3-Spoke Cast Iron Carriage Handwheel For Mini Lathe
I dislike anything plastic on or in my lathe, and I disliked the black carriage handwheel most. I came across a 3" diameter 3-spoke chromed cast iron handwheel and had a nice rotating handle leftover from another project, so I took a shot at adapting them.
I chucked the wheel up in the 4-jaw and bored the center hole to fit the feeding gear shaft and re-tapped the handle mounting hole to match the thread of the rotating handle. I put a small rubber washer on the handle screw to keep it tight and connected the wheel to the shaft by drilling a hole in the stem and tapping it for a 6mm set screw just like the stock wheel. It operates uber smooth and I'm very happy with its "machine" look. Dings and wear will give it even more mojo. The outside of the wheel can be used for fine control and the new handle allows me to turn it faster than the stock wheel. It's the same diameter as the stock wheel so it doesn't interfere with the cross slide handle. In fact, the longer rotating handle keeps my knuckles from hitting anything. My lathe becomes more inviting to use with each upgrade. It's a small mod that makes a big difference in performance and style.
I dislike anything plastic on or in my lathe, and I disliked the black carriage handwheel most. I came across a 3" diameter 3-spoke chromed cast iron handwheel and had a nice rotating handle leftover from another project, so I took a shot at adapting them.
I chucked the wheel up in the 4-jaw and bored the center hole to fit the feeding gear shaft and re-tapped the handle mounting hole to match the thread of the rotating handle. I put a small rubber washer on the handle screw to keep it tight and connected the wheel to the shaft by drilling a hole in the stem and tapping it for a 6mm set screw just like the stock wheel. It operates uber smooth and I'm very happy with its "machine" look. Dings and wear will give it even more mojo. The outside of the wheel can be used for fine control and the new handle allows me to turn it faster than the stock wheel. It's the same diameter as the stock wheel so it doesn't interfere with the cross slide handle. In fact, the longer rotating handle keeps my knuckles from hitting anything. My lathe becomes more inviting to use with each upgrade. It's a small mod that makes a big difference in performance and style.
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