. I would like to have a hose near by when I'm sanding.

The pan under the lathe would be like a floor sweep hooked up to the cyclone, maybe that explains it better?

The thing is, space is my constant problem, so what I'm thinking about here is to have the lathe on a bracket on the wall, not standing on the floor, and then I can use the space under the lathe for othe things.

Cheers!

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

You know, I just realized that the subject of this thread could be taken the wrong way.....:rolleyes::eek:;):D

.....but no one here would ever do such a thing........right.........??

[John Hart]

Stu....I want you to consider making your Catch Basin 10 Feet X 10 Feet. Yep...that oughta do it. Oh wait...Build 4 Catch Basins and set them all over the shop! :D

[Andy Hoyt]

Stu - The floor will catch 76% of the shavings. The other 24% will end up in every nook and cranny within a 15' radius. The guys are right - no catch basin. It's a lot easier and more efficient to sweep em up, and shovel into a trash can. Your DC will be very happy you did. But do arrange for the DC to come into play for catching sanding dust at the lathe.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Stew, your catch basin is a good idea if it won't interfere with other storage. If it will, you may consider making the other storage dust/chip proof and just sweeping/sucking up the chips after you are done. A lathe makes a HELL of a mess!

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Well guys, with the lathe near the wall, (not too close) the pan should catch some of the stuff, I know that it will not get it all, not even close, but I hope to be able to store the thickness planer under there, (on a new lower cart).

I need to bang out some new cabinets, I really do, I need to replace the old cabs I've inherited here and there, with some purpose built ones.

Need to clean up the mess from the logging as well....

I guess I should head down there tonight, and get some more work done..... :D

Cheers!

[Bart Leetch]

Stu

I've had 2 lathes actually 3 lathes counting my Dad's when I was kid at home mounted on a bench or stand close to a wall or fastened to the wall.


I have found it is much nicer to have the lathe on a stand or legs that I can pull out away from the wall. This is especially nice if your going to turn anything of a larger diameter.

My lathe & lathe bench weighs over 400 lbs. But I can put the roll around floor jack under it & move it out from the wall when turning & it takes about 3 minutes.

Forget the chip catcher tray & let the chips fall where they may the biggest share will miss the chip tray anyway thats what a shop vac is for.

I did build another air cleaner & hang it on the wall behind where the lathe sits & this helps suck most of the dust away from me when sanding I still wear a mask.

I do have a heavy duty lamp arm that I can clamp the DC hose to behind or down below in front of the lathe to help with the chips. I use it mostly for sanding dust collection & just vac up the chips.

[Bill Stevener]

Hi Stu,

It's all in my signature.

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:)

[Brad Schmid]

Stu,

I'd have to fully agree with the rest of the gang. Forget about the DC pan, it's a loosing battle:( Also, the DC won't like it when you jam all those long strings of wet shavings down it's throat:eek: And you'll be emptying the collector often. Just do like the rest of us, wait till it piles up to your knees and get out a big shovel and several trashbags;) However, rigging up a collection hood to catch the sanding dust is a real good idea.

[John Hart]

Remember "Get Smart" years ago? Remember "The Cone of Silence"? You need one of those. I'm not sure if they're on ebay.:D

I was thinking about this earlier...Which makes a bigger mess...A chainsaw...Or a Lathe?

[Andy Hoyt]

Remember "Get Smart" years ago? Remember "The Cone of Silence"? ...

Kill the light, Hymie

[Wes Bischel]

Stu,

Right now my little Craftsman lathe is mounted to the wall (the one in the manual). It is stable, but it does transmit sound/vibration up into the house. When I replace it (soon I hope!:rolleyes: ) I'm going free standing if for no other reason than to give me some flexibility of tool movement when doing larger pieces.

Oh, I would have to agree with everyone else on the pan - maybe a curved piece at the wall to make clean-up easier, but there is a reason these guys stand knee deep in shavings and chips - and it has nothing to do with liking it.:eek: :D

Good luck,
Wes