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Outboard Turning

Wyatt Holm

Wyatt Holm

Joined
Apr 30, 2008
Messages
232
Likes
6
Location
Southern Utah
Anyone turning outboard or large turning, like 30" to 40" bowl sizes?
 
I've only turned one large item. I turned a 28" drive wheel for my treadle lathe. I had a jury rigged outboard stand. It didn't work very well. It seemed fairly heavy and stable but the work would try to pull the tool and tool rest into it. I had to make cuts with the tool at just the right direction to avoid this. I'm working on improving the stand but it's been a low priority right now. I think it needs a lot more weight on the bottom and I'm going to install an arm that runs from the lathe stand to the outboard stand to add more security.
 
I'm making an outboard stand using an old break drum from an 18 wheeler. I have used one for a grinding stand and it was very stable, but hard to move around the shop. Perfect for turning, I think.
 
My biggest ended up 20" across.

'My', well, this was for a local turn-fest of turning forum members. The blank was donated and turning the bowl was the focus of the day and everyone could have a go.

The turning took a day, and the finishing another day afterwards.

We raffled the bowl for charity, and happily it went to the only teenager and only female present.

We had another lathe brought in for the day for demos by members.

Raised $70 for charity, had about 20 folk there, a barbie and a great time. Lots of b/shitting and tip swapping. A wood supplier brought down a pile of turning blanks, and as well we had a 'buy, sell, swap' table.

I love the idea of big bowls and platters, and the lathe will take up to c. 42" diameter (inboard), but it seems to me as the size of the piece increases there's an exponential increase in the time needed to turn it. And heavens it's boring roughing big lumps out .... chunk (beat), chunk (beat), chunk etc etc.
 
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I think a better choice is mounting a bed extension lower like the Powermatic 3520B does. This gives you a really solid tool rest to work from. I'm going to modify my 3520A as soon as I get time. I don't do large work often but have been wanting to do some small table tops that will be larger than 20".
Of course the Robust sweet 16 with the swing out bed section is a good idea as well as the sliding bed of the Stubby.
As far as outboard rigs I think Vicmarc has the best one and it could be rigged up to many other lathes.
http://www.vicmarc.com/default.asp?contentID=545 The tripod one is a new one. I'm not fond of those. The one that attaches to the lathe is the best although it is a little slower to move.
 
john lucas said:
I think a better choice is mounting a bed extension lower like the Powermatic 3520B does. This gives you a really solid tool rest to work from. I'm going to modify my 3520A as soon as I get time. I don't do large work often but have been wanting to do some small table tops that will be larger than 20".
Of course the Robust sweet 16 with the swing out bed section is a good idea as well as the sliding bed of the Stubby.
As far as outboard rigs I think Vicmarc has the best one and it could be rigged up to many other lathes.
http://www.vicmarc.com/default.asp?contentID=545 The tripod one is a new one. I'm not fond of those. The one that attaches to the lathe is the best although it is a little slower to move.
Click to expand...

John, why not mount a home-built Vicmarc style(not the tripod) rest tho the back of the 3520 bed where the bed extension would go? It would still be useable should you decide to buy the bed extension at some later date.
 
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Jake I've thought about that. I already have the bed extension for my lathe and have it installed. I have made something similar to the Vicmarc extension to use on my old Nova lathe. It's not as convenient as a banjo that's easy to move. l
One of the first outboard tool rests I ever saw was similar to the Vicmarc. It was homemade. What made it cool the elbow's were massive and he would install it on the inboard side of the lathe. He would take the long arm that sat on the floor out and put a shorter version on. Then he used it just like a very large version of the elbow tool. It was the first captured bar hollowing system I ever saw.
 
I have done some wall plaque work in the 40" range. But I have the full Oneway outboard with tail stock and everything. I have to say, turning that large requires a level of concentration I don't like to display. It's downright scary. Even with a tailstock, which with a piece that large and heavy won't hold it, but will give you about a second extra to get out of the way.
Not my idea of fun.
 
Thanks everyone,
I like what John said about putting the bed extension on the outboard side. I have been considering doing it to my Vicmarc, but one question. Would it be possible to build some type of riser block for the tailstock like Oneway has, so I could use that outboard also?
Wyatt
 
assuming you have a lathe with a sliding headstock, yes, you could make a riser. The issue there is generally about precision. You still have to make sure they line up dead on, especially with larger pieces. Any deviation results in the tailstock making circles in the wood, not holding the wood down.
 
Why would I need a sliding headstock? My lathe is a Vicmarc vl300. The outboard is normal threaded so I just have to turn the reverse switch and I then can turn like normal.
 
