Need some advice for a 1340GT stand

wrmiller

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Hey guys,

I need you help. I am SO over this original stand that my 1340 came on, and can't afford to buy the cast iron one. I would like to get some ideas from you guys for building one, but there is a catch. I don't have a welder.

So I need some ideas on how to build one that is bolt together. Now there's a challenge for ya. :)

The stand needs to be as rigid as possible, with no bolts in the load-bearing plane. I believe 'in shear' is the phrase I am thinking of, but I'm not a mechanical engineer so my vocabulary is lacking in this regard.

I know that some here have built stands for their lathes, but those were all welded IIRC. Can one be built that isn't welded together?

Thanks for your time guys.
 
You could build anything you like with some 2x3" steel tubing and a large box of 1/2" bolts :) I built a rolling base for my mill from 2x3" tubing, 1/4" plate and some angle iron. It's alot of work though. How about a poured concrete stand instead? Just as strong but alot more straightforward. Not as mobile though..
 
Hey matt,

I have zero experience with concrete. I would not want anything I have to attack with a sledge hammer if/when I sell my machines in the future though. ;)

Not sure how I'd adjust a lathe on a couple of concrete pillars either.
 
me neither, just seen some really good looking stands made with it. Permanence is a bit of an issue for sure, but you could always pour the columns with a 1/4" metal base and cast in some attachment points for wheels or jacks so you could move it later if needed. leveling adjustment would be done between the base and the lathe, just as you would for any other set up.

main reason I suggested it was because it tool me alot of time and effort to put together a simple rolling base for my mill, so much so that I probably could have learned to weld and welded it together in the time it took me to build it. And that's for something a fair bit simpler than a lathe stand.

other options would be wood (you'd lose alot of space) or fixing the things you don't like with your existing stand using extra material (like bracing or a thicker steel top).

here's a pic of the rolling base I made
zFTngc.jpg
 
I though about wood, but it would have to be sturdy. Probably 4x4s and 2x8s with steel plates on top and steel caps on the bottoms of the 4x4s.

Might be doable. :)
 
Telespar comes immediately to mind. It's pre-perforated with the holes and comes in 8 sizes and a number of different gauges of thickness. Basically a Mechano set on steroids.

The one drawback might be cost -- up here it's pretty expensive (I only bought a short piece through Metal Supermarkets which tend to be pretty expensive in their pricing anyways) but maybe in your area it might be cheaper and easier to come by. They build some pretty skookum stuff with it.

-frank
 
Some very sturdy wood benches out there. Very much doable. My main bench weighs nearly 800 lbs. empty. It's mortise and tenon construction from white oak. My reloading bench is made from all construction lumber that I milled and glued up. I just built a wood stand for my mill. 4x4 corners with 2x rails and cross braces. It's also construction lumber from Lowes connected with lots of glue and pocket screws. 3/4" plywood panels glued in groves in the 2x lumber. It's also very sturdy. I'd dare say that any of these would support the lathe quite well. The bench tops are made from multiple layers of mdf or melamine so they are very flat, strong and heavy. The mill top is a solid core door with stainless cover on it. Also very flat and heavy.

Main bench...



Reloading bench...



Mill stand...

 
Wow Terry, very nice looking stuff. And totally beyond my ability to make (and possibly afford). :)

This is giving me ideas though, thanks.
 
With a sheet of 1" plywood and some lumber from Home Depot you could build a stand for your lathe that would be plenty strong. It might not be as nice as the stands these guys built, but it would do the job for you. Just
overbuild the heck out of it and you'll be fine.
 
Wow Terry, very nice looking stuff. And totally beyond my ability to make (and possibly afford). :)

This is giving me ideas though, thanks.

Thanks. Pocket screw construction is very simple and not expensive at all. Construction lumber will work fine if you choose wisely when you buy it and realize it's properties and limitations. Melamine and/or mdf for tops also quite cost effective. Those tops are just multi layers glued and screwed together.

I use a lot of dovetails on drawers and such that are cool and easy for me because I have the equipment but you can make plenty strong enough drawers with much simpler joinery. Most everything could be done with a circular saw and/or chop saw, drill and pocket screws. Would be nice to have a table saw but there are work arounds for everything.

Here's the link to my mill resto thread. The stand build begins on page 3

Enco 105-110 restoration thread

Here's the link to the reloading bench album on my Flickr page. You can see how it is constructed from the pics.

Reloading bench album
 
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