My new Lathe....Wow!!!

[Rick James]

😀

I decided to go with HF, the Jet clone 34706-8VGA

12'' x 33-3/8'' WOOD LATHE WITH REVERSIBLE HEAD

Pivoting headstock for extra-large bowl turning capacity
Headstock rotates and locks in position at 45°, 90°, 135° and 180°
Swing over bed: 12''
Variable speeds: 600-2400 RPM
Turning distance between centers: 33-3/8"
CSA Listed

This may not be the best lathe in the world, but compared to the HF, 45276-3VGA that I had this is a cadillac...I love it man it was very heavy compared to my old lathe of 88 lbs.

I have a small problem about centering the stock
I have only tried to turn a few spindles, ...but for some reason I can't seem to get the wood set dead center, ever time I start to tighten the tail stock I lose dead center slightly at the headstock spur.

How do you know how tight to get the work pieces maybe I'm just over tightening the tail stock a little. The spindles...I have just been using some 1" x 1" x 12"! Maybe I'm just exited to have a new lathe that I am over looking some thing.

Thanks to all of the aawforum members, for the heads up on choosing the right lathe.

Rick

 

[KurtB]

New Lathe

Rick,
Make sure that when you start to mount the spindle, that you slide the tailstock up close and lock it down before advancing the live center into the piece. If you engage the piece and then lock it down, you have a good possibility of changing the center. Also, a 1"x1"x12" spindle will start to flex fairly easily when you are turning it; don't use any more force than you need to hold it in place. I suggest you might want to practice on something a little larger in diameter. Hope this helps, and enjoy the new lathe!🙂

 

[MichaelMouse]

😀



I have a small problem about centering the stock
I have only tried to turn a few spindles, ...but for some reason I can't seem to get the wood set dead center, ever time I start to tighten the tail stock I lose dead center slightly at the headstock spur.

How do you know how tight to get the work pieces maybe I'm just over tightening the tail stock a little. The spindles...I have just been using some 1" x 1" x 12"! Maybe I'm just exited to have a new lathe that I am over looking some thing.

Not quite following here. If you do as most do, and use a punch to mark your center, it's a pure case of setting things until the spindle is hanging on the points before snugging. I take it one beyond, making a saw kerf to seat the fangs of the drive center, but still with the centering punch for the point. Same procedure as above works, but takes place out of sight, so you have to shake to seat. Most drive center points can be adjusted to stick out a bit past the fangs to get better visibility and center.

"Tight" has probably confused more people than "ride" when speaking of bevels. As long as it isn't flopping, leave it alone. I use a cup center, so if I get too pushy the flat inside the cup saves me from myself. People (especially schoolkids) who tighten the regular old metalworking 60 degree point just make a bigger hole, and have to be more careful as they back off the pressure. Remove the flex, but don't have a smaller section of the point flop in a bigger hole. If you don't have a cup center, put a washer over the point before you engage it. That will set you a penetration limit and keep you from splitting or running so much on a grab.

If these aren't answers to what you see as the problem, give a restatement.

 

[Gordon Seto]

Rick,

Congrats on your new lathe. BTW, put that tool rest extension out of your work shop, don't attempt to use it. That was a piece of bad engineering; most people who used it would snap it and causing a bad catch.

The pivoting headstock allows you to turn large objects, but the rest of the lathe was not designed to handle massive turnings. IMO, that's mainly a convenience feature that allows you to hollow without bending forward over the lathe bed.
This little tool would help you to align the headstock after pivoting:
http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Mer..._Code=113121&Category_Code=lathes-acc-mrstool
Lathe accessories are expensive, that's why a common size would save you in the long run.
Just out of curiosity, how do you know your lathe is out of alignment after you chuck up a spindle.

When you are using the spur as drive center and the live tail center, your spindle is turning between the two centers regardless how bad the alignment is. On a slender spindle, if you apply too much force from the tail stock, the spindle would bend.
It is a good practice to stand out of the firing zone when you start up the lathe, periodically check the tail stock for secureness.

