Replies

1. 
   Westchester | Nov 28, 2012 06:35am | #1

   I purchased my lathe new and it came with a sheet metal stand.  I gave the stand to a welder and asked him to make a duplicate stand in 1/4 thick plate steel.  It's a beast and not a drop of vibration.  Before mounting the lathe I used a 3/4 inch ply under the top surface of the stand to further deaden vibration.  No regreats to this day.  Stand in service over 30 years. When I was into turning bowls the lowest speed on mine was 600 RPM - still much to fast but newer machines have speed controls.  A slower speed will serve you better than a rock solid stand for large wet green wood.

   SA

1. 
   RalphBarker | Nov 29, 2012 11:16am | #3

   Only 1/4" thick steel plate? ;-)

   Sounds like a great stand.

2. 
   BruceS | Nov 28, 2012 10:45am | #2

   lathe dust collecting

   Not a whole lot can be done about chip collecting,  but sanding dust can be somewhat controlled by placing a "big gulp" chute behind the piece.

3. 
   RalphBarker | Nov 29, 2012 11:37am | #4

   No expert here, but . . .

    . . . I'll share my thoughts, anyway.

   I have an old, light-duty Delta lathe - far too puny to turn bowls of the size you are working on. But, it does sit on a heavy steel table that is supported by cast iron legs. With a couple of bags of Quik-Crete on the bottom, it's pretty stable.

   I like Westchester's suggestion of a plywood spacer between the lathe base and the table to dampen vibration.

   As to casters, I've seen heavy-duty ones that are cranked into position, but have a solid base for the machine to rest on during operation. That type of caster would allow occasional movement, with some effort. I've also seen "creative" designs that use a pair of scissor jacks to raise the base onto casters. The right approach, I suppose, depends on the total weight of the machine.

4. 
   hlh | Dec 01, 2012 09:45pm | #5

   Thanks all of you for the ideas.  having a welder do it sounds great, but beyond me, so I'm thinking 4x4 frame/legs, m&t joints and a built in for tools.  Plywood for dampening is interesting  - i actually have some heavy duty rubber pads - maybe i'll try them....

   appreciate it!

1. 
   RalphBarker | Dec 02, 2012 10:49am | #6

   Angles?

   Some years back, I made a wooden base for an old, second-hand lathe. I angled the legs like an "A" shape to make it more sturdy, while keeping the top relatively narrow.

5. 
   mgreco | Dec 05, 2012 12:23am | #7

   Designing a bench for a lathe

   I just got a Nova DVR and made a bench based on the workbench that Fine Woodworking has on the sister site Start Woodworking. The bench is solid. I used the dimensions in the Teknatool manual that can be found on their website on pg 10. I combined the plans and put it on a mobile stand. Put the bottom shelf a bit lower. I also made the top 2.25 inches thick. It is solid doesn't vibrate and I haven't put sand in the stand. It is solid.

   if you would like I can post some pics. 

6. 
   dplumpkin | Jun 30, 2019 08:27am | #8

   I'm really late coming to this party - like 7 years from the original thread. However, I have come up with an effective solution for a lathe stand.

   I have a Nova midi-lathe. It's not really heavy but has enough cast iron heft to sit solidly, without movement, when it's in use. For the stand, I used a fairly heavy metal frame originally designed as a sofa-table base, roughly 12" x 48". It was purchased from Rockler. The top is 2 layers of 3/4" MDF, with the top surface having a phenolic coating. I fabricated two shelves using wire shelving originally designed for closets. That allows dust and chips to fall on down to the floor and not collect on my tools.

   The original post asked about using casters. I used medium-duty locking casters and have had no issue with them. Maybe if you have a larger lathe and turn large bowls you might have a problem, but so far I have had none.

   I'm sure you've long since built you turning bench/stand, but if another new turner reads this thread my comments may be useful for them.

7. 
   mikaol | Sep 20, 2020 08:23pm | #9

   I bought a cheap 3'x5' K-Mart workbench, used 1" hickory for the lathe to sit on, stiffened up the legs with 2x4s and haven't had a problem in 7 years.
   Mikaol