1 Attachment(s)
Custom Lathe Bed Extension
For a number of years now, I have been considering building a bed extension for my old Rockwell lathe. But the lack of real need has pushed the project onto the back burner. But now I need to turn the declination shaft for the telescope mount and that needs to be longer than the 37” capacity of my lathe. So the time finally arrived to take the plunge and make the bed extension.
Initially, I wanted to make it out of cast iron. But with all of crap I was getting from the city over needing to bring in a six inch gas main to fuel the forge and freaking out about the pigs of iron swinging around the yard, I was forced to relinquish that idea.
I next thought about steel. Steel would have been good but, after looking at some of the ‘diy’ extensions posted on the internet, I decided that I would go with what i knew best and make it out of wood. Not only easier but also much more “modification friendly”.
I realize that this might be beyond the abilities of the average amateur but if anyone ever wants to build one and is up for the challenge, I would be happy to make my design, stress load calculations and measured drawings available.
Attachment 374999