• January Turning Challenge: Thin-Stemmed Something! (click here for details)
  • Conversations are now Direct Messages (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Gabriel Hoff for "Spalted Beech Round Bottom Box" being selected as Turning of the Week for January 6, 2024 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

bed width top & bottom on 3520B???

N

Nate Hawkes

Joined
Jul 21, 2008
Messages
138
Likes
0
Location
Ivy, VA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I ordered my new lathe last week, and I want to be ready for it. I'm digging footings for a concrete foundation, and I want to make a new steady rest for it. I couldn't seem to find the width of the bed ways on either the mustard monster site or the Powermatic manual. It won't be here for at least 2 weeks, and I want to be ready!!😀 I'm looking for not only the top width but the bottom of the ways as well--they aren't straight up&down. I'm thinking about having the steady rest frame extend to the bottom of the ways & clamp on the top and the bottom for ridgidity, and to make possible the use of a thinner piece of wood to waste less of the swing capacity of the lathe. It may end up not being necessary, but My current setup with glued & braced ply & 2x4's is just not stiff enough to keep the wheels from vibrating slightly out of position, even when using 2 wing nuts on each slide. I'm going to have braces around the slides so that they are held tightly and cannot move side to side, which should alleviate this, if the sheer mass of the 3520 doesn't stop the vibration by itself.

Thanks in advance turners!
 
Last edited:
Nate,
The ways on my B are 8" across the top, and 10" across the bottom. The sides are parallel to each other for about 4.5", starting at the bottom. Good luck on your project, and be sure and post photos of the new steady rest!
 
I've discovered the definition of grief, by relying too heavily on catalog information, good data from others, shop drawings, and even my own measurements. I've had best results with all the hardware actually in hand. Powermatic may have better machining, but accept that the bed may not be perfectly prismatic (uniform cross-section) for the entire length. Include some adjustability, or allowance for refinement, in your design.

That said, I think you'll have better results by using a flat steel bar for the top to minimize encroachment in the swing, and a steel angle bar below the bed. Food for thought: http://n-fl-woodturners.org/images/2008-03/2008-03-03.jpg

[NOTE: This steady rest is NOT for a Powermatic.]

Joe
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the replies!! I forgot to ask the height of the bed itself, but it seems from the drawings that it is right around 6" from top to bottom. I think I'll just wait and cut out the bed part from a donut ring of sandwiched MDF. The steel bar is perfect, and I never would've thought of the angle iron--thanks. I have a bunch of scrap underneath the shed!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top