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Large or outboard turnings

Funny I should see this thread today when I came to post looking for someone somewhat local who might have a lathe large enough to turn a big burl my father gave me. It's maple, more than likely and I have 3 of them in the 36" + range. I could just cut them up, but I would like to try one huge piece for the coffee table in my living room. I may be willing to part with one of these large burls in trade for time to turn on your large capacity machine. Any takers? Oh, and in case my profile doesn't say so, I'm near Nashua, NH.

Thanks for reading,

Tim
 
Wyatt Holm said:
My lathe is a Vicmarc vl300. The outboard is normal threaded so I just have to turn the reverse switch and I then can turn like normal.
Click to expand...

er, yep, ensuring you have the chuck/faceplate to spindle clamp on? ... (remainder deleted after a little thought!)


Tim, I'd be happy to help. Come to Australia for a holiday with your burl 😀
 
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There are many ways to skin a cat. My orginal outboard turning set up was nearly useless on this Grizzly type lathe.

So I knocked up this one it will allow me to turn a large dia, very large, larger infact than it would be sensible to do so on this lathe 😀

Made from 1"sq mild steel bar, radius/dia is about the same as your standard oil drum. The support bar is made from 3/4" black mild steek bar.

It works well and is simple to make and operate.


To Echo Ern, 😀 drop by Tim I ve got at least one lathe that will handle it, if Erns too busy........ 😀
 

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I built this outboard rest that was in an article in Woodturning Design. I have about $50.00 in it. It is surprisingly stable for a rest made from standard iron pipe. The large base plate on the floor weighs about 60 pounds.

Dale Bright
 

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I've a Stubby 750 that I put 2" riser blocks on to turn larger oval pieces with a VOD. I've no doubt you could do the same with almost any lathe save for having to change a drive belt if the motor wasn't part of the headstock. The only down side of doing this is that your tail stock won't work (I'd forgotten where mine was already, so that wasn't a problem) and you'll have to lengthen the shafts of your tool rests. I had another member of my club that's also a metal turner drill the bottoms and add a 2" extension to the ones I really liked. The nice thing about using risers is that you can always remove them with little difficulty, and you're not turning outboard with a tool rest on a separate stand.
 
larger outboard turning

Nice gear folks! You all's shops are WAY too clean! Thanks to you "down under" folks for the invites, if I was capable, I'd be there 🙂. One turner has responded with interest and I appreciate it greatly.
 
Thanks again, I want to know a little more about building a riser block. I have intentions of putting an extension bed on my Vicmarc but one question long or short. I want to do like 40" swing or so, could anyone give me some tips, or point me in the direction of how to make a riser block to go on the extension bed.
Thanks in advance,
Wyatt
 
Would anyone happen to know where to buy a LHT plate? I havent been able to find one and am not sure how else to outboard turn.

Edit: I guess I should mention I have an older delta variable speed(changing the belt on the pulley) 3/4" horse 12" lathe.

Finding cross threaded places is a dickens.
 
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pyrocasto said:
Would anyone happen to know where to buy a LHT plate? I havent been able to find one and am not sure how else to outboard turn.

Edit: I guess I should mention I have an older delta variable speed(changing the belt on the pulley) 3/4" horse 12" lathe.

Finding cross threaded places is a dickens.
Click to expand...

You've got the easy task. Packard carries them. You can even get a dual-threaded 1" 8 insert for your Nova chuck.
 
I got my piecer outboard stand back, but it as a slight problem. It is about 2 to 3 inches too high, not only that it is wobbly. Any advice on how to fix it would be appreciated. Or if anyone wants to buy it then send me an email or call.
Thanks,
Wyatt
turner.wyatt@gmail.com
435 467 0351
 
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Outboard tool rest

Since this is an old thread, I was wondering if anyone has come up with another outboard tool rest. I want to turn a 24" dish on my 1642.
Thanks,
Rob
 
FWIW I did an 18" platter on my 1442. I put the headstock in the middle of the ways ( turned 90 degrees) and used the toolrest extension positioned to reach the face. The bottom of the platter was done outboard (headstock at the end) with the toolrest extension/banjo behind the headstock. That might also work for the 1642 (assuming the 1642 is set up the same as the 1442) .
 
Robert,

I've been throwing the idea around myself lately, and after a few days of research I think I'm going to give this a try for my 1642. The only thing I suggest with any attached system is to use a beefed up backer plate on the inside of the Jet's leg. The Jet leg is only 3/8" thick, where it's big brother PM is a full inch in the the mounting area.


Keith, the 1642's headstock only slides unlike the pivot of your 1442.
 

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I love it. That lathe isn't going to move. By the way you can build tailstock risers out of wood. I did that for one project. I made headstock and tailstock risers. It did have some vibration so probably wasn't the best solution for the headstock but the tailstock seemed to be pretty stable. I used hard maple. I would probably use good quality plywood if I built another.
 
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