Concrete Workbench for HF 8x12 44859

rosswindows

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Hello all,

I just purchased my first lathe, a HF 8x12 (44859). It's going to be delivered on Monday and I want to give it a nice sturdy, rigid workbench.
I really like the idea of casting a concrete slab (~2'x4' and 3" thick) with embedded reinforcement and female 1/4"-20 studs with which the bolt the machine to. This would sit atop a wooden 4x4, 2x4 and plywood frame with diagonal supports and mortise and tenon joinery, again for rigidity. I'm guessing this will end up weighing 500 lbs on the high end (not including the actual machine).

Now here's the thing, I have a good feeling I may be moving in 6 months and I might have one or two people to help, but still that's a lot of weight for three people to handle. I really want to add locking casters to each of the four 4x4 legs so that it is easily movable, but I'm not sure if they would be any good as permanent supports. My hope is that the rigidity of the concrete slab will do the work of keeping everything on the machine aligned in reference to itself but I don't know anything about how lathe benches *should* be built. Another option is a removable wheel system that I could slap on when I need to move the machine, but that's more money and I'm already over budget :D Also, I don't weld (yet), so it would have to be some kind of bolt-on thing.

Honest answer please: Am I going way overboard?
 
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Way overboard IMO. I had the same lathe sitting on a workbench. It was perfectly fine but then again I didn't have the lathe for very long. Another solution is to just mount it on top of a rolling tool box, that way you'll have plenty of storage underneath for tooling.


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Thank Will! A small part of me was hoping you'd say that!

It sounds like I would be better suited using that money for tooling and just set the machine on something else for the time-being. Since you owned one of these, can I ask how long ago it was that you bought it, and did it come with the backsplash and drip pan?
 
Yes, I would definitely spend the money towards tooling. I forget but I think it was on 09', Long before the price increase. I only hade it for 7-8 months before giving it to my lil brother. I got that lathe for $390 with tax. Now they sell it for $1000!

It did not come with a backsplash or chip pan. At the time, when I called HF to order the backsplash they said it was discontinued. The chip I used is from a dog kennel that I got from a pet store.

My HF 8x14 Mini Lathe Mods
 
All great ideas and thanks for linking your thread on the mods you did. That went straight into my new "Lathe" bookmarks folder.

It just blows my mind to think that this lathe used to be that price. After a 25% off coupon, tax and freight surcharge, I ended up paying about $900 for mine. I just keep telling myself that the price increase is due to "manufacturer's design improvements". Yeah, I'm sticking with that.
 
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No problem. If you come across any questions in the future, I'll be happy to help (from what I remember). Prices go up all the time on everything so no surprise. I guess I was just lucky. I learned a lot from that lathe & it was a great little lathe. I do miss that lathe though, maybe one day I'll might get it back.
 
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I have a Lathemaster 8x14. It's the same lathe as your HF 8x12. My lathe right now is mounted on a wood workbench and it is just fine. You could even mount yours on a rolling tool box. Just remember that it weighs about 250 lb. I recommend that you check the site "awnisquamgranite.com 8x12 review". Also, for tooling, google Lathemaster and Little Machine shop. Even though she is a plain Jane, you got a nice little lathe. Mark
 
Thanks Mark! I thoroughly enjoyed reading through that review. Lots of good information there. I've bookmarked his website as well as the LM and LMS sites.

Wouldn't you know it, I just happened to have a $100 Amazon gift card and after finding out that A2Z Corp has an Amazon store and their QCTP was almost exactly $100, I just had to buy it. They have excellent customer service BTW: I must not have had enough coffee yesterday morning when I purchased it because I accidentally checked out the Sherline model. It dawned on me a couple hours later and I wrote them an email. They got back to me right away to let me know that they had personally corrected it in the shipping box on the way out the door! I thought for sure I wouldn't get a response in time and then end up having to return it for the correct one. -Ross
 
I have a Lathemaster 8x14.

Yup same exact lathe as the Lathemaster 8x14, I hear they're even made in the same factory with the same s/n system (not sure if that has changed). Same lathe so the HF model is actually a 8x14 also. Not sure why HF calls it 8x12.

BTW, I got my backsplash from LM for $35. I also had their modified AXA QCTP as well as their modified AXA holders. I still had to mill some more off the bottom of the holders to use 1/2" shank tools though. It was worth it to me cause I wanted a steel QCTP rather aluminum. I also had their speed reduction pulley which made threading coarser pitches so much easier.
 
Glad to help out Ross. At the time that I going to buy my lathe. Lathemaster was about $200 more the HF, but the former came with all sorts of goodies including a 4 jaw chuck. One mod that fellows will change are the two screws for the gear cover. Instead I mounted a spring latch like the ones on tool boxes. Much more convenient and you don't have to worry about misplacing something. Mark
 
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