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New Member and Treadle Lathe

J

Jeff Deutschle

Joined
Sep 4, 2013
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Location
Bensylvania
Hi, this is my first post. I belong to the Endless Mountain Turners local chapter of the AAW, but am not a member of the AAW. Our local chapter President encouraged me to submit an article to the American Woodturner Journal about the treadle lathe I recently made. Before going to all that effort, I thought I would "test the waters" by posting some pictures and U-Tube links. If you folks think it is worth writing up an article, maybe I will. 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDdJyxqYoCg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z_TGHJ_KWM
 

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Amazing........

A lot of work went into design and making the treadle lathe.

If you wanted to make an article, I'm sure a lot of AAW members would be interested in it.

ooc

First link doesn't work.
 
Thanks, Odie. The link works for me... Any suggestions?

[Edit:] Never mind, I figured it out and fixed it.
 
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The flywheels and huge step up make it enough like a mechanically powered lathe that there should be no problems transitioning from one to another, unlike a spring pole or similar type. Looks like fun.
 
Al: Thanks for the reply.

I notice that you are an "AAW Adviser." What is that, and do you have any contacts within the Journal? Before I would start an article (like after the year's end...) I would want to know what the editors would be looking for.
 
MichaelMouse said:
The flywheels and huge step up make it enough like a mechanically powered lathe that there should be no problems transitioning from one to another, unlike a spring pole or similar type. Looks like fun.
Click to expand...

The interesting part is how intimate turning can become. No motor noise so that you can really hear the cut, you know just how much power the cut requires (and how dull the chisel becomes), and you can control the speed during a cut. I find myself slowing way down when towards the end of rolling a bead with a skew and am not even sure why. I am looking forward to really understanding end grain hollowing using this thing.
 
Jeff Deutschle said:
Al: Thanks for the reply.

I notice that you are an "AAW Adviser." What is that, and do you have any contacts within the Journal? Before I would start an article (like after the year's end...) I would want to know what the editors would be looking for.
Click to expand...

Jeff,

Betty Scarpino has a set of guidelines on writing an article
When you read through them you will see that the first steps to send her a couple of sentences describing your article.
I suggest you send Her photo of the lathe.

http://www.woodturner.org/products/aw/guidelines.htm

What I hear from people who write articles for the first time is they often lack photos of publication quality.
Most chapters have one or a dozen top notch photographer(s) if you need help with the photos.

An advisor is just a volunteer. I do a lot of work on the symposium committee.
Betty is easy to work with and enthusiastic about getting great content for the Journal.

Al
 
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Thanks, Al. I know what direction to go when the time comes.

Kind of reminds me when I was talked into making the darn thing to begin with. You know, should I bother or shouldn't I. And at some point I knew it was inevitable that I would make it. Before too long it will become inevitable that I will write the article. Part of the reluctance is that I would make another one somewhat differently. Not sure how I would put the improvements in an article, but then that's what editors are for!
 
Jeff,

I suggest you contact Betty in the next few weeks. If you are planning to do the writing In the winter.
Betty is working 3-4 issues ahead. Sort if thinking of what fits together etc.

Plus that sort of solidifies the commitment on both ends.


Al
 
Thanks Al,

I'll see what other responses I get and think about it over the weekend. It may depend on what Betty might want. I would rather do an article on how it is made and works rather than how to make one for yourself.
 
Jeff
Very impressive and certainly more complicated then my treadle lathe. I can see a strong influence on your treadle from double action spinning wheels.

I'm surprised how small your flywheel is, is this all you need with the double peddles? Mine probably out masses it by several times.

I particularly like the handle, as we both know it requires some mental effort to both pump the lathe -and- get the cut (ever more on a spring-pole, where you have to use an interrupted cut). I have been planning to put a hand-crank on mine for similar reasons.

Speaking as a treadle lathe type, what I would like to see, in an article is:
* a series of dimensioned drawings
* a bill of materials
* an explanation of how it all works
* an explanation of assembly

Personally I would love to see this article

Ralph
 
n7bsn said:
Jeff
Very impressive and certainly more complicated then my treadle lathe. I can see a strong influence on your treadle from double action spinning wheels.

I'm surprised how small your flywheel is, is this all you need with the double peddles? Mine probably out masses it by several times.

I particularly like the handle, as we both know it requires some mental effort to both pump the lathe -and- get the cut (ever more on a spring-pole, where you have to use an interrupted cut). I have been planning to put a hand-crank on mine for similar reasons.

Speaking as a treadle lathe type, what I would like to see, in an article is:
* a series of dimensioned drawings
* a bill of materials
* an explanation of how it all works
* an explanation of assembly

Personally I would love to see this article

Ralph
Click to expand...

Thanks Ralph:

Nice to hear from someone else with a treadle lathe. They do have some peculiarities.

Yes, having two treadles cuts way down on what is needed for the flywheel. In fact, the flywheel in the pictures was really too big. I finally came up with a 12 inch disc sanding plate from Shopsmith that is just right. It is funny how many think that larger pieces can be turned with a bigger flywheel and forget that the power comes from the legs.

The handle is really for kids to have fun helping. Last year our local chapter did a demo at a festival and a member brought in a treadle lathe cobbled together from a sewing machine that hardly worked at all. It turned backward in relation to the spur drive and could only be operated by having someone on the outboard side run the treadle. The kids had to take turns, they were having so much fun!

A combination of the fun that the kids had, the "treadle lathe turning between my ears", and encouragement from my wonderful wife drew me into making one. I've had it at the local farmer's market and will make the kids whistles if they do the work by pumping the handle.

And there is another thing about having two treadles - ergonomics. Since you have to be sitting to use both treadles, and it is much like riding a bicycle, it takes less coordination and balance to operate it compared to standing using a single treadle. I have never used a spring pole lathe, though.

And thanks for the suggestions on what should be in the article. I don't know if complete plans is what would be best (I didn't have complete plans when I made it 😉 ), but I will definitely include parts lists. Everything was off the shelf; nothing from a machine shop.
 
Sweeeeet!
I think it is two articles Jeff
I have been wanting to make one for a long time, but it will have to wait till I quit doing art shows and markets. or some of them. Plus sell off a couple/three lathes to have more room.

I always take a lathe to demonstrate, but there are a couple of places that I go that this would fit right in. One guy brings a pole lathe he built to a couple of places that our clubs demonstrate

Man that's nice Jeff. Thanks for posting
Jerry
 
Thanks everyone for the feedback and encouragement. I just sent an email to Journal Editor Betty Scrarpino. I'll post updates on this thread. I haven't committed myself to this yet. I am reminded of the adage: "The first half of any project takes 90% of the estimated resources. The second half takes the other 90%." 😀
 
Good, clear video. Definitely write an article and submit it. The treadle lathe looks top-notch with great craftsmanship. Thanks for sharing.
 
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