This lathe has a Reeves Drive speed change; it is a mechanical drive and requires some maintenance. Do a search on the old threads, you will find discussions on how to clean and lube.

 

[Bryant]

As I stated in another thread, I have this same lathe. So far it has done all I have wanted it to do. Follow the advice of the other posts and you should be fine. Use this website for all it's worth, I know I have.

 

[Rick James]

Thank you everyone for your advice...!
Gordon, to answer your question (how do you know your lathe is out of alignment) Sorry I guess I didn't explain very well I think the lathe is aliened OK but, hum when I put that X, you know the one that marks the spot lol.. I seem to slip a little off center. I have heard that you can take off the spur and use a rubber mallet and knock it into the wood or like..Michael, says use a punch to mark the centers. I know this simple but I just seem to have a hard time getting every thing center OK an drive the center fangs, to seat good. I spend way to much time trying to get every thing perfect over analyzing😱!!

 

[Vaughn]

Rick, especially for practice pieces, it's not all that critical you get the drive center (or live center on the tailstock) exactly centered. Even if you're off a bit when you first mount the piece, as soon as you turn it enough to make it round, it'll be centered exactly on the remaining piece of wood.

So in this case, yes, you're over-analyzing things. Not an uncommon thing among many of us. 😉

Congrats on the new lathe. It's always nice to step up to a better tool.

 

[Joe Greiner]

Pretty much what they all said, especially using a rubber or leather-faced mallet on the drive spur; if the tang end gets beat up it'll be useless and could damage the socket - even worse. The tailstock must have running clearance for longitudinal adjustment. You may be able to find a preferred position riding against one or the other side of the slot for best alignment. Make such position a habit, perhaps even paint marks on the tailstock as a reminder.

Joe

 

[KEW]

I spend way to much time trying to get every thing perfect over analyzing😱!!

Sounds like the mark of a good craftsman to me!
If anything seems strange or wrong, take the time to figure it out.
The details you "over" analyze starting out will pay dividends down the road.

 

[MichaelMouse]

Pretty much what they all said, especially using a rubber or leather-faced mallet on the drive spur; if the tang end gets beat up it'll be useless and could damage the socket - even worse.

Howzzat? Rubber, compothane or rawhide? Are we woodturners, or what? A mallet or two make a great project and useful tool(s) for the carver or the would-be wood splitter, which is what driving the fangs into an unkerfed end can do for you.

Use a blunt punch to mark, not an awl which will slide aside into the soft early wood. Then use your pencil and your fingertip depth gage to draw a kerf line through your chosen center and up the side where you can see it to cut. One more at 90 degrees if you have a four-fang type, or nothing if you have a Steb center.

If the problem is simply marking, face reality that the piece, if not perfectly square, will almost always resolve into a parallelogram of some sort when you scribe from the edges. Take your best shot. If you are making a leg and have to have a square end and pommel, rip the piece on the same fence setting before you center mark.

 

[Rick James]

Hi guys, thank you for the great advice there is some very nice folks around here!

 

[Joe Greiner]

Howzzat? Rubber, compothane or rawhide? Are we woodturners, or what? A mallet or two make a great project and useful tool(s) for the carver or the would-be wood splitter, which is what driving the fangs into an unkerfed end can do for you.

Use a blunt punch to mark, not an awl which will slide aside into the soft early wood. Then use your pencil and your fingertip depth gage to draw a kerf line through your chosen center and up the side where you can see it to cut. One more at 90 degrees if you have a four-fang type, or nothing if you have a Steb center.

If the problem is simply marking, face reality that the piece, if not perfectly square, will almost always resolve into a parallelogram of some sort when you scribe from the edges. Take your best shot. If you are making a leg and have to have a square end and pommel, rip the piece on the same fence setting before you center mark.

Oops! 😱 A wood mallet of course. Or a scrap piece of lumber in a pinch.

Joe

 

[Dave Roller]

Rick, when I'm doing spindle work, I always use a cup center (I don't do really small work). And, I always overtighten the tailstock and then "let up" a bit.