Replies

1. 
   jdpeck | Oct 22, 2003 12:19am | #1

   See "Treadle Lathe: Build your own", by Jim Richey, page 60 et seq. of Finewoodworking No. 15, March/April 1979.

1. 
   richardc | Oct 22, 2003 05:48am | #3

   Thanks, I'll check into that article.

2. 
   BenM | Oct 22, 2003 12:20am | #2

   FWW Issue 15 (Mar/Apr 1979).  One of Roy Underhill's books has plans.  Drew Langsner's book on Chairmaking has plans in the appendix.

1. 
   richardc | Oct 22, 2003 06:56am | #4

   I take it Underhill's plans are in a book written after the one I have--The Woodwright's Shop / Companion. His chapter (10) on lathes in "Shop" is what got me thinking about building one of these in the first place. If you have the Underhill and Langsner books that have plans, could you pass along these book's ISBN numbers? Thanks.

1. 
   jdpeck | Oct 22, 2003 08:46am | #5

   Roy Underhill discusses treadle lathes in Chapter 4, "Lathes", beginning at page 59, of "The Woodwright's Workbook", The University of North Carolina Press, 1986; ISBN 0-8078-1711-2.   His discussion of teadle lathes begins at page 69 and includes diagrams and photos, but no plans because, as he states at page 69, "Many people have seen it and wanted to make one like it but did not want to proceed without a set of plans.  Since I never had plans to begin with, I couldn't provide any.  It is the sort of thing easily made by people who don't know any better, but agonized over by the sophisticated."  The ISBN for Drew Langsner's 1997 book "The Chairmaker's Workshop", Lark Books, is 1-887374-34-5.  It does NOT include any plans for a treadle lathe, but has a chapter, #21, page 282, on how to build a spring-pole lathe, which Underhill also discusses in "The Woodwright's Workbook".

3. 
   mike4244 | Oct 22, 2003 06:57pm | #6

   Richard , I built a treadle lathe similar to the one Roy Underhill built. I recently converted it to an electric motor because of arthritis in my knees. Make the drivewheel heavy. My first attempt was not satisfying as the wheel was to light . I remade the wheel 30" in diameter and of purple heart. This worked very well , ten times better than the 20" diameter fir wheel I originally made. The extra weight helps with momentum. I found that counter balancing the wheel was better than trying to counterbalance the treadle.I tried to convince my wife that pushing the treadle was good for her figure and converting to electric would be costly. I couldn't convince her, actually I sold the treadle lathe and built a lathe similar to the one in a book from FWW. I believe it is called the Lathe Book.Check out the book Making and Modifying Machines, there are several lathes there. One of the articles used bycycle chain and sprockets for a freewheeling lathe. I imagine that this lathe is much easier to use because you do not have to be concerned so much with the treadle up travel.

   Enjoy making your lathe, Mike

1. 
   Biscardi | Oct 23, 2003 03:27am | #7

   This would be a great topic for a FWW article by Mike Dunbar who is a proponent of handtools and wrote a very good book on turning.

   Frank

4. 
   ron61 | Oct 23, 2003 04:18am | #8

   I have some things for you to check out- I found them looking for things about lathes I think you will get a lot of good info. and I know one had Treadle lathe plans

   I think it was Alburnam  " ilovewood "anyhow he has tons of good stuff you need to check out all his stuff- this is a good one.

   http://www.ilovewood.com/ ------- check out the Archive

    http://www.ilovewood.com/alburnam19.htm

   Some more to check out

   http://www.bodgers.org.uk/navigator/lathe1.html

   http://www.historicgames.com/lathes/springpole.html

   http://www.inthewoodshop.org/methods/trlathe.shtml

   Who Ever Has The Biggest Pile Of Tools When You Die Wins

   
   

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   Edited 10/22/2003 9:22:41 PM ET by Ron

5. 
   ron61 | Oct 23, 2003 04:27am | #9

   I was right

   1805 Turning Bench (Treadle lathe) - ©1985  Complete construction plans with parts list and material requirements - 8 sheets, 11" by 17" plus 4 pages of instructions Hardware Kit - all metal parts including 1"-8 threaded mandrel with bearings, pitman & flywheel shaft , tailstock with locking nut and tool rest.

   View Image

   Who Ever Has The Biggest Pile Of Tools When You Die Wins

1. 
   richardc | Oct 24, 2003 05:52pm | #11

   This is great! I've received just the kind of assistance I was looking for in response to my question. Thanks JDPECK, BenM, MIKEK4244, BISCARDI and RON and to FWW for suggesting I try out "KNOTS". The illustration in Ron's post is probably what I'm looking for. I don't have the liberty to affix a pole assembly to the property where I live. This puts the idea of a pole lathe on hold for now. Yeah, an article on subjects like this does seem like a good idea. Due to repetitive motion injuries in the past (read grinders, jackhammers, clay spades rock drills, etc.) that required surgery to effectively correct, I lean towards "unoffending" hand tools these days. Vibration is not your friend. Having the recent priviledge of restoring an heirloom in the form of an old blanket chest (Civil War era?) for a good friend, my attention was turned to what can be accomplished with the human powered variety of hand tools. So, I guess I got bit hard by that bug. Oh yeah, as far as that line from Mr. Underhill about those that "need plans"...well, I checked in with Mr. Webster on everything from Sophism to Sophisticated to Sophistry. I sure didn't see MY picture. I guess I'll do OK with this pursuit 'cause I got me an edumacation...educamation...yeah, one of those. ;^) Thanks folks. Stay safe!

   - Richard

6. 
   ron61 | Oct 23, 2003 04:29am | #10

   Have you thought about a pole lathe or a bow lathe ? They look like lots of fun also.

   Be sure to tell us about it and for sure some pics. when you build it.

   That will be a fun project

   Ron

   Who Ever Has The Biggest Pile Of Tools When You Die Wins

   
   

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   Edited 10/22/2003 9:34:58 PM ET by Ron