Lathe Stand Advice Needed

[T Bredehoft]

Thanks for the photos. I always enjoy seeing home make carriage stops. On my first lathe, (late model Atlas) I had a stop with three, individually adjustable stops... Over kill, but I liked the idea, never used more than two of them.

 

[Nesse1]

I primed the stand using Por-15 paint yesterday. Brushed it on, and it flowed out amazingly well. I really like this paint for sealing off any possible rust/corrosion before top coating. I've got some alkyd enamel top coat, w/catalyst, waiting the next step, but a once in a lifetime hurricane is hitting So. Calif., so it's raining here, putting a damper on the painting party. Oh, well. Guess I'll just have to read more threads on Hobby Machinist..

 

[G-ManBart]

POR-15 is pretty amazing stuff. I've used it in places I thought would never last and it did...really well. You don't want to breathe the stuff, or get it on your skin, but other than that it's fantastic. I'm looking at a trailer build and the plan is to POR-15 it and then top coat of something like tractor/implement paint with catalyst...pretty much what you're doing.

 

[epanzella]

You might want to weld some tabs onto those legs so you can bolt it
to the floor.

 

[Nesse1]

You might want to weld some tabs onto those legs so you can bolt it
to the floor.

I have six large leveling feet that thread into nuts welded in the legs.

 

[Nesse1]

Alkyd enamel w/hardner top coat applied. I used Glidden Farm & Implement paint. Really nice stuff. It's high solids, and flows out really nice. The chip tray paint was ugly, so it was stripped and painted fresh as well. Used Rustolium Clean Metal Primer, which doesn't flow out for crap. A total bummer compared to the Glidden, and POR-15, paint. It's all good, though, clean metal and fresh paint is a good thing, even if the chip tray surface finish is a little lumpy.

Now the waiting game. Even with hardner, I've read that alkyd enamel paint takes a long time to try. Maybe move it out of the garage and into the yard, and sun, for a week or so?

Edit: I wound up welding up the mounting holes, and moving them, so the lathe will sit more centered on the stand. And a few days in the hot sun did wonders to harden the paint.

 

[Harry Knutz]

A lot of Home-made stands look like "Schnitzel" Your's looks very nice!

 

[Nesse1]

 

[Nesse1]

Standing in front of the machine suggests that pushing back the lower crossbar was a good call. It's easier to get over the chuck for improved visibility (good foot clearance.) The height is much better now too (it's several inches lower than with the original stand.)