Budget Lathe for Spindles?

[Neil Strong]

I have an example in my shop, a $500 craigslist find that can take a 45" spindle in the stocks. The bed rails are simply not stiff enough. I can turn 16" stock pretty OK, but up around 20-22" the rails flex enough for the turning stock to be whipping around its own axis of rotation, at 45 inches it is useless as a lathe. The only reason I am hanging on to it is I might someday find a couple pieces of used railroad track to weld on to stiffen up the rails I have.

At most chair spindle thicknesses a 45" long piece is going to deflect on even the stiffest of bed ways. Having stiff bed ways helps but reducing the deflection/oscillation with the other hand (I wear a leather glove for that) is also be required. Like using the skew, it's a skill that you will need to develop, if you haven't already. Otherwise use a contraption, as described by JKJ.

And when it comes to very thin spindles I find hand steadying is essential for the likes of the 1/8" one on the left...

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[Maurice Mcmurry]

I have big plans to stretch this one. The head stock bolts to the bed. I have made a few pairs of 8 foot oars with hand tools. I have always wanted a slow, long, lathe for final sanding and varnishing.

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[Reed Gray]

Whipping with spindles is common. Some one gave a ration of 10 to 1, as in a 1 inch diameter spindle 10 inches long will not whip/flex when turning. If you start going longer and narrower, whipping happens as there is not enough wood to support even the lightest bevel rub. Look up Woodturner 21 on You Tube. Can't remember his name, but he is very good with spindles. When turning longer legs, he has a steady rest in the middle of the spindle. I recently completed a rolling pin for pasta that is 3 feet long and 1 1/2 inch diameter. It wasn't easy, and I turned it down several times and allowed it to adjust. A fun project. When done turning, I put some 80 grit on a straight board to even it all out. Too much pressure on the tailstock can also add to problems.

robo hippy

[John K Jordan]

Whipping with spindles is common. Some one gave a ration of 10 to 1, as in a 1 inch diameter spindle 10 inches long will not whip/flex when turning. If you start going longer and narrower, whipping happens as there is not enough wood to support even the lightest bevel rub. Look up Woodturner 21 on You Tube. Can't remember his name, but he is very good with spindles. When turning longer legs, he has a steady rest in the middle of the spindle. I recently completed a rolling pin for pasta that is 3 feet long and 1 1/2 inch diameter. It wasn't easy, and I turned it down several times and allowed it to adjust. A fun project. When done turning, I put some 80 grit on a straight board to even it all out. Too much pressure on the tailstock can also add to problems.

robo hippy

As I mentioned, instead of turning between centers hold one end tightly in a chuck or jam chuck. This makes that end and probably the first 1/3 of the spindle much stiffer.

I've posted this before but here are a couple of thin spindles made for demonstration purposes. The taper is from about 1/2" to 1/16" with the length over 24". One is from walnut and one from shelving pine from Home Depot. The holding method was a short #2MT turned on one end and held tightly into the headstock with a 1/4" draw bar where necessary. No steady rest in my shop other than stabilizing with my left hand. I've found that having too much tailstock pressure can be a problem, but also having not enough pressure, depending on the piece. When I encounter problems one thin I try is increasing and decreasing the pressure to see what helps. Also, try a different tool. Don't use a small diameter spindle gouge with a fingernail grind on a very thin spindle - go with a skew. Check that the skew is shaving sharp - hone if needed.

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I also use a flat board with sand paper glue to it to help flatten rolling pins. Turning a cylinder with a consistent diameter is more difficult than it might seem! Olive wood:

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I keep flat "sanding sticks" in 1" and 2" widths and with grits from 80 to 400 made from plywood and one with 80 grit made from a flat 2x2 about 18" long. This are all handy in so many circumstances. I apply the sandpaper with a 3M spray-on contact adhesive.

JKJ

[Neil Strong]

The holding method was a short #2MT turned on one end and held tightly into the headstock with a 1/4" draw bar where necessary.

Putting the spindle under more tension than compression also helps.

I've used a 3-jaw mini-chuck mounted on a live centre (with drawbar) in the tailstock and fixed M2 in headstock to achieve that...

IMG_20190327_175824.jpg Mini chuck end profile.jpg

Probably only worth getting if you are going to be doing a bit of thin spindle work.

[Jason Lester]

A used one showed up online nearby. It's listed as a Delta 46-716. I can't find that one, but see a 46-715. It looks almost unused at $800. Is that a decent model and price?

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I am looking forward to spending a little more on my next Lathe.
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[Jason Lester]

I ended up going with the Grizzly G0462. It's supposed to be delivered tomorrow.

Jason

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Congratulations! Grizzly is having some tempting sales and the Springfield store is in our state.
Great looking machine.

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[Edward Weber]

Pretty decent except for the pot metal reeves drive pulleys. I sure hope you are keeping them well greased. One binds up and you'll be calling HF to see if they could get you replacements in less than a year. Then you'll call Grizzly for those like Delta owners do.

I have a Grizzly G0584, which was my starter lathe and still works fine.

Don't grease them, that's asking for trouble.
The main issue with the pulley halves sticking is belt debris sticking to lubricant on the shaft. This creates a sticking/binding compound that locks the halves from moving.
Dry lube, like a graphite product and a better quality belt will keep it serviceable for years.

I had the binding problem about 18 years ago and after I rebuilt the drive and switched to a link belt, I never had to revisit the issue again.
With a link belt you don't have the rubber debris spalling off and creating the issue I mentioned above.
Just something to consider for those who own a reeves drive